Volkskammer

Volkskammer: GDR Restaurant at Ostbahnhof

The Volkskammer is located at Straße der Pariser Kommune 18a in Friedrichshain, a few minutes’ walk from Ostbahnhof and thus in that part of the city which was the capital of the GDR until 1990. The U5 stops at Weberwiese, and long-distance trains roll in within earshot. From the outside, the establishment is an ordinary ground-floor restaurant with large windows. Those who enter step into a room consistently furnished to evoke daily life in the eighties.

The chairs are made of black lacquered metal rods with red upholstery, old telephones and a record player stand on the shelves, and pennants and portraits of Walter Ulbricht, Erich Mielke, and Erich Honecker hang on the walls. A large mural depicts the Palace of the Republic. The Volkskammer opened in 2010 and is run by Aurick Günther, who started as a cook in 2014 and took over the establishment a year later. Since then, little has changed in the concept, and that in itself is an achievement in a neighborhood where establishments change annually.

Hunter’s Schnitzel, Soljanka, and Goldbroiler on the Menu

Only East German cuisine is cooked, without any ironic undertone. The Hunter’s Schnitzel made from breaded Jagdwurst with spirelli and tomato sauce is the house’s flagship dish and costs 15.90 Euros; the homemade Soljanka is on the menu for 5.90 Euros. Also available are Würzfleisch, Rostbrätel, Eisbein, Falscher Hase (false hare) with an egg inside, and the Goldbroiler, which is half a roasted chicken. Those who don’t eat meat will find Red Beet Schnitzel, spelt patties, and jacket potatoes with herb quark.

For dessert, there are Quarkkeulchen, Kalter Hund (cold dog cake), and Ossigrütze (East German semolina pudding), perfectly paired with a Club Cola. For travel groups and celebrations, the kitchen offers tiered menus, and at lunchtime, there’s a special called “worker’s meal”. Reservations should be made in advance, by phone or via the form on the website. Anyone who does not cancel a reservation pays twenty Euros per person, which clearly shows how sought-after the tables at the Volkskammer are. For Aurick Günther, it’s less about politics and more about cuisine: He runs the establishment as a kind of museum of East German everyday cooking, preserving recipes that have long disappeared from menus elsewhere.