The Best Sustainable + Zero-Waste Eateries in Berlin
Last updated: August 8, 2024
Since the end of World War I, over 100 years ago, Berlin has established itself as an eco-conscious city. Originally this was more of a byproduct of recovering from the war and being left isolated from resources, rather than a drive to be environmentally aware. People were left with few options for food and salvation, incentivizing Berliners to strongly value green spaces, homegrown food, and upcycling.
Today this has translated to a culture where Berliners value thrifting, plant-based options, recycling, public transit, cycling, and low-waste alternatives where possible. A few of these establishments especially stand out when discussing eco-friendly and innovative spots in the city. This list certainly has room to grow as more low-waste initiatives take hold in Berlin. Don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know about more sustainable spots I should visit in Berlin.
FREA (Bakery)
This bakery is zero-waste, locally sourced, and fully vegetarian. Their food scraps are composted and turned into fertilizer that is then returned to their local suppliers. How cool is that? From ingredients nearly all sourced from Berlin-Brandenburg to reusable cloths to wipe your hands in their bathroom, they show notable eco-friendly initiative.
I’ve tried quite a few pastries here and have been a fan of all of them. Their Spandauer with vanilla crème is especially amazing, and their marzipan poppy seed twist is perfect if you don’t like overly sweet pastries. Their tomato pastry is just as lovely and probably my current favorite there. For more variety, go for their house breakfast which is a good size to split between two people. The plate costs €20 and includes croissants, brioche, brötchen, butter, spreads, fresh and cooked vegetables, and hummus. Their baked goods run from ~€3.50 to €5. Their pastries are currently fully vegan, but their mains are mixed.
Gartenstraße 9 | Mitte
FREA (Restaurant)
Just down the street from FREA bakery, you’ll find their restaurant FREA, which offers an upscale dining experience, with all the same eco-conscious efforts as their bakery. This restaurant is the first of the duo, and on top of that they are the first vegan and zero-waste restaurant in the world. I have not dined here (yet!), but their menu reflects their use of fully local and partially seasonal ingredients, and additionally seems to have the goal of offering creative and thoughtful dining experiences. You can choose between their three, four, or five course dining experience which ranges from €55 to €75 per person, with an additional €34 to €56 charge for wine pairings if desired. If you’re dining with children, they can enjoy the kid’s menu for €18. Your scraps will be fed to their compost machine, Gersi.
Kleine Hamburger Straße 2 | Mitte
Blumental
For a feel-good breakfast in a modern space look no further than Blumental. They’re a plant-forward brunch spot home to tasty cakes and excellent healthy dishes packed with seasonal produce and flavor. This is a mostly vegan and low-waste eatery, with the option to add a locally sourced organic egg to the top of any entrée. Most of their main dishes are €10 to €14 and their cake slices are around €4 or 5.
The MVP of this eatery is a composting machine named Berta in the back of the restaurant which takes care of all their organic waste in style. With the help of fungal spores and heat she ‘eats’ the natural scraps and excess. The remains are then mixed with soil and used as fertilizer to keep the plants of the restaurant thriving. You can also pick up a bag to feed to your plants, just ask the staff!
Engeldamm 64 | Mitte
Happa
This sustainable eatery is the newest zero waste restaurant in town. Their goal is to combine plant-based, regional, and seasonal cuisine with holistic food processing. Their lunch menu changes daily depending on the ingredients they have available. You can typically pop in for lunch anytime between 12-15hr Monday through Thursday. You’ll find smaller plates for €3 to €6 and main dishes for around €12. Their dinner experiences, on the other hand, are more infrequent and require advanced reservation. For around €55 you’ll get five courses of vegan dishes, featuring fully organic ingredients and high quality produce. Drinks come at an additional cost. You can keep up with their dinner events on their website.
Schlesische Straße 35A | Kreuzberg
Velvet
Although not an eatery, I had to include Velvet. Velvet is a bar in Neukölln that takes quite a hands on approach when it comes to sustainability. Not only are many of their ingredients locally sourced, they’re also harvested directly by their team each week. Some of their ingredients are foraged as close as a twenty minute walk away at the St. Jacobi Friedhof. Foraging locations include (but are not limited to) farms, community gardens, cemeteries, and parks. Most of these spots are within the city limits, but some ingredients are sourced from the surrounding Brandenburg state as well.
Every week or so a couple menu items are added or removed based off their reserve, making each visit a unique experience highlighting inventive combinations and earthy flavors. From firsthand experience, I can also say they really do a thorough job of using every last bit of their supply and really try to minimize their waste as much as possible. When I stopped by I ordered a cocktail and after a minute or so the bartender let me know they only had enough ingredients to make a half portion. When I went to pick out another drink, they stopped me and said I could have a smaller version of my original order and a smaller version of another drink of my choice because they “wanted to use up the remaining ingredients either way.” I really commend their efforts!
Plus, their seasonal syrups, distillates, liqueurs, and extracts are all made in house and with mostly local ingredients. Their cocktails are around €13 to €16, and a smidge less if you opt for an alcohol free option.
Ganghoferstraße 1 | Neukölln
