This post is the first of many from our babymoon throughout Central Europe. Because this is a food blog and I love experiencing different cultures through their cuisine, I'll mainly be focusing on restaurants we went to in addition to some fun highlights of our time walking miles and miles throughout so many wonderful cities.
Our babymoon began in Berlin, Germany.
Ah, Berlin.
A vegan's paradise!
I'm not entirely sure when my desire to visit Berlin started, but one of the main reasons I wanted to go to this city was because of the vegan food scene. And it did not disappoint! Usually when Brett and I travel, I don't like to eat out very often. Thankfully though, this babymoon hit when I was towards the end of my 1st trimester and could tolerate most foods, but still wanted nothing to do with cooking. Being able to avoid cooking, while getting to eat out and try so many different foods was such a treat!
Other than lots of walking around and a full day of biking to different landmarks, Berlin was categorized mostly by delicious food. So today I'm sharing with you all the different restaurants we visited and photos of what we ate. I would love to know if any of you have ever been to Berlin!
Zeus Pide and Pizza:
Zeus Pide and Pizza wasn't even on my list of restaurants to visit, but we walked by it the first night we arrived and were drawn in by the number of vegan options they provided. Basically all the pizzas on their their non-vegan menu are also on their vegan menu. They just use faux meats and cheeses. They're pizzas are super thin and while Brett and I split one, I could have easily eaten an entire pizza by myself!
The pizza we ordered had vegan sausage on it in addition to peppers, mushrooms and vegan cheese. It was a different flavor than anything I've ever tried before, but we both loved it and wish we could have tried more of their pizzas!
Zeus Pide and Pizza is a great place to go for vegans and non-vegans and their service was helpful and quick. I definitely recommend eating here if you want pizza!
Veganz Grocery Store:
Veganz is a fully vegan grocery store with a few locations around the city. We thankfully had one which was in semi-walking distance from our airbnb so we were able to make a few trips there throughout our stay to peruse the aisles. One of my cravings during our entire time in Central Europe was yogurt and thankfully Veganz had lots of different brands and flavors. For breakfast one morning I had the best, thickest coconut yogurt ever that I bought from them.
Past the grocery store section, Veganz also sold baked goods, breads and sandwiches.
Brammibal's Donuts:
Brammibal's Donuts was hand's down my favorite restaurant that we went to in Berlin. It was so cute and quaint and allowed you to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. And of course, everything we ate was absolutely delicious. You would never guess it was vegan!
Brammibal's doesn't open until 10 AM, but that worked perfectly with our jet lag. They are known for their doughnuts, which come in so many delicious flavors, but they also have amazing savory options. All throughout my pregnancy I've craved salty/savory foods, so Brett and I split two sandwiches and one doughnuts, which Brett ate most of. We order the grilled cheese and the hummus sandwich and the doughnut was chocolate and peanut butter flavored. The two sandwiches were absolutely incredible. I couldn't get over how real the cheese tasted and how thick and soft and delicious both kinds of breads were. They didn't skimp on anything. I also ordered a black tea which they served with oat milk and it also was perfect.
Our meal at Brammibal's Donuts was my favorite meal, maybe of our entire vacation, and I so wish I could have gone back during our time in Berlin to try out more items on their menu!
Chaos Theorie:
I had heard about Chaos Theorie from a few different sources and it sounded like a fun, unique, fully vegan restaurant. The inside was quirky and dark and had lots of seating. Chaos Theories isn't known for their health foods, but serves items like hot dogs and burgers, cakes and hot chocolate.
Since Germany is known for their currywurst, we decided to order that as well as a double cheese meatball sandwich. We also ordered fries and choose ketchup and cheese as our dipping sauces.
While the currywurst was unique, it was tasty and the sandwich was a gooey mess of deliciousness. I think I definitely prefer my sausages topped with the traditional ketchup and mustard as opposed to the curry sauce, but it was fun to try!
After dinner we couldn't pass up the cakes in the display cabinet. We ordered a slice of snickers and tiramisu. Both were delicious and massive. We couldn't finish them!
If you have a hankering for vegan comfort/junk food, definitely head over to Chaos Theorie.
Black Sheep Cafe:
The Black Sheep Cafe was another one of my favorite spots in Berlin. It was located on a quaint street and had a quiet, relaxing setting. It was mostly empty when we arrived and the hostess was so kind and welcoming. She helped us with all of our questions.
Both Brett and I ordered bagel sandwiches and carrot/orange/ginger juice. They served two kinds of bagel sandwiches or you could make your own. Brett ordered the Christmas in Summer bagel and it really did taste like a christmas meal all in one. I believe it had roasted sweet potatoes, rosemary, stuffing and some kind of cranberry sauce. It was delicious! I made my own bagel and included tofu, spinach, tahini, avocado and vegan cheese. It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had and all the ingredients I chose went so well together. Both of our bagels also came with a side salad.
In addition to bagels, the Black Sheep Cafe also served croissants, chia seed pudding pods and different raw and baked goods. Their menu isn't extensive, but everything we ate was delicious.
Momos:
Because I can rarely find restaurants in China that serve fully vegan dumplings, I really wanted to check out Momos. Momos serves all vegetarian or vegan momos (or dumplings), in addition to some side dishes and desserts. You could mix and match fillings so Brett and I ordered two kinds of vegan dumplings. We also choose the sesame sauce to dip them in and both were delicious! They weren't very filling so if you're hungry, order a lot!
Let It Be:
How can I say other restaurants were my favorite, when Let it Be was also an incredible restaurant?! We ate dinner here after a full day of biking around the city and I was starving! The atmosphere was lively and warm and we found a seat easily. Let it Be serves a variety of vegan burgers and sweet and savory crepes. They also had side dishes like fries and mac and cheese. Since I was craving anything cheesy during my first trimester, I had to get the vegan mac and cheese for Brett and I to share. Oh my goodness. You guys. It was the best thing I've ever eaten. It didn't taste vegan at all and even came with crispy fried onion bits to sprinkle on top. Both Brett and I were in heaven as we worked our way through that comforting bowl of noodles.
Brett ordered a vegan burger for his main course and it tasted like an enchilada to me...so good! I ordered a savory crepe which came stuffed with sweet potato, veggies and satay sauce. It was a unique combination of flavors, but it worked so well and was delicious. Both of our entrees were huge and came with large side salads.
Definitely go to Let it Be if you're in Berlin!
To sum it up, I would have to say my top three restaurants from Berlin were Brammibal's Donuts, Let it Be and Black Sheep Cafe.
I had a lot of other restaurants on my list that we weren't able to get to, but I guess that means we'll have to go back one day!
Again, let me know if you've been to Berlin and what your experience was!
oscar says
Consider a recipe book? Even a small one like Arman's.
Faith says
I have thought about it before! Not sure if it will happen but it'd be cool to make a vegan/expat focus one. But I'm not a real cook haha. I just like to share food I eat:) We'll see!
meredith says
It looks like fabulous dining Faith! Being pregnant is a good time to sit back and let someone else cook for you. Best wishes!
Faith says
Thanks Meredith! And yes, I took full advantage of other people's cooking during the first trimester. It was such a gift!!
Jennifer T. says
I went to Berlin last December and ate my way through the city! I wonder how and why Berlin became the vegan capital of the world. Whatever the reason, I was very grateful for all the yummy food there. It looks like you had an amazing time! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!
Faith says
Ah so fun Jennifer! I also have no idea but I loved eating all the food there:) Thanks for reading along and sharing your experience with me!
oscar says
Now, I'm hungry. Never been to Berlin, but have been to Germany 4-5 times.
Faith says
Looks like you need to go back!