How to Eat Cheap in Berlin? Lesson 2: Pizza

Picking out a decent Italian restaurant has to be one of the most difficult tasks in the world. Cheap plastic table cloths and bottles of Chianti enveloped in melted wax abound in the good joints just as much as in the packaged parmesan cheese places. But if you’re looking for good pizza in Berlin, these suggestions should help fill your belly.

1. Casolare

Casolare and its other restaurants Pizzeria I Due Forni and Il Ritrovo-Cucina Casalinga are real Italian eateries with amazing pizzas made by anarchist Italians with real Berliner attitude. My friends and I often joke that we frequent Casolare or Pizzeria I Due Forni so that we can complain about the service as much as enjoy the best pizza in town. The table red wine goes well with just about any pizza you might try (though I recommend the rucola pizza, the smoked horse meet pizza or the prosciutto e funghi, all with a not too generous helping of the spicy oil you can ask your waiter for), and the specials of the day also come highly recommended. Casolare and its sisters are run as a co-op, where each tattooed and pierced Italian that doesn’t speak German earns as much as any other tattooed and pierced Italian that doesn’t speak German. It’s well worth the experience and, may I suggest, you bring a thick black pen to write your name on the wall as you sip on some grappa (or indulge in some Tiramisu and espresso). Too punk for you? Then marvel at all the tags from bands that you thought died a painful punk pop death sometime in the early nineties. That’s right, even Pennywise has been here.

Casolare Trattoria: Grimmstr. 30 (Kreuzberg)

Pizzeria I Due Forni: Schoenhauser Allee 12 (Prenzlauerberg)

Il Ritrovo-Cucina Casalinga: Gabriel-Max-Strasse 2, Wühlischstrasse 29 (Friedrichshain)

2. La Focacceria

Just around the corner from Kastanienallee, on Fehrbellinerstrasse, there’s my favorite little hole in the wall focaccia stand. They offer a number of focaccias with great toppings (I’m particularly fond of the eggplant focaccia and their zucchini focaccia) at amazingly decent prices considering the location. For some, however, focaccia might be too much bread, so I suggest you try their absolutely wonderful lasagna; it’s creamy, cheesy and savory –everything a good lasagna should be. The dishes is wonderful, the salads are excellent but the wine is, sadly, lacking. Fear not, for just around the corner there are two famous Berliner institutions: the Weinereien.

Fehrbelliner Straße 24 (Mitte / Prenzlauerberg)

The Weinerei, a concept we’ll explain in another episode, is located at Veteranenstrasse 14

3. Ron Telesky

Canadian Pizza? What, pray tell, is that? Is there the ubiquitous Canadian gravy oozing out? Are there pizzas named hoser? There might as well be. Nevertheless, these original creations are as tasty as they are fun novelties items. Try the Cronenberg Crash (cilantro pesto, mozzarella, tandoori tofu, cheddar, tomatoes, red peppers, mango) if you’re feeling brave -it’s actually really good- or if you prefer, stick to some of the regulars, you’ll find there as well. Still hungry? Try one of their dessert pizzas. Seriously.

Dieffenbachstrasse 62 (Kreuzberg)

http://www.myspace.com/rontelesky

4. Dolce Pizza

Dolce Pizza serves up the best slices -on foccaccia- in this part of town. I’m particularly keen on the slices with olives, but, as with any place that’s this busy, sometimes it’s hard to know if your favorites are going to be there when you arrive. Regardless, the pizza pies are delicious here and no matter what you try, you’re bound to leave satisfied.

Maassenstrasse 6 (Schöneberg)

5. Pappa e Ciccia

To tell you the truth, I’m breaking my own rules to this guide on this one. While the rest of the list provided will get you filled up and ready to go in just a couple of minutes, Pappa e Ciccia (‘food and fat,’ a phrase I’m told is not exactly polite in Italian), will allow you to ease into a fine, more upscale meal with fresh handmade pastas, delicious salads and premium Italian wines. I particularly like the big, family style tables and the flowers, all creating a rather chic yet homey feel. Warning, it’s becoming more popular on the weekends, so if you have your heart set on this all around lovely dining experience, then make a reservation (something almost unheard of in most of Berlin).

Schwedterstrasse 18 (Prenzlauerberg / Mitte)

Happy eating!

Topic:  How to Tuesday | 1 Comment
Tags:  Berlin, budget, food, restaurants

About the author

Shane Anderson left his native California three years ago and has been living in Berlin ever since. He is a freelance writer and journalist.