Berlin

Lei e Lui

Lei e Lui means "her and him" in Italian: Karin is the chef and Sebastiano is ‘front of house’ (they aren’t married, but they say it's pretty similar).

Lei e Lui means “her and him” in Italian: Karin is the chef and Sebastiano is ‘front of house’ (they aren’t married, but they say it’s pretty similar).

This little gem in Moabit is a must-visit in the summer: it serves up sophisticated bio fare alongside various dance, film and music performances.

The food is meticulously thought out, with Moroccan, Italian and Caribbean influences. The weekly menu is organic, seasonal and locally sourced; vegetarian options outnumber meat options (which are prepared completely separately); and there is frequent, innovative use of fruit and vegetables, which Karin calls “more interesting to work with than meat”.

The presentation is so beautiful you almost don’t want to ruin it, but ruin it you should. The Pfannkuchen with steamed asparagus are a great take on an old German favourite, the risotto with salmon is perfectly moist with beautiful crispy skin, the pumpkin and carrot gnocchi were zingy and not doughy or heavy, and the Krauterpuffer with Swiss chard and mixed fruit and leaf salad was refreshing and well-balanced. Wash it all down with Pinkus Bio beer, all-Bio wine, any of the great juices on offer or excellent coffee made by a real Italian. A little slice of foodie heaven in an unlikely location.