well, technically you can. however, if you are tired of lying to your mum what you had for dinner there are some great alternatives.
we have all been there, the question of all questions: food or beer. if you have just a nickel for food here are some suggestions how to save there. canteens are the answer. dirt cheap and apparently healthy. at least they don’t sell ketchup as salad.

there are some great canteens throughout berlin which are open to public, not just the staff.
let me begin with a strange one
police canteen in marzahn (märkische allele 174). renowned for its authentic east german food ( better than it sounds and quite filling)
you will spend less than 4€, guaranteed! it’s for police so don’t go there straight from the club

kiezkantine (Oderberger Straße 50,)
a stones thow from the hostel, open on weekdays between 12.00 to15.45. there you get  some great food prepared by people who have  mental issues but make it up by  great  cooking skills. veggie options available.

canteen at the volksbühne theather (Linienstraße 227)
accessible from the back of the massive building. food is nothing special but down-home and you will be able to spot some truly interesting people you would normall have to pay to see.

universal music canteen (Stralauer Allee 1, Friedrichshain)
pretty swanky – with some wannabees. the highlight is the deck on the river on the oposite side from  watergate.
the food is more international than in the other ones but slighty more expensive. i just checked this week’s menu, pretty delicious for max 7 euros.

isin japanese canteen (Mittelstraße 24 , mitte)
just  round the corner from branderburg gate in a bleak back-road you’ll find this fine, yet still affordable sushi restaurant. it’s not really a canteen, however it mostly caters for japanese staff from companies nearby

now you don’t have to lie to anybody anymore – you are welcome

alright , alright. German beers may have a good image, but let’s face it. IMHO Pilsener is boring. It is designed to be drunk in large quantities, and it really works! You can have 6, 7, 8 or more beers and the next morning you are like “half an aspirin, a glass of coke and off I go”. But really., every time I drink a Helles, I almost fall asleep from the boredom in my mouth.

here are some lovely, local alternatives, in case you think the same

1) Eschenbräu

the premises don’t look inviting, unless you grew up in a concrete block like me. they have different type of brews, also pilsener.. however theirs tastes so much better than the bottled alternatives from the  bottle shop. try the dark one if you are more into malty flavors. definitely one of my favorites in Berlin. once you enter the pub you will quickly forget the bunker feeling you had outside.

2) hops and barley

beautiful pub in an old butchery. in their cellar they brew pilsener, dark, wheat beers and always a special. i usually take the special. the prices are surprisingly moderate and the beers delicious. they also show football games and have a down to earth menu: sausage and pickles.

3) Prassnik

I promised the owner not to promote his pub since it is rather small, but hey! the pub is a 5 minutes walk from our hostel. please only go there if you are a smoker or want to take up smoking. as i mentioned, the pub is small but the beer is totally worth it. cheers

4) Vagabund

definitely the spot for those who miss a proper pale ale.  in the absence of alternatives to pilsener he owners found their own brewery. perfect spot for great minds who think alike.

5) Bier kombinat

a no frills bar for those who don’t need any bling with beer. alongside own creations they have a large collection of bottles from other microbreweries. don’t miss this spot if you are in kreuzberg, it is truly unique

come people, come. fine beers have finally arrived in berlin.

cheers

Restaurants in Berlin

If you are in Berlin for the first time you surely want to try the typical German food. We have made you a list of places where you can go to to try some of the nice German dishes. For advice you can always come see us at the reception!

1. Schneeweisschen und Rosenrot

located really close to the EastSeven hostel you can just walk here after a day of sight seeing and fill your belly with high quality food!
They serve modern German food. What to expect? A fairytale-like atmosphere and the best service in town!
And: Eastseven guests can get a 10% discount, ask for  a coupon at the reception!

2. Chez Gino
One of my personal favorite in Kreuzberg, the cozy Chez Gino restaurant in the Wranglerstrasse. Kind of kitschy modern deco, nice ambient and really friendly service. Located in the vivid WranglerKiez which is really worth a visit if you are in Kreuzberg! there is a good night life here as well, so after dining go dancing!

They serve really nice Swabian food like Flammkuchen! Also as a big fan of Spätzle, I could really recommend their Käse-Spätzle (spätzle with cheese).

3. Weihenstephaner Berlin

this restaurant is located in the oldest building in Berlins central neighbourhood Mitte. The house was built in 1749! The place is famous for its authentic historical atmosphere, they serve Bavarian food and the service team is really friendly.
The restaurant is located at the hackescher markt, so easy to reach from our Hostel:  Neue Promenade 5, Am Hackeschen Markt. The Hackescher Markt is a popular tourist attraction, it is famous for the Hackesche Höfe ( Höfe means courtyards). These courtyards are accessible through Rosenthalerstrass 40

4. Cafe Restaurant Louis

Go here if you want to taste real traditional German-austrian food! They probably serve the biggest SCHNITZEL in town! So make sure you are really hungry when you go there!
Location: Richardplatz 5 (Berlin-Neukölln). Come ask us at the recpetion for directions and a map of public transport!

5. Schneeweiss
the interior is as white as snow!

Good service in general, high quality, honest food and very reasonably priced. It is a bit trendy, but that´s cool!

located in the Simplonstrasse in Berlin Friedrichshain, surrounded by nice bars and clubs, the perfect place to start into a long night.

6. Hofbrauhaus Berlin
The Hofbräu  is quite new in Berlin. They opened their doors in November 2011. You should go here if you are looking for true Bavarian spirit!
The staff is wearing the traditional Bavarian clothing, the girls wear DIRNDLS and the guys LEDERHOSEN. You should try the original Hofbräu Beers and their Bavarian specialties.
There is live music too, and located at Alexanderplatz, it is easy to reach from the EastSeven Hostel! It might get really crowded here, so make sure to reserve a table.
7. SpätzleExpress

if you like Spätzle, a type of egg noodle with a soft texture, this is  the place for you!  Big servings for little money!
Also a great option for vegetarian people, just take the käse spätzle, spätzle with cheese.

8. Gugelhof
Kind of chic but not too expensive! This restaurant located on the famous Kollwitzplatz, in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg, is a culinary oasis for food from  between the rivers Rhine, Moselle and Saar flourishes because the Alsatians like to eat well and due to external influences they are able to improve and to maintain their culinary level. Especially in summer the big terrace in front of the restaurant is nice to sit, but make sure to reserve in advance.

After eating here go to the Käthe Kollwitz Park for a walk (it is right next to the restaurant), and have a look at the statue of Käthe Kollwitz, the famous left wing anti-war artist.

9. Blutwurstmanufaktur
This is a traditional butcher, if you like meat and sausages go here to experience the true nature of the German meat  culture…. They do lunch too, traditional food, meat! For small prices! This place is famous for its traditional black pudding.

10. Zum SchusterJunge

Last but not least, our all time favorite German restaurant, located within walking distance from the EastSeven Berlin Hostel. Traditional German food in a nice environment!
This is the place to grab a quick bite, try the typical traditional German food, you will like it!

Enjoy your stay in Berlin!