Considering that German bread culture has its own UNESCO heritage listing (something that not even France has), you’d think Berlin might be awash in great sandwiches. But for every five-star assemblage of meat, cheese, veggies and/or sauce in bread in this city, it can seem like there’s a bunch more belegte brötchen topped with soggy lettuce, flavourless tomato and mayo from a jar.
Considering that German bread culture has its own UNESCO heritage listing, you’d think Berlin might be awash in great sandwiches
But never fear: the city’s sandwich scene isn’t a total wasteland, and is ever-improving. So, split up into four categories, here’s your ultimate tour de sandwich.
Oh, and for obvious reasons (that is: there’s plenty of good choices), we’re not counting members of the döner family as sandwiches here: that’s one category where Berlin is eminently well-served.
Baguette sandwiches
Don’t be confused by the menu terminology at Prenzlauer Berg counter Formidable: the sandwiches here may be called “croques” but they bear little resemblance to the classic French ham-and-cheese combination. Rather, they’re delicious well-stuffed baguettes, which run the gamut from simple (salami with cheese, salad and sauce) to jam-packed (coriander pulled chicken with mango chutney).
The best choice is debatable, but feta-salami strikes a great balance of simplicity without being too plain.
Honourable mention: if you’re out near Köpenick, stop Baguette und Buch, a charming café in a former library. It’s no-fuss: grab a classic ham and cheese or turkey baguette for around 5€ and soak up the cozy atmosphere.
- Formidable: Schönhauser Allee 126, Prenzlauer Berg, Sun-Thur 11-22, Fri-Sat 11-23 online
- Baguette und Buch: Rudower Str. 1, Köpenick, Mon-Fri 7-18, Sat-Sun 8-18 online
Café-style
Rocket + Basil is the undisputed queen of this, with a mix of Iranian and international influences.
There’s a certain type of sandwich that doesn’t fit into one neat box: it’s funky and fresh, with high-quality bread and usually a smaller number of well-paired, ultra-fresh fillings and a flavoursome house dressing (mayo or otherwise). For these purposes, I’ll call it café-style, since that’s the kind of place where I’ve encountered it, and Schöneberg’s Rocket + Basil is the undisputed queen of this, with bread from Markthalle Neun bakery Sironi and a mix of Iranian and international influences.
The ricotta sandwich shines brightest: with smoky pumpkin, marinated kale and pickled beets it’s a singularly unique option, but the other choices, which lean more classic (ham and pickle, toasted cheese) are similarly stellar.. Rocket + Basil gets pretty busy, so consider ordering in advance for lunch hours.
Honourable mention: cozy Neukölln café Katie’s Blue Cat may dedicate most of its counter space to sweets, but its über-fresh sandwiches are worth the trip alone. They lean more classic than Rocket + Basil – the BLT is my favourite (a testament to keeping things simple), but the cheesy ploughman’s sandwich is a great bet for vegetarians.
- Rocket + Basil: Lützowstr. 22, Schöneberg, Tue-Fri 11:30-15, Sat-Sun 10-16 online
- Katie’s Blue Cat: Friedelstr. 31, Neukölln, Mon-Fri 8-18, Sat-Sun 9:30-19 online
Jewish-ish (Challah)
Challah, the fluffy Ashkenazi Jewish bread made with eggs, is an excellent vehicle for sandwiches, and a few deli-style haunts take full advantage. The best of the best is the Israeli schnitzel sandwich at Doda’s, just off Warschauer Straße: with crispy chicken, creamy hummus cut with tangy pickles and matbucha (a tomato-pepper condiment), it’s a rainbow of perfectly intersecting textures. The rest of the menu is worth exploring too, with other sandwiches including kzizot (meatballs).
crispy chicken, creamy hummus cut with tangy pickles and matbucha (a tomato-pepper condiment)
Honourable mention: Masha’s Bagels also brings challah to the table, but with more of a New York fusiony bent: the kimchi grilled cheese is an unexpectedly winning combination.
- Doda’s Deli: Kopernikusstr. 22, Friedrichshain, Wed-Thur 12-15:30, 17:30-19:30, Fri 12-15:30, 18-21, Sat-Sun 12-18 online
- Masha’s Bagels & Delicatessen: Bouchéstr. 15, Alt-Treptow, Wed-Sat 9-16, Sun 10-15:30 online
Pastrami
It might seem odd to separate pastrami sandwiches from other Jewish deli-style sandwiches, since this spiced and brined beef sandwich is definitively a Jewish-American creation. But preparing pastrami is a particularly involved process, with hours or days of dry-curing and slow cooking required. Hence, it gets its own category, and the easy champion here is Mogg, Berlin’s stylish and very-modern answer to classic NY-style deli fare.
The Reuben, which adds cheese and cabbage, is also superb
While some of its menu (like pulled pork) would likely make the founders of Katz’s Delicatessen turn in their graves, Mogg’s peppery, salty and juicy pastrami on rye with a juicy side pickle is a serious revelation: it’s not “good for Berlin”, it’s seriously, unambiguously excellent (the Reuben, which adds cheese and cabbage, is also superb).
Honourable mention: Plus Kitchen, the American-style sandwich counter inside Manifest Taproom does great chicken sandwiches (after all, it’s from the former chef of fried chicken cart Humble Pie), but the cheesy and saucy take on a Reuben, the Mr. T, is exquisitely hearty comfort food.