Ich bin ein Berliner (and no one thought he meant donut)

An urban legend has grown up around JFK's infamous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech that people in the crowd thought he meant "I am a jelly donut" and therefore chuckled at the silly American President. In reality, no one actually thought he meant that, but I have had a Berliner donut and it is quite yummy. Like basically every food in Berlin.

Because I've spend so much time attempting to catch up on blogging about the places I've traveled, I haven't had time to post about the little things I love about Berlin. So here is an entire post dedicated to the amazing food Berlin has to offer.

Unlike any of the places I have lived previously, Berlin is a city that offers food on every corner in the form of  Imbisses (Imbiss essentially means "fast food stand"). I can easily get a hot, filling meal on the go anywhere in Berlin for between 2-4 Euro. Today, I was in the area around Französicherstraße and Friedrichstraße when I decided I was hungry and wanted döner. Sure enough, I walked for five minutes in an arbitrary direction and found a döner stand.

But what is döner?

THIS. Also, with a hot chocolate beside it.

Above is pictured a döner kebap im brot which is actually a Turkish dish. Berlin has the largest population of Turkish people outside of Istanbul, and so döner has become so much a part of Berlin's culture that it is considered very Berliner, even though it isn't German. It is basically lamb, onions, lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes with garlic, yogurt, or spicy sauce all wrapped up into an amazing mess of yummy-ness. My friends and I would usually get this at least once a week because it is quick, easy, and only costs between 2-3 euro depending on where you go. And they are sold absolutely EVERYWHERE.

However, standing above all other döner and all other places in Berlin is Mustafa's, a tiny, tiny stand in the middle of Kreuzberg that has a half hour line at all hours of the day (I've been by there at 1AM and the line still stretches down the sidewalk) because of its reputation as the best döner stand in the entirety of Berlin. People swear by it, and so, of course, we had to try it. And it definitely was good. 

Here is my friend Alicia in front of Mustafa's. You can see how tiny it is.

Alicia, Lisa, and I with our döner.

Mustafa's does add potatoes and cheese to the döner which most other places do not, which makes it extra good. Also, someone must have done an excellent job getting the word out, because this place is so popular only through word of mouth. 

Another extremely popular, and extremely Berlin food is currywurst. Unlike döner, which is originally Turkish, currywurst is not only very German, but specifically Berlin. Like döner, there is a currywurst stand on every corner.

What is currywurst exactly?

THIS is currywurst mit pommes.

You HAVE to get currywurst mit pommes and the pommes mit mayo. That is the only way to go I have learned in the bajillion times I've eaten currywurst in Berlin. Basically, currywurst is sausage smothered in ketchup (but not quite the same as American ketchup) and powdered with curry powder. It sounds a little odd, but it is one of the best thing you will ever eat. Pommes is, obviously, fries and you can order them smothered in mayo. Yes, it is rather a heart-attack inducing meal, but SO WORTH IT. Also, you eat with the tiny fork and stand together with other people at a table.

That is also something that is very German and doesn't happen in many other countries. Table sharing. It is socially acceptable in a full restaurant to sit down at a table with other people. Waitresses will tend to seat people in different parties at the same table when a restaurant becomes crowded. And so, when eating currywurst standing up outside, people crowd around the tall, metal tables and eat until they are finished.

You can see what I'm talking about in the picture below.

Curry 36 is one of the most popular destinations for currywurst in Berlin. My friends and I were here many a time at 2AM (considering it is right across the street from our favorite bar) and it was always full. It is right down the street from Mustafa's too, and many times people will wait in the shorter line for currywurst and then eat their currywurst and pommes while waiting in line at Mustafa's. In my opinion, that is the way to live.

Berlin is very "multi-kulti" as they say in German, and full of every kind of food you can imagine. 

Sara and I eating Eis (ice cream) in Charlottenburg. Ice cream in Europe is not nearly as good as American ice cream.

Ritter-Sport chocolate. This has been my life-source during my stay in Berlin. I've had at least 3 of these a week. This is one I created myself at the Ritter-Sport factory. Because that's a thing. And its awesome.

Brandon and I eating Schawarma, also a Turkish food, in Kreuzberg.

Sara and I eating Gozleme at the Turkish market.

And, of course, nothing beats washing it all down with good, German beer.

There are so many more dishes that I don't have pictures of, like schnitzel, bratwurst, spaetzle, and the incredible spread of breakfast brötchen. That is definitely something I am going to miss about Germany. The excellent, excellent food.