Friedrichshain neighbourhood guide

The area

Simon-Dach-Kiez is one of Berlin's best-known going-out areas, famous for its long row of restaurants, bars, and cafés and a lively international atmosphere. The surrounding neighbourhood offers independent cinemas, cosy cafés, local boutiques, and plenty of street art.

The building on Seumestraße was built in 1911 — a classic Altbau from the era when Friedrichshain was rapidly industrialising and filling with workers' housing. The neighbourhood was part of East Berlin until reunification, and today it retains a strong local character alongside its reputation for nightlife and creative culture.

Bars, restaurants, cafés, and nightlife are all within a few minutes' walk of the flat. The area is highly walkable — you'll rarely need to take public transport within the neighbourhood.

Boxhagener Platz markets

Boxhagener Platz is a 3-minute walk. Come on the weekend and you get two markets:

Grocery stores

• LPG Boxhagener Platz — a very good organic grocery store at Seumestr. 12, 2 minutes from the door. Local produce and excellent bread. Our go-to corner shop.
• Denns BioMarkt — Boxhagener Str. 82, good for specialty ingredients and a decent bakery section.
• Zora Supermarkt 2 — Boxhagener Str. 80, Asian and Indian groceries: staples, sauces, ramen, everything you need.
• ALDI Nord — Revaler Str. 33, the budget option for basics.

Coffee

Bakeries

• KuchenRausch's Feinbäckerei — just around the corner on Wühlischstraße 15. High-quality German breads and pastries.
• Keit — sourdough specialist on Grünberger Str. 75. Not much variety, but extremely good.
• Brotquelle — gluten-free bread, loved by many locals. Gärtnerstraße 2.
• Vollkornbäckerei Hartwich — a bit further on Warschauer Str. 72, worth the walk for healthier, wholesome bakes.

Brunch

In summer, book at least 2–3 days ahead for any of these.

Quick bites

• Marafina — less than a minute from the door on Wühlischstraße 17. Excellent veggie or meat sandwiches with a tasty peanut sauce.
• Mecato — Colombian arepas and empanadas. Get a fresh juice too. Closed Mondays. Simplonstraße 6.
• Ali Baba — Lebanese. The sharing platter for two is the move. Krossener Str. 17.
• Il Ritrovo — good thin crust pizza, very close to the flat. Gabriel-Max-Straße 2.

Dinner

Remy has a full restaurant book in the apartment — but here are the highlights:

• Ryu — Asian fusion, 5-minute walk. Don't skip the Bang Bang Waffle. Krossener Str. 17.
• Spaccanapoli Nr. 12 — Neapolitan pizza with vegan options. Try the pistacchio. Wühlischstraße 12.
• Shiro Sushi — the best sushi in Friedrichshain. Small but fast. Kopernikusstraße 30.
• Ete — very good Asian fusion, slightly pricier. The Fried Cauliflower is the standout dish. Simon-Dach-Str. 41.
• Iro Izakaya — excellent Japanese food, served tapas-style. Not sushi. Krossener Str. 19.
• Dada — humble décor, excellent Indian food. Holteistraße 23.
• Papaya Thai — very good Thai, plenty of vegan options. Krossener Str. 11.
• Trattoria Lambretta — excellent Italian food (but go to Spaccanapoli for pizza). Simon-Dach-Str. 32.
• Burgeramt — a neighbourhood classic. The cheese sauce fries are required. Krossener Str. 21.
• Schneeweiß — stylish and upscale, high-quality German food including Schnitzel. Simplonstraße 16.

Bars

• Süss War Gestern — lounge bar with counter-cultural vibes, very close to the flat. Wühlischstraße 43.
• Hops & Barley — excellent local brewery, indoor and outdoor seating. Wühlischstraße 22.
• Noble Rot Weinbar — lovely atmosphere and an exceptional wine selection. Gärtnerstraße 6.
• Primitiv Bar — locals-first bar, good cocktails, indoor and outdoor. Simon-Dach-Str. 28.
• Jäger & Lustig — traditional German beer garden, great for the whole family. Full food menu. Grünberger Str. 1.
• Paule's Metal Eck — heavy metal-themed tavern with character. Krossener Str. 15.

Sights & experiences

Full activities guide: music venues, RAW Gelände, graffiti tours, karaoke →

Getting around

• M13 tram — stop less than 1 minute's walk. Fast connection to Warschauer Str.
• S-Bahn Warschauer Straße — short walk; connects to the Ring, Hauptbahnhof, and airport.
• U5 Samariterstraße — underground line linking Friedrichshain to Mitte and Alexanderplatz.
• Parking — street parking is paid. A parking garage is a 10-minute walk away and more economical for multi-day stays.

Frequently asked questions