An estimated 80,000 vegans have made the German capital their home over last few years – that’s some serious tofu consumption for a city with 3.5 million residents. But it’s not hard to see why the dietarily virtuous have gravitated here; with veganism such an accepted part of Berlin life, it’s becoming an increasingly hip and hassle-free choice to make. Heck, such is the quality of Berlin’s vegan offerings, even an entirely unprincipled eater (ahem) will often find themselves ordering falafel over fleisch for the taste alone.
But Berlin’s vegan friendliness goes beyond the odd niche restaurant or token menu option – here you’ll find vegan supermarkets, ice cream shops and even a dedicated butcher or two (I KNOW RIGHT). So for all fans of non-meat products – or those who want to give the flexitarian life a try – here’s a handy list of Berlin’s need-to-know vegan resources.
Brammibal’s Donuts
No Berlin vegan list would be complete without these supremely glossy and Instagrammable creations. They look and taste as good as – if not better than – the real dairy deal. The only hard part is choosing between flavours such as salted caramel hazelnut, avocado coconut and blackberry whiskey, then accepting you probably can’t try them all in one sitting. A box of 4 will set you back €9, and there’s ethically-sourced coffee to wash everything down.
Maybachufer 8, Neukölln, & Danziger Str. 65, Prenzlauer Berg | Mon-Sun 10am-6pm | 030 239 484 55 | https://www.brammibalsdonuts.com
TofuTussis
Peanut, mango curry, seaweed-smoked… who wouldn’t want to give these alluring tofu flavours a whirl? Handmade and quality sealed, unpasteurised, without preservatives and made from organic German soybean – the TofuTussis with their small Tofurei, which they run in Markthalle Neun’s hip basement, make sure of this. All their soy comes from southern Germany and undergoes certified organic cultivation, so you can be sure of its virtuous credentials.
Eisenbahnstr. 42/43 (in Markthalle Neun), Kreuzberg | Mon-Wed + Fri 12-6pm, Thu 12-10pm, Sat 10am-6pm, every 3rd Sunday 10am-5pm (Breakfast Market) | www.tofutussis-berlin.de
Veganz
Back in 2011, Jan Bredack founded Europe’s first vegan supermarket chain right here in Berlin. Alongside its eponymous stores, the all-vegetable Veganz products – from sausage and cheese substitutes to pizza, spreads and sweets – are popping up in supermarkets and pharmacies at a heartening rate. With branches in Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg, you’ll soon be familiar with this chirpy green brand and its wares.
Warschauer Str. 33, Friedrichshain | Tel. 030 290 094 35 | Mon-Sat 8am-9pm | www.veganz.de
L’herbivore
Jonny Theuerl and Eric Koschitza claim to run ‘the first vegan butcher’s shop’ in which they produce an array of flavoured seitan – a chewy, protein-rich meat substitute made from wheat protein – and manage a small bistro. L’herbivore offers burgers, minced meat, shashlik, barbecue-ready morsels and sausages at the delicatessen-like fresh food counter. Vegan, certified organic and handmade. Gwaan lads.
Petersburger Str. 38, Friedrichshain | Tel. 030 239 338 50 | Tue & Wed 11.30am-8pm, Thu-Sat 11.30am-9pm | www.lherbivore.de
Der vegetarische Metzger
At Bergmannkiez’s well-to-do heart there’s another pioneer in meat-free meat to be found: Jaap Korteweg is a 9th-generation farmer and founder of The Vegetarian Butcher. With his native Netherlands firmly in the grip of the swine flu and BSE crises over a decade ago, he realised he had to fundamentally change his business model. Happily for Berlin vegans, there is now a vegan concept store in Bergmannstrasse, with an accompanying restaurant planned in Friedrichshain.
Bergmannstr. 1, Kreuzberg | Tel. 030 224 798 37, Mon-Sun 11.30am-9pm | www.der-vegetarische-metzger.de
Dr. Pogo
Dr. Pogo is as old-school as it gets among the vegan shops of Berlin, with wooden shelves bowing under the weight of its dairy-free milk cartons in the window. In the compact 90sqm shop you’ll find a comprehensive vegetable-based assortment, including vegan foods from Germany, Austria, the UK and Greece as well as ethical cosmetics, pet food and household products.
Karl-Marx-Platz 24, Neukölln | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9am-8pm, Wed 12-8pm, Sat 9am-4pm | www.veganladen-kollektiv.net
Tofumanufaktur Berlin
The ever-popular smoked tofu from Tofu Manufaktur’s Soy Rebels can be found at the Boxhagener Platz market each Saturday. Like their fellow Berlin-produced brand Naturtofu, the rebels create classics from organic German soybeans packed full of herbs, spices and vegetables – olives, coriander and chilli, to name a few – and sold in shops, markets and their own online shop.
www.tofumanufaktur-berlin.de
Terra Vegane
Vegan mac & cheese, anyone? For the last few years, Terra Vegane has transformed simple organic ingredients into a glorious array of animal-free products from its Reinickendorf kitchen. Meat, cheese, and egg alternatives from burgers, steaks and sausages to omelette mix and an egg yolk substitute for baking can be purchased alongside flavoured cheese replacements sprinkle over pasta. Find their products in all vegan and organic shops.
www.terravegane.de
Simply Raw
Organic, gluten-free, lactose-free, free from preservatives and with a ‘raw food factor’ of 80-100%, Simply Raw offers an impressive range of wholesome products from fruit bars to nut spreads and chia pudding to go. And with ‘bRAWnie’ flavours like espresso crunch and creamy coconut, you can’t deny they’re onto something. Behind this vegan startup are Melanie Temborius and Oliver Thrun, aka Mr & Mrs Raw. Find their products at the Lichterfelde shop or online.
Glaubenstr. 27a, Lichterfelde | Mon-Fri 10am-6pm | www.simplyraw.de
avesu
No animals have to die for a shoe from avesu. Even if the material looks like leather – it’s not. The Europe-made footwear for both men and women is fully vegan, with the shoes produced using only hemp, cork, PU and recycled materials. They’re also breathable and – importantly for hip young things – fashionable. There’s another shop to be found in Prenzlauer Berg’s Veganz branch.
Warschauer Str. 33, Friedrichshain | Tel. 030 290 443 17 | Mon-Sat 11am-8pm | www.avesu.de
Valladares
Away from the usual vegan hotspots of Friedrichshain and Neukölln, there’s a meat-free mecca to be found in Moabit that’s well worth a visit. The raw-walled corner restaurant is more than just a bakery, café and vegan delicatessen. In fact, there’s everything the vegan diet – and the vegan lifestyle – could possibly desire. Beer & mustard-marinated tofu for the after-work park barbecue, with fresh pancakes for the morning after. The soups (from €5) will help vegans and meat-eaters alike get through the day, while the friendly, non-preachy atmosphere and good coffee provide the proverbial cherry on top.
Stephanstr. 46, Moabit | Tel. 030 39 40 86 21 | Mon-Fri 12-10pm, Sat+Sun 10am-10pm | www.valladares-feinkost.de
Balaram Eis
Who says dairy fiends should have all the summer fun? Sure, sorbet is vegan by definition. But it’s still….sorbet. Which is why we’re glad this little parlour proves that vegan Eis can be just as dreamy without cream, yoghurt and milk. With soy-based flavours like crazy peanut, New York cheesecake and Belgian chocolate, what’s not to love? Even the waffle cones are fully dairy free.
Gabriel-Max-Str. 17, Friedrichshain | Tel. 030 983 644 40 | Currently closed for winter – see Facebook page for updates | https://www.facebook.com/balaram.eis
Rindchens Weinkontor
And now for the serious stuff. Wine. While primarily grape-based, animal products are often used on the journey from vine to bottle – during fermentation, filtration, stabilisation or bottling. At Rindchen’s Weinkontor there’s a remarkable selection of 150 vegan wines, so you’re free to drink with a clear conscience, if not a clear head the next day. Anything not in stock in the shop is available online.
Lerschpfad 4, Charlottenburg | Tel. 030 302 036 05 | Tue-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat 10am-4pm | www.rindchen.de
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