A Natural Wine Lover’s Guide to Berlin

Garments Vintage

If you are looking for vintage pieces with a story, Garments Vintage is the answer. The two owners and former costume designers, Astrid Lagos and Sandra Keil, know most of the pieces in the store “personally”. They will give you the story as a part of the shopping experience, ready for you to use as a conversational starter at your next dinner party. The range of products in their store in Berlin Mitte, is both colorful and eccentric: the fashion mainly comes from the 70s and 80s. You will also discover an affordable, curated selection of bold costume jewellery.

Linienstrasse 204, 10119 Berlin

Das Neue Schwarz

Lovers of special designer pieces will get their money’s worth in this vintage store in Berlin Mitte. Here you can admire celebrated brands from Comme de Garçons to Maison Margiela, Loewe and Jil Sander and the charming shop owner will happily guide you to the latest finds. People holding tight to their wallets should stick to window shopping. For fans of selected (and therefore quite expensive) pieces by unique designers, “The New Black” is one of the best vintage stores in all of Berlin.

Mulackstrasse 38, 10119 Berlin

Do Your Read Me?

Since 2008 this bookstore has offered a curated selection of inspiring international and independent magazines, journals and books in the midst of Berlin. Based on the crowding in the store, it’s obvious that this space has a lot of dedicated fans (myself included!) who are happy to spend hours here on a Saturday afternoon browsing through the amazing collection of printed matters on fashion, photography and art, architecture, interior and design, illustration, graphic design and typography, cultural matters and society. It’s a What you don’t find here, doesn’t exist kind of assortment and what’s not to love about that?

Auguststraße 28, 10117 Berlin

Rocket Wine

Rocket Wine is a natural wine shop, importer and an ongoing adventure that has taken the owners to the farthest corners of Europe in the search for the most authentic and tasteful natural wine. The bottles that are imported to Berlin and available for purchase are sourced among more than 60 wine friends living in the countryside of Jura, the shores of the great lakes of the Alps and in ancient, German river towns, and so on. The selection changes basically from day to day which makes every day a perfect stop-by to pick up some beautiful bottles. Hot tip: choose bottles out from the coolest labels and you can reuse them as candle holders long after the wine is enjoyed.

Sophienstrasse 10, 10178 Berlin

Voo Store Berlin

Top 3 reasons to head over to Kreuzberg for an afternoon at Voo Store: 1) Indulge in independent fashion labels such as Jacquemus, J.W. Anderson, Isa Boulder and Marques Almeida. 2) Shop for unique jewellery, accessories, beauty products and interior objects. 3) Enjoy a glass of natural wine or a cup of coffee together with a homemade matcha muffin, in their instore Voo Deli.

The wine bottles and drinking glasses are for sale, as are the works of young artists who showcase their art in the store. This altogether make this Berlin institution such a fun and exciting experience.

Oranienstraße 24, 10999 Berlin

Sofi the Bakery

Although tucked away in the courtyard of one of Berlin’s oldest side streets, Sophienstraße, the long line of Berliners that every day stand queuing to get hold of one of Sofi the Bakery’s sought-after, artisanal sourdough bread, reveals this beautiful store’s location in Mitte. The already cult-declared bakery is a collaboration between Slow and celebrated Danish chef and restaurateur Frederik Bille Brahe (Copenhagen venues Atelier September, Apollo Bar….) and is on a mission to craft honest, low-intervention bread from ancient grains sourced from small, organic farmers around northern Europe. The cherry on the cake here is the natural wine you can enjoy on the spot with your afternoon croissant or slice of fresh, warm bread. Pure beauty in all its simplicity!

Sophie-Gips-Höfe, Sophienstraße 21, 10178 Berlin

Bar Normal

Across the street from Otto, the tiny tavern with a three-star chef in the kitchen, you will find the natural wine bar and restaurant Bar Normal. Besides a great selection of craft wines, the kitchen serves no fuss-shareable food such as an incredibly fluffy mushroom tortilla, savory black sausage and the best fried potatoes you’ll ever have. The focaccia is homemade and the moist sourdough bread is from…. Sofi ofc!  It’s easy to stay here all night, but if the restaurant is full (as it most often is) just have a glass in the bar and enjoy one of Berlin’s most inspiring crowds.

Oderberger Str. 7, 10435 Berlin

Ernst

Ernst is the 8-seat counter restaurant that put the Wedding district on the map when it opened. It’s a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves modern cuisine made from local ingredients and Japanese techniques. The focus is on smaller producers – they only buy from farmers and winemakers that the owners have personally visited on location – with a set tasting menu that changes daily. The restaurant also features an extensive wine list and an innovative cocktail menu. Ernst Berlin is a great choice for a special occasion or a memorable night out, though it’s not a first date place as the kitchen requires full focus while they serve around 35 servings.

Gerichtstraße 54, 13347 Berlin

Château Royal Berlin

A quite newly opened, innovative boutique hotel in the heart of Berlin Mitte, just moments from Unter den Linden. The hotel, a former Stasi spy hub, is made up of two buildings dating from 1850 and 1910 and a new construction and roof extension, designed by well-known British architect David Chipperfield. The interiors by Studio Irina Kromayer feature colorful marble, herringbone parquet, oak, nickel and handmade craquelé tiles, creating a contemporary twist on Berlin bohemia. Contemporary artwork from famous artists is featured throughout the public spaces and guest rooms. The hotel also features a stylish lobby, bar, restaurant, private dining room, fireside lounge, and winter garden that non-hotel guests are welcome to enjoy and escape from everyday fatigue.