Ah, the döner kebab—the spice-rich, juicy, and meaty (and messy) sandwich that people can’t seem to get enough of. It’s perfect for a quick lunch on the go, a hearty dinner, or even a post-hangover meal.
Introduced to the streets of Berlin by Turkish migrants in the 1970s, the dish has since taken on a uniquely German form. And now, it’s said that there are over a thousand kebab places in the city!
But which of these thousands of kebab restaurants are worth going to? (Because you just NEED to try out a Berlin döner kebab if you’re here—it’s part and parcel of the Berlin experience!)
Fret not: below, I’ve listed down which restaurants serve the bester döner Berlin has to offer!
Here are all the places on Google Maps for a TL;DR:
NOTE: Several of these entries will be in Kreuzberg given the large Turkish population there—and there are honestly many other great options in Kreuzberg not on this list. But I wanted to include restaurants in other areas too, so you can easily get a taste of this Berlin staple regardless of where you are in the city!
Also, since I run a German language learning program, I have to note that most German natives simply refer to it as ‘döner’—seldom do they call it kebab.
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebab
Mehringdamm 32, 10961 Berlin
Area: Kreuzberg
Credit: berliner-zeitung.de
Credit: Tripadvisor.com
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebab is arguably the most popular place for döner in the city, with lengthy, lengthy queues pretty much all day. Even celebrities like Kanye West (see the pic above) line up for this place!
And it’s not without reason. Tender, spice-rich meat, fresh onions and vegetables—it’s the most iconic example of the classic döner Berlin style.
But, to be honest…
Is it worth the wait? Yes.
Is the hype real? Yes.
Can you get similar quality döner in other places without the lines? Also yes.
I wouldn’t say it’s by far and away the best döner kebab in Berlin that it’s worth the long lines. But if you only have time to try out one spot, then it’s not a bad choice to see the city’s most iconic and quintessential döner stall.
(Yes, it’s not a restaurant, just your good ol’ street food stall—so no seating!)
Also, for my German language learners out there, Gemüse means vegetables in German.
Imren Grill
Boppstraße 10, 10967 Berlin
Area: Kreuzberg
Credit: withberlinlove.com
Imren Grill has 6 branches in Berlin, but their branch in Boppstraße is the only branch I’ve been to and so it’s also the only one I can personally attest to.
And what can I say? There’s no surprise that they have multiple branches in the city. It’s a popular tourist destination, but it’s definitely not a tourist trap in my eyes. The food is genuinely great.
Like Mustafa’s, they serve top-quality Berlin-style döner, but it’s also a full-fledged restaurant with seating, not just a stall. They also have a super delicious sesame sauce!
The menu variety is pretty good too, but I must say that the rice was a bit dry when I ordered a rice dish once. The bread is still good though.
If you’re Muslim, they assure you that they also follow halal cooking guidelines!
Tekbir Döner
Skalitzer Str. 23, 10999 Berlin
Area: Kreuzberg
Credit: berlinfoodstories.com
While there are a lot—and I mean a lot—of good döner places just around the Kottbusser Tor, Tekbir is my personal go-to in the area.
They’ve been in business since 1979 and honestly, Tekbir’s döner is very similar to Imren’s in terms of their taste profile, so it’s just as great. Their sesame sauce is also excellent.
I also prefer the ambiance of the restaurant—it’s smaller but also cozier with its brick walls.
The serving size is a bit smaller than others, I must admit. However, that’s not a problem for me - it’ll save a few calories!
Hasir Kreuzberg
Adalbertstraße 10, 10999 Berlin
Area: Kreuzberg
Credit: berlin.de
Hasir is an “institution” in the city. And it shows with the luxurious interior. They’re one of the original founders of the Berlin döner and have been serving it since 1970.
However, if you click on the link to Google Maps, you’ll see a concerningly low score of 3.3 (as of the time of writing, November 2024).
It’s not because of the food—which most reviewers say is still great, and I agree—but rather the service. This place gets packed.
In my experience, the service was understandably slower than usual due to the amount of orders, but it wasn’t horrible.
Pamfilya Restaurant
Luxemburger Str. 1, 13353 Berlin
Area: Mitte (Wedding)
Credit: berlinfoodstories.com
Okay, time for some restaurants outside of Kreuzberg!
Located just below the Leopoldplatz U-Bahn station in Wedding, Pamfilya doesn't just serve some of the best döner kebab Berlin has to offer. They’re arguably the best traditional Turkish restaurant in the city.
I ate here with a large group once. We ordered different things off the menu—döner, salads, soups—everything was fresh and delicious and the serving sizes were even pretty large!
With a cozy and rustic brick wall interior (you can see I have a preference) and delicious, hearty meals, I highly recommend Pamfilya.
A fair bit pricier compared to others, but I think it’s worth it.
Kebab With Attitude (K.W.A)
Gipsstraße 2, 10119 Berlin
Area: Mitte
Credit: kebapyourlife.de
We’ve covered the restaurants serving the classic Berlin döner. Now it’s time for something different.
Describing themselves as "Berlin’s first new wave döner kebab restaurant,” KWA’s name isn’t a lie. I can attest that their food indeed does have attitude and is some of the best kebab in Berlin.
And by “attitude,” I mean that they add some twist to the usual recipe. While they serve the classic style too, they have experimental menu options like those with truffle (admittedly so-so for me) or mangoes (great!)
The ingredients are fresh and they also use free-range meat (not that I could honestly tell the difference in taste or texture, but it was still tender and juicy). In general, I’d say it’s one of the best Berlin kebab places in terms of menu variety.
It is also a tad more expensive than usual, but I’d say it’s worth it for the different options.
Vöner (vegan option)
Boxhagener Str. 56, 10245 Berlin
Area: Freidrichschain
Credit: vegman.org
Another different restaurant: Vöner—and it’s named that way (I think) because they serve vegan döner!
I’m not vegan myself (obviously), but I tried it out once for the sake of it and I was pleasantly surprised. The seitan they use tastes very close to actual meat. I’d say it’s around 90% similar. My vegan friend also liked it a lot.
The food gives you good bang for your buck too, with decent prices and generous serving sizes. Aside from the döner, their currywurst and chili tomato sauce were also absolutely delicious.
K’Ups Gemüsekebap
Kastanienallee 102, 10435 Berlin
Area: Prenzlau Berg
Credit: withberlinlove.com
Now, time for a lesser-known (ish) option. I’ve tried a few döner places in Prenzlaur Berg, but this one comes out on top. The crazy part is that, when I was here, the lines were actually the shortest compared to the other restaurants (not that they had lines as long as those in Kreuzberg).
The food is fresh and delicious and they top their döner with feta cheese. I believe they use a different kind of bread too, but I found the difference negligible. And the price is a bit cheaper compared to those in central Berlin too (like in Kreuzberg) and the serving sizes are generous.
Like Vöner, they also have vegetarian options. I personally haven’t tried those, but it’s a nice-to-have for sure.
