Eating Vegan in Berlin

Berlin has a thriving vegan scene—probably the best in Germany. Dozens of fully vegan restaurants, countless vegan-friendly spots, and a food culture that doesn't treat plant-based eating as limitation. Even omnivores find Berlin's vegan restaurants genuinely excellent (they don't taste like compromise).

Fully Vegan Restaurants (Fine Dining)

Vöner (Prenzlauer Berg): Vegan döner. Yes, döner without meat is the point here. Excellent spiced vegetables (not just substitutes), warm pita, proper sauces. €5-€7. Better than many meat döner spots.

Sisters Burger (Multiple locations): Vegan burgers using plant-based patties, or jackfruit and vegetable options. €8-€12. Genuinely good burgers; meat-eaters would eat here even without vegan labeling.

Vöner Friedrichshain: Original location, additional outpost in Kreuzberg. Same format as Prenzlauer Berg location.

Copacabana (Friedrichshain): Brazilian/Latin American vegan spot. Poke bowls, rice dishes, salads. €8-€12. Excellent value and flavour.

Cafe Morgenrot (Kreuzberg): Organic vegan café, soups, salads, baked goods. €6-€10. Small space, cooperative-run, genuinely good food.

Vöner's Restaurant Partners: Multiple locations now exist—always solid quality.

Vegan-Friendly (Not 100% Vegan, But Excellent Options)

Curry 36 (Kreuzberg): The famous currywurst spot has vegan options. €3.50. Yes, you can get vegan currywurst.

Most döner spots: Ask for vegetables-only döner. Most comply happily. €4.50-€6. Tasty and filling.

Markthalle Neun (Thursday Street Food): Multiple fully vegan vendors, vegetarian options everywhere. Quality is high, prices reasonable.

Indian restaurants throughout Berlin: Most have exceptional vegetarian and vegan curries. €7-€12.

Thai spots: Almost all have vegetable-based options. Request no fish sauce if needed.

Vietnamese pho restaurants: Many can prepare vegetable or tofu-based versions.

Vegan Bakeries and Cafés

Vöner Café (Multiple): Coffee and pastries. Some pastries are vegan, some vegetarian. Good coffee (€2-€3), pastries €2-€4.

Bio Company (Supermarket Chain): Organic supermarket with extensive vegan frozen foods, plant-based milks, vegan baked goods. Throughout Berlin.

Veganz: Vegan supermarket. Frozen foods, snacks, specialty items. More expensive than Bio Company but worth browsing for unique products.

Prenzlauer Berg Bakeries: Several independent bakeries have vegan options. Ask; many bake fresh vegan items daily.

Budget Vegan Eating

You don't need to eat at fancy restaurants. Budget options exist:

Street food: Vegan döner (€4.50-€6), vegan currywurst (€3.50), falafel (€4-€6). Some are genuinely better than restaurant versions.

Supermarkets: Lidl and ASDA have vegan ready-meals (€3-€5), salads, wraps. Quick and decent.

Market stalls: Fruit, vegetables, hummus, olives from market vendors. Assemble a picnic for €8-€12.

Markthalle Neun: Vegan vendor options often the cheapest quality-per-euro on any given Thursday.

The Vegan Infrastructure

Berlin's vegan scene has genuine infrastructure:

HappyCow: App showing all vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Use it. Updated frequently, accurate.

Vegan websites: BerlinVegan.de has a comprehensive restaurant guide in English.

Signs: Many restaurants display "vegan" prominently. Assumption of availability is high.

Menus: English-language menus are standard in touristy areas. Vegetarian/vegan sections are usually clear.

Attitude: Wait staff doesn't judge or suggest meat alternatives. They're accustomed to plant-based requests.

Practical Dietary Notes

"Vegan": Strict plant-based. No animal products whatsoever.

"Vegetarian": No meat/fish but eggs and dairy allowed. Common in Germany.

German bread: Often contains milk or eggs. Ask if you need fully vegan.

Sauces: Some contain animal stock. Ask explicitly.

Restaurant terminology:

Vegan = pflanzlich (plant-based)
Vegetarian = vegetarisch
No animal products = keine tierischen Produkte

Speaking German (or using translation app) helps, but English-speaking staff is common in central Berlin.

Regional Specialities Made Vegan

Schnitzel (Vegan): Fried vegetable or tofu "schnitzel" with lemon. Some restaurants offer this as standard menu item.

Currywurst (Vegan): Veggie sausage with curry sauce. Tastes nothing like meat but surprisingly satisfying.

Döner (Vegan): Seasoned vegetables and/or jackfruit in pita with salad and sauce. Genuinely excellent.

German Potato Salad (Vegan): Some versions are oil-based and naturally vegan. Ask.

Pro Tips

Eat where locals eat, vegan or not. The best food is at places with high customer turnover, regardless of dietary focus.

Don't limit yourself to vegan restaurants. Most ethnic restaurants (Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish) have better food and more options than dedicated vegan spots.

Supermarket shopping is often better value than restaurants. Assemble a meal from Bio Company or Veganz for €6-€10.

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