Fast Food

Since 1930, Konnopke's Imbiss has stood under the heritage-listed elevated railway viaduct on Schönhauser Allee, serving East Berlin's first Currywurst since 1960 - skinless and with a sauce whose recipe the family keeps secret to this day. It also offers five levels of spiciness, a vegan option, and an outdoor snack garden next to the kiosk.

On Lietzenburger Straße, this shop works with smoked beef brisket, which hardly any burger joint in Berlin puts on its menu. In addition, there are toasted brioche buns, a burger in a butter croissant, six house-made sauces from Korean BBQ to Chili-Mango, and a Vegan Burger. The Classic Burger costs 11.99 Euros here.

Since 2008, a burger joint on Krossener Strasse has been bringing together hip-hop and real craftsmanship: the beef from Brandenburg heifers is ground in-house and smashed into a patty on a hot griddle, the potato bun is baked vegan, and the peanut sauce, coleslaw and guacamole are all made in the kitchen on site here.

Curry 36 at Mehringdamm carries the house number in its name: the first stand was a cart just over a metre wide in the building's entrance, with the 36 still visible beside it. Today there is currywurst with and without casing, from Havelland apple pork and in a vegan version, plus an own ketchup with 87 percent tomato paste.

Curry61 at Alexanderplatz sits between the World Clock and the Congress Centre and cooks its curry sauce fresh several times a day. The vegetables are market-fresh from Brandenburg, the sausage comes from a Berlin butcher, and the vegan currywurst is served with a vegan truffle mayonnaise made with real summer truffle.

Since 2014, this shop on Kollwitzstraße has been forming its patties from aged entrecôte from pasture-fed cattle, baking them in sourdough buns from a Berlin bakery, and caramelizing onions for ten hours in butter. In addition to thick steakhouse burgers, the flattened smash burger is on the menu, each also available plant-based.

In the heart of Potsdamer Platz, KERB Berlin transforms a former cinema into a playground for 12 independent street food markets. Under soft green lights and the smell of something sizzling, you’ll find juicy fried chicken, cheese plates rolling past on a belt and that easy-going Berlin vibe all hanging out together.

The red-painted snack bar on Linienstraße is located opposite the former Tacheles art house, a few steps from Oranienburger Tor. Next door, a two-story space also serves as a gallery. The chickpea mixture is packed with fresh herbs, recognizable by its green core. Falafel in Mitte is available here along with an exhibition.

Ketch'up 35 in Britz cooks its own ketchup fresh every single day, following a secret family recipe and using no preservatives at all. It also uses exclusively Neuland meat, hand-formed buns and Belgian-style twice-fried fries. The currywurst costs 3.20 Euros, as do the fries, and there is parking directly at the stand.

Vegan snack bar with character: Lia's Kitchen in Kreuzberg, at Urbanstraße 32, is Berlin's go-to for homemade seitan burgers, rich sauces, and satisfying salads, all 100 percent plant-based and freshly prepared daily.

On Mehringdamm, a family runs a small burger joint whose menu features brie and cranberry chutney, gorgonzola and caramelized pineapple. Three burgers come with a vegan mushroom patty, and seven sauces are available separately. Among Berlin's best burgers, Marthas Delicious Burgers is an independent spot alongside the big fast-food names.

Right by Winterfeldtplatz in Schöneberg, Habibi cooks its chickpea balls in a pot instead of a deep fryer, making them golden brown on the outside and significantly more aromatic on the inside. The Premium Falafel Bowl costs 7.00 Euros, the Highlight Plate 14.00 Euros, and tea is included for free. Among Berlin's falafel shops, this offers the best value for money.

Opposite the Adlon, Curry Wolf grills the Berlin currywurst with or without skin, served with twice-fried chips and the house chilli sauce Opium. As a gift for men the sausage goes over the counter in a swing-top jar, alongside a currywurst gin of its own and vouchers for a Berlin menu for two people, redeemable at both stands.

Zur Bratpfanne has existed since November 16, 1949. Günter Mosgraber placed the stand in front of the Titania Palace back then; since 1951, the stall has been located at Schloßstraße corner Kieler Straße in Steglitz. The sausages consist exclusively of pork shoulder, the ketchup is homemade, and the fries are double-fried.

Named after the Japanese shiso leaf, this establishment on Auguststraße has been bringing together burgers and Asian cuisine since 2013: Angus patties, even Wagyu on request for the Asia Burger, served with a homemade black sesame bun. In addition to Bulgogi, the menu features variations with salmon, shrimp, and marinated tofu.

Curry und Chili on Osloer Straße offers twelve spice levels, ordered ascending by Scoville. Levels one to seven do not contain chili extract and cost no extra, while the Gold Edition at level ten is over seven million Scoville. Frank Spieß founded the stand in 2005 and the first German Chili Eating Championship in 2009.

Curry Wolf is located on the median strip at Unter den Linden 77, opposite the Hotel Adlon and within sight of the Brandenburg Gate. The cult sauce OPIUM is handmade, jarred, and served at the stand without extra charge. The Currywurst costs 4.30 Euros, the vegan version 5.80 Euros, and champagne up to Dom Pérignon is also available.

In Friedenau, LuLa Deli & Grill bakes its bread from its own sourdough, cooks according to a weekly changing menu with international influences, and consistently uses organic ingredients. Right on Breslauer Platz, it has become a firm meeting point in the neighborhood.

Since 2004, Dolores California Burritos has brought the San Francisco Mission-Style to Berlin, with locations in Mitte and Schöneberg. If you want to get full at lunchtime without spending a lot, this is the perfect place: Cali-Mex cuisine at a low price, fresh and without frills.

Lange's Imbiss at the corner of Berliner Straße and Holzhauser Straße in Tegel is the cheapest address on this list: The currywurst costs 3.10 Euros, the fries 2.50 Euros. Additionally, there's a full breakfast assortment with minced pork and scraped meat rolls, and changing home-style dishes like pork hock with sauerkraut or Königsberger Klopse.

Located directly under the S-Bahn arch at Warschauer Platz in Friedrichshain, Scheers Schnitzel has been serving crispy home-style food since 2010 at prices that even Berliners find surprising. If you want to have an inexpensive lunch without sacrificing quality, this is the place to be.

In Neukölln's Bohemian Village, this shop consistently builds its burgers plant-based, either around a flat-pressed smash patty or Beyond Meat. Additionally, there's a complete Chick'N line made from breaded plant protein, loaded fries with mustard-cheese sauce, and two desserts, all of which are also free of animal ingredients.

At Sonnenallee 134 in Neukölln, frying only begins after an order is placed, which is why the falafel arrives hot and crispy on the plate, and the wait is bridged with a cup of tea. Each dish includes bread, hummus, sesame sauce, and salad; the falafel box costs 5.00 Euros. Al Hanan is Neukölln's go-to spot for fresh food at a low price.

Bier's Kudamm 195 has been selling currywurst on Kurfürstendamm since 1965, founded by the Berlin photojournalist Klaus-Peter Bier and now run by Gregor Bier, the second generation of the family. Champagne, including Dom Pérignon, is served with the homemade spicy sauce. The currywurst costs 3.80 Euros, with and without casing.

Habba Habba at Kastanienallee 15 works with light and fluffy sesame falafel, served either in a wrap or on a salad with herbs, nuts, and pomegranate dressing. The wrap costs 8.50 Euros, the mint-yogurt sauce is an additional 1.50 Euros, and only cash is accepted. For falafel in Prenzlauer Berg, this is the most unique option.