I plan on visiting Berlin in November along with possibly Munich and Prague. If you read my previous post, you know that I grew up in Berlin. I lived in Berlin in the 80’s when the wall was up. I went to high school there. Thanks to several “Brat” organizations, I will be attending a reunion with fellow classmates and “brats” in Berlin. This November marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. I am sure it will be quite a party.
We all know that one of the great experiences visiting another country is tasting the food. While in Berlin, I look forward to drinking a Maß von bier (A litre of beer) , some pommes frites (french fries) and a Turkish fast food delicacy, the Döner Kebab. There is a large population of Turkish immigrants in Germany which is where the sandwich originated from. The Döner Kebab is a Turkish sandwich made of beef, pork, lamb or chicken wrapped in a pita with cabbage, tomatoes and different types of sauce. Some might compare it to likes of a Greek “Gyro” very popular in Greece as well as the US. The Döner Kebab is fave among locals and tourists alike and generates approximately €2.5 billion in sales in Germany. Typically, along with the meat, a salad consisting of chopped lettuce, cabbage, onions, cucumber, and tomatoes is offered, as well as a choice of sauces like hot sauce, herb sauce, garlic sauce, or yogurt sauce. The filling is served in a thick flatbread that is usually toasted or warmed. You can find a Döner Kebab stand in various platzes or outside of U-bahn stations throughout the city although not all Döner stands are not created equal. Some stands are so popular that you will find a line outside the stand itself.
I used to visit a stand on Berliner Strasse which is a street I crossed on my way to the closest Ubahn station Oskar-Helene Heim. I have not been back to Berlin since 1985 and I am not sure if my stand is still there. After 25 year however, the Döner Kebab has gained so much popularity, it is on the list of “must eats” for anyone visiting the city of Berlin and definitely on my list in November.
A recent article in the “Conde Naste Traveler”
My Virtual Passport 