Friedrichshain

A popular hang-out for students and young Berliners. Friedrichshain is the last bastion of Berlin’s “alternative” subculture and is the best district to explore if you’re looking for hip bars, cool cafes and underground clubs. Most are centered around Simon-Dach-Straße , Boxhagener Platz and Schreinerstraße. But at the rate that new places are opening up, it won’t be long before Friedrichshain loses its insider feel.

Check out the spacey Astro Bar , the cocktail lounge next door to Dachkammer , and finish off the evening in Tagung , a popular bar-cum-club intriguingly decorated with East German political memorabilia. If you can still handle breakfast after a long night on the town, Leander and Apotheke have a good selection at knock-down prices.
Kreuzberg

For conservative radicals. Once a haven for punks and anarchists, Kreuzberg has certainly evolved since the fall of the Wall. While you can still savor some of that old revolutionary flavor in a number of bars around Oranienstraße and Wiener Straße, southern Kreuzberg (around Bergmannstraße) is now dominated by chic cafes and exclusive restaurants.

Riehmers Hofgarten , Altes Zollhaus and Medici serve up some of the best “neue deutsche Küche” in town, while places like Austria and Jolesh are good bets for more traditional fare. Francophiles should head for Le Cochon Bourgeois , while lovers of Mediterranean cuisine should pay a visit to Sale e Tabacchi . Kreuzberg is also home to thousands of Turkish immigrants. So when in Rome… the Imbiss stand next to Schlesisches Tor U-Bahn station is widely reputed to have the best döner kebabs this side of Istanbul.

Many of Berlin’s most scenic cafes are situated on the banks of the canal at Paul-Lincke-Ufer, the perfect place for a lazy Sunday afternoon brunch. Sit down, relax and watch the world go by from the gardens of Cafe am Ufer or Cafe Übersee , or wait until night falls and mingle with Kreuzberg’s young generation in Ankerklause .

If you’re looking for a taste of legendary hard-core Kreuzberg, check out the likes of Madonna or Intertank . Roses is a popular spot among the gay crowd. Slightly softer, but still very “Kreuzberg” are Morena and Wiener Blut , both of which are highly recommended. If you’re the more traditional type, pay a visit to Yorckschlösschen , a rustic pub with hearty local fare and live jazz on Sundays. And when it comes to tradition, there’s nothing like Golgatha’s beer garden on a warm summer evening.
Mitte

The undisputed center of Berlin nightlife, packed with bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs. While tourists now outnumber locals in many of the establishments around Oranienburger Straße, at least you won’t have to search for long until you find a place that you like. From the sleek Cafe Orange to the wacky Cafe Zapata in Stachelschweine Kabarett Theater , the Oranienburger Straße strip has something for everyone. But if you want to avoid the masses and fancy a bit of local flair, try Cafe Ici or Hackbarth’s in nearby Auguststraße. Alternatively, head for Mittendrin in Sophienstraße.

The area around Hackesche Höfe is equally busy. Popular lunchtime venues are Cafe Hackescher Hof and Yosoy tapas bar, evening favorites include the South American restaurant-bar Brazil , while night-owls flock to Cocktailbar Baal or Sage Club . Gourmets can savor the finest new international cuisine at Borchardt and Vau while fans of hearty German food will be in their element at Stäv , Volksgaststätte or Zur Letzten Instanz , said to be Berlin’s oldest restaurant.

Prenzlauer Berg

The fashionable, up-and-coming district. Particularly during the warm summer months, beautiful, tree-lined Kollwitzplatz acts as a magnet for tourists who descend in droves on the atmospheric cafes and restaurants that adorn the quaint nineteenth century square.

Locals, on the other hand, prefer to meet at cafes such Anita Wronski and Sowohl Als Auch , or at late-night bars like Luxus Bar . If you wish to drink in a smoke-free atmosphere, check out Cafe Mia . Prater is also a popular destination with a fantastic beer garden.

There’s good food aplenty to be had in Prenzlauer Berg: check out the breakfast buffet at Li(bi)do or Schall & Rauch , the great antipasti at Il Pane e le Rose , the spicy curries at Mao Thai , the hearty Russian dishes and live folk music at Pasternak or the Kurdish specialties consumed on traditional floor cushions at Miro . For those looking for a quick snack: Zarskes Gaststätte.

Schöneberg

Plenty to do here. Many of the cafes and bars near Winterfeldtplatz and Goltzstraße sprung up in the 1980s, when Schöneberg was the place to go out in West Berlin. Check out cult favorites such as Cafe M and Mutter ; try one of the superb cocktails at Green Door .

Schöneberg is also the focal point of Berlin’s vibrant gay community, with countless gay bars and clubs located around Motzstraße and Fuggerstraße. Lenz die Bar is popular in the early evening, Tom’s Bar , Hafen , Connection or Begine later on.

When it comes to eating in Schöneberg, you’re spoiled for choice. Many Berliners come from far afield to breakfast in style at places such as Tomasa , April and Montevideo . Gourmets should head straight to Bamberger Reiter or Fischer’s Restaurant for classic and modern German dishes and an enormous selection of wines. Otherwise, try Cheban for great Lebanese, Storch for traditional Alsace cuisine and Baharat or Habibi if you’re in the mood for a quick falafel.