Food in Berlin: Salumeria Lamuri

Da Baffi is rightfully known as one of the most charming Italian restaurants with high-quality food in Berlin and is usually on my list of recommendations. So when I heard the crew behind it opened a new breakfast, lunch, and apéro place on Köpenicker Straße, I couldn't wait to go. The space is small but the interior of the former butcher then electrical store, now the restaurant is stunning, to say the least. The original tiles and wall paintings were restored and the look was completed with simple vintage wooden furniture. I instantly considered it to be one of the best restaurant interiors in Berlin. Sadly though, the offered food can't quite keep up with the delightful interior.

The menu is short but promising. They have the traditional Italian snack options like Ciabatta with Prosciutto di Parma, dried tomatoes, and pesto or with Gorgonzola, pear, and walnuts (3,80 each) and a lunch list that includes pasta dishes as well as Secondis like Saltimbocca (11 Euros). I decide to have the Burratina, a smaller Burrata, with tomatoes and Rucola, my friend chooses the Orechiette with pistachio pesto, goat cheese, and orange zest (8,50 each). I'm adding a delicious Chinotto, a lemonade made from small bitter oranges, made by Lurisia and carrying the Slow Food seal. While my serving of Rucola and tomatoes certainly could've been more generous and also intense in taste, considering the price of the dish, the Burratina was very good, firm on the outside and softly melting on the inside, and made a perfect lighter yet filling lunch. The pasta though wasn't leaving a lasting impression, the taste was neither very pistachio nor very orange-like but had a tinge of industrial broth.

This lunch experience left me puzzled whether or not to recommend this place on this very website. My standard policy is to highlight the good ones while remaining silent about the not so convincing examples. Except for the occasional Instagram shout-outs for those who really surprised me with their insufficient quality because they're usually hyped and praised. But Salumeria Lamuri is a different case. I like the crew and what they do at Da Baffi and I love the interior. Maybe it's all just due to the stress of the opening months? Maybe the head chef of Da Baffi could come down from Wedding one day to teach the Lamuri team some of his tricks? It'd certainly be my favorite Italian lunch spot in the area in no time. Until then, go for the coffee, it's delicious.

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