Berlin has historically been one of the most vibrant cities in Europe. It was the capital of the German Empire and was also a cultural hub with operas, cinemas, art galleries and theatres galore. The vibrant nightlife was legendary in the Roaring Twenties – Berlin’s cabarets and nightclubs were inimitable. However, this rich city suffered major bombings during the World War. Soon after World War II, it was divided into two. Even though the Berlin Wall was brought down on 3 October 1990, and East and West Berlin formally reunited as the city of Berlin, the remnants of the past are still visible today. The plush neighbourhoods of erstwhile West Berlin have newer architecture and broad avenues, while the former East Berlin is home to older, grander architecture, heritage buildings and iconic monuments.

As you may recall studying in your history class at school, the German Democratic Republic built the Berlin Wall during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping Soviet-controlled East Berlin to West Berlin, controlled by the major Western Allies - the Americans, British and French. West Berlin was more attractive since its citizens enjoyed greater personal freedoms, access to consumer goods, and a higher standard of living. Even the infrastructure reflected the same with modern buildings, a reliable public transportation system, and broader streets. East Berlin, on the other hand, suffered significant challenges that led to a regressive economic situation and severe repression at the hands of the Soviet Union. Not only did the Soviets take out large amounts in reparations and occupation costs, but the local populace was often tortured and lived in immense fear - they faced imprisonment for inane crimes against the state and lived under one of the most extensive surveillance systems of the time. And, of course, any attempt to flee to West Germany came with shoot-at-sight orders!

• Döner Kebab: The döner kebab found its way to Germany in the 1960s, where it travelled along with migrant workers to Berlin. Today, in Berlin alone, there are over 1,000 outlets selling kebabs, and the döner kebab is one of Germany's most beloved post-party foods. It is typically meat that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served with salad and sauce in some sort of bread. It may serve you well to know the difference between a döner and a döner durum - they both have more or less the same ingredients except for the kind of bread that is used. The former is a large pita pocket that is filled generously with your chosen meat, salad and sauces; while it is great to sink your teeth into all that deliciousness, it can be rather messy to eat. The döner durum, on the other hand, is a rolled wrap in thinner and longer bread, making it easier to eat on the go.

• Currywurst: Currywurst is Berlin's most popular traditional fast food. It is a German pork sausage, that is boiled, fried, sliced and served with spiced and curry flavoured tomato sauce. It usually comes with a side of chips or German bread rolls known as brötchen. As the story goes, pork sausages were a popular snack for soldiers during the war. On one occasion, a British soldier gave some curry powder to the girl who sold these snacks, and she intuitively mixed it with ketchup and poured it over the sausage, hence creating the currywurst.

• Flammkuchen: Flammkuchen is like a flatbread pizza with assorted toppings. Typically rectangular in shape (as opposed to the usual round shaped pizza), this one has a thin and crisp crust. Bacon and onions are the most classic toppings, but if you’re ok with a little sweet in your food, go for something like goat cheese, bacon bits, wild cranberries pear mustard cream, rosemary and fresh watercress to oomph it up.



Berliner. Photo credit: Shibani Bawa

• Berliner: A Berliner is a German jam doughnut with no central hole. It is made of sweet yeast dough that is deep-fried, filled with jam, and usually covered in powdered sugar. However, in Berlin, it is simply referred to as a Pfannkuchen (pancake). There’s a funny anecdote about this pastry – in 1963, when US President John F. Kennedy gave an empowering speech in West Berlin, he ended by saying “Ich bin ein Berliner”, meaning “I am a Berliner”. Obviously, it became quite the joke because it was locally translated to: “I am a pancake!” Anyhow, this is a popular traditional dessert, and now the flavours and fillings range from blueberry lemon cheesecake and cookies & cream to matcha strawberry and Bienenstich based on a traditional German dessert, Bienenstich, or bee sting cake that is filled with vanilla custard and topped with caramelised almonds.

The food in Berlin is not only suited for meat-eaters. Amongst traditional German fare, there’s spätzle or cheesy hand-made pasta and potatoes with sour cream that’s entirely vegetarian. Then there are the falafels and salads or vegetable-rich Vietnamese cuisine of the immigrants, ensuring that there are plenty of choices for vegetarians as well.

But going beyond its vegetarian offerings, interestingly, today, Berlin is leading the vegan movement in Europe. In fact, I signed up for a vegan food tour with Fork & Walk Tours (forkandwalktoursberlin.com), and it turned out to be one of the best insights into the city’s culinary background. From tasting vegan versions of classics like bratwurst to vegan beer, it was an eye-opener. As we walked through the swanky neighbourhoods, I was greeted with a unique East German hot dog, fabulous vegan pastries, and some of the best stories about the city’s eclectic history. That my guide also gave me an insight into Berlin’s inimitable nightlife and party scene was definitely the icing on the entire experience.