Due work I’m going to spend a week this summer in Berlin and I have multiple questions.

First of all: How cashless is the city? Where I live (Valencia, Spain) I can count with the fingers of one hand the places that doesn’t accept ApplePay (or a contactless card).

I’m staying near the Alexanderplatz station. Any recommendations for dining there? I’m not going to eat at the hotel restaurant every nigh.

The weekdays I’m mostly being going from the hotel to conference centre and then returning to the hotel without no time to enjoy the city. So, for the weekend my idea is to visit one or two must see tourist places (like the Brandenburg gate), but also explore the city instead of following your average tourist route. Any suggestions? Like flea markets, parks, places that nerds would enjoy, real local food, etc.

Thanks.

  • chobeat@lemmy.ml
    23·
    19 days ago

    I live in Alexanderplatz and I work in food. The area is mostly tourist traps (bad ones at that, we are in Germany, not in Italy). If you want something very casual, Bahn Mi Stable is the closest decent thing from Alexanderplatz. If you want a proper sit-down restaurant try Trio (German), Soopoolim (Korean), or Pizzeria Standard on Torstr.

    Ignore completely the reviews on Google Maps or tripadvisor, they are totally unreliable.

    If you want touristic stuff, the city center is quite boring but you have a lot: museum island, branderburgertor, Gendarmenmarkt, Checkpoint charlie and all the surrounding areas. If you want something more interesting, the Soviet Memorial in Treptowerpark, Victoria Park, the various memorials in Hellensdorf. Also avoid at all costs the DDR museum, lamest waste of money you can think of. Other museums in the center are ok.

    • olof@lemmy.ml
      3·
      19 days ago

      +1 for Banh Mi Stable. I agree on most places not being worth it. I’d add Mädchenitaliener (Italian) to the list. Its small and cosy, but usually full. They have a fig pasta which I like. If you want a place with a pretty glamorous flair, check out Coccodrillo too.

      • chobeat@lemmy.ml
        51·
        17 days ago

        It’s very poorly written anti-DDR propaganda. You must obviously expect to be fed propaganda in a museum like that, that’s the purpose, but it’s very… passive-aggressive. The tone is not very rigorous and after a few years it got pathetic because the things they use to make fun of the DDR, today would be considered middle-class privileges.