I’m not a quiche-person. One too many times, I was served dried out, overly eggy mixtures with small bits of veggies on top of a bland pastry in a café. And I bet you’ve had that experience too – quiche is the lazy cook’s excuse for lunch. But it actually isn’t – the pastry can be tasty, buttery, and crunchy, the filling bursting with flavors, melting in your mouth. And this small gem in a Neukölln side street ist very, very good at exactly that.
Now that Sweethearts’ final weekend is here, I want to give you an alternative in the same area, that is equally delicious and creative: Isla – a pretty speciality coffee shop on the gritty corner of Hermannstraße and Columbiadamm. With an eye for sustainability, they’re striving to reach a harmonious business by reducing waste and creating holistic production cycles. Which makes their brunch only better, that is – the bread pudding is made with left-over kouign amann and left-over steamed milk is turned into ricotta. And did I mention they’re doing it in a really pretty way?
It’s a well known fact that Brammibal’s is not only making the best vegan donuts in town, but the best donuts in general. But did you know that besides baking a plethora of ring-shaped delicacies every day, you can also enjoy an equally lavish while still completely vegan brunch at their place by the canal in Neukölln?
I’ve written about this place before, but I feel like it still doesn’t receive the love it deserves. This teeny-tiny place on Urbanstraße is the literal definition of hole in the wall: you’ll order at a window facing the street, your food is prepared in a kitchen space that can host two people max, and there are four narrow seats on the street, from where you can watch the fancy roof top terraces on the building across the street. But it is a super delicious falafel, probably the best falafel in Berlin, so don’t miss it.
Coming back from Venice and the opening of the Biennale di Arte, I needed some me-time. No crowds, no lines, no waiting, no mediocre food at exorbitant prices. And found myself next to the canal early on Sunday, dropping into one of my favourite spots to have coffee and a sandwich, Populus Coffee, to discover they do more fancy brunch dishes on the weekend!
