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Berlin has a reputation for late nights and boundary-pushing art, but its food scene might be the city’s most exciting rebellion. Across neighborhoods like Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, plant-based eating isn’t a menu footnote; it’s the main event. That’s the backdrop for a new city guide of vegan food in Berlin from Eunice Reyes, the creator behind Rated V for Vegan.
Reyes spends her time mapping the best meat-free eats around the world and building toward a full-blown vegan food travel show.
Read more: Inside Amsterdam’s Vegan Food Scene: A Tour Of The City’s Best Plant-Based Eats
In her latest Berlin episode, Reyes packages the city’s breadth into a tight, five-stop hit list. It spans Middle Eastern comfort, Hanoi-inspired small plates, a Nordic classic made vegan, a fully plant-based Neapolitan pizza night, and the street-food icons Berlin is famous for. It’s the kind of itinerary that shows why so many locals now expect vegan options as standard – and why visitors can plan a weekend of eating without compromise.
Below, you’ll find each of her must-visit vegan food spots in Berlin – from creamy hummus feasts to nostalgic Swedish comfort food.
Dr. Hummus: A clinic for hummus lovers
Reyes starts her Berlin food journey at Dr. Hummus. This restaurant was born from a workshop by founder Daniel, who says he wanted to “teach people how to make hummus.” What began as a farmers’ market stall is now a full restaurant serving homemade hummus, falafel, and Middle Eastern classics.
The menu is entirely vegan and made from scratch with fresh lemon, tahini, and chickpeas. Reyes dives into several dishes, including mushroom shawarma hummus, shakshuka with vegan egg. She also tries masabacha (a mix of chickpeas and hummus) and the restaurant’s famous green falafel.
“The mushroom shawarma is very tender because of the mushroom texture,” Reyes says. “It’s seasoned perfectly.” She also praises the shakshuka, which simmers for eight hours, calling it “sweet and savory” with a rich tomato base and intense flavor.
Her top pick? The falafel. “If it’s done right, it’s going to be very green and moist inside, and it is,” she says. The restaurant even offers free hummus refills to ensure guests never leave hungry.
1990 Vegan Living: A trip to Hanoi in Berlin
Next, Reyes visits 1990 Vegan Living, one of Berlin’s most popular vegan restaurants, inspired by Hanoi street food. The all-vegan Vietnamese spot is known for its vibrant atmosphere and tapas-style dining.
Reyes orders a variety of dishes – lot leaves with tofu and eggplant, bao bun, crispy spring rolls, tofu in cornflake batter, and lemongrass curry. “The dumplings look similar to what you would see in like, Chinese dim sum, but the sauce here is what makes it taste so good,” she says.
She’s particularly impressed by the lot leaves: “This is so juicy and so flavorful. The texture in the eggplant and tofu works really well together.” Another highlight is the bao bun, which she calls “super juicy” and “very similar to meat.”
With its bustling crowd, colorful decor, and bold flavors, 1990 Vegan Living captures the spirit of Vietnam in the heart of Berlin.
Möllers Köttbullar: vegan Swedish comfort food
For a taste of Nordic comfort, Reyes visits Möllers Köttbullar, a Swedish-style restaurant specializing in meatballs with a vegan twist.
Even though the restaurant isn’t fully vegan, owner Henrik insists that any Berlin eatery must include a vegan option. “Here in Berlin, if you do not include a vegan option – because it’s the vegan capital of Europe – you’re going to be missing out on customers,” he affirms. Their plant-based Swedish meatballs are made from chickpea protein, psyllium husk, and herbs. They’re served with mashed potatoes, vegan gravy, cucumber salad, and lingonberries.
“This is comfort food at its finest,” Reyes says. “The texture of the potatoes is so fluffy. [The] texture of the chickpea protein, the meatballs is really good…Not too chewy, but it’s also crispy. And then the tanginess of the cucumber salad complements everything.”
She also notes the restaurant’s focus on sustainable sourcing, using Demeter-certified potatoes, a farming standard above organic.
La Stella Nera Neapolitan pizza night: 100% vegan and handmade
No Berlin food tour is complete without pizza. Reyes visits a La Stella Nera, a cozy Neapolitan-style pizzeria, offering handmade vegan pizzas with house made cheese and unique toppings like potato, spinach, and ricotta.
“This had to have been one of the best pizza experiences of my life,” she says. The restaurant’s vegan tiramisu, which she calls the best she’s ever had, seals the deal.
Voner kebabs and vegan currywurst: Street food, redefined
Reyes wraps up her Berlin trip with two must-try street foods: vegan döner kebabs and currywurst.
Döner Date, a small station café, is serving Voner-brand vegan kebabs, she’s impressed by the seitan-based filling and mustard-mayo sauce. “Salvadoran food, panes compo has the same, like mustard, and mayo, and meat, and cucumber, and lettuce,” she says.
Finally, she visits Curry 36, one of Berlin’s most iconic currywurst stands. Their vegan version features plant-based sausage, curried ketchup, and vegan mayo for just €6. Though her mic cuts out mid-review, her verdict is clear: she loves it.
Why Berlin earns its vegan crown
By the end of her trip, Reyes concludes that veganism in Berlin isn’t a niche, it’s mainstream. “Restaurant owners say that if you’re in a group of friends and only one of you is vegan, they’re going to miss out on the whole group just because they didn’t have a vegan option,” she explains. “That’s how many vegan people are here.”
From creative plant-based menus to late-night clubs and street food, Berlin deserves the title of Europe’s vegan capital, and Reyes makes it clear that one trip is hardly enough to taste it all.
For more vegan recipes, lifestyle, and travel content check out the Rated V for Vegan YouTube channel.
Read more: ‘I Visited London As A Vegan: Here Are My Top Restaurant Picks’
