American / Canadian

Sit at one of the many tables in a beautiful courtyard, drink one of 14 house-roasted coffees, and chew on fresh hot bagels. Everything is homemade, fresh and scrumptious. The food is American (muffins, bagels, cheesecake, sandwiches, Celestial Seasonings tea, rich cakes) but the style more European (black-frocked waiters, the courtyard, a sleek interior). Also visit the tiny Kreuzberg version, Ms. Barcomi’s original location. Sophienstr. 21,second courtyard,U-Bhf Weinmeisterstr.,Tel 2859 8363, www.barcomis.de, Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-22:00,
breakfast 1.30-9.50 euros, EC accepted

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Cajun Creole cooking at its finest: gumbo, blackened chicken and fish, BBQ ribs, jambalaya, at this new addition to the West Berlin food scene.
Uhlandstrasse 144, Charlottenburg. Tel. 0308 867 6510, www.bayou-berlin.com

Inspired by the culinary pleasures of San Francisco’s Mission district, the two guys behind Dolores keenly recognised a gaping hole in Berlin’s quality fast-food offerings. Devotees flood the smart snack bar for their burritos and quesadillas,
which are assembled rapidly before your eyes after you rattle off your choices of fillings: succulent shredded beef,tofu, steak, or mole or lime chicken, followed by white or brown rice; pinto or black beans or fajita-style veggies; sour cream or cheddar; and salsa (from ‘fresh tomato’ to the hot ‘red chilli’), resulting in 420 potential combinations. Addictive! Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 7, S+U-Bhf Alexanderplatz, Tel 2809 9597, www.dolores-online.de, Mon-Sat 11:30-22:00, burritos 3.65-4.65 euros, cash only

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Struggling to satisfy your US-sized appetite? Fill that cavity with a Texas Burger at the mostly organic Frittiersalon. An interesting assortment of dips awaits your wedges, the mint/yoghurt and the goat cheese with black olives are highly recommended. Line up with all the other Yankees in Berlin doing the same. Boxhagener Str. 104, S+U-Bhf Warschauer Str., Tel 2593 3906, www.frittiersalon.de, Mon 18:00-late, Tue-Fri 12:00-late, Sat-Sun 13:00-late, from 5-7 euros, cash only

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One of the best American restaurants in town goes beyond (very) delicious burgers to feature the hybridization that represents the best in ‘American’ fare beloved of cities like New Orleans, Santa Fe, or San Francisco, in dishes like grilled smoked chicken quesadillas with rhubarb-apple chutney or Jamaican jerk catfish kabobs. Chef Brian Davin, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, smokes salmon in house and makes his own duck prosciutto as well as pastas and breads. His motto: ‘Use the freshest ingredients and your boldest ideas and you can`t go wrong.’ Giesebrecht Str. 3, U-Bhf. Adenauerplatz, Tel 881 8823, www.juleps-berlin.de/, daily 17:00-1:00, Fri- Sat 17:00-2:00, main courses 9-20 euros, credit cards accepted

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Judging from the barebricks interior, you wouldn’t think that you could leave serious money at The Bird, but just try their steak. And when you’re done, you’ll agree that it was worth every penny. The burgers and sandwiches are a little more affordable. Whether traditional (the ‘Filthy Harry’ with cheddar and bacon) or outlandish (the ‘Gay Greek’ with spinach and feta), all come with sensational fries. The best Reuben east of NYC delights expats while its laidback atmosphere has won The Bird many friends from around the neighbourhood./ÄT Am Falkplatz 5, U-Bhf Schönhauser Allee, Tel 5105 3283, www.thebirdinberlin.com, Mon-Fri 18:00-late, Sat 13:00-late, Sun 12:00-late, burgers 9-12.50 euros, steaks by the gram, cash only

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Tim’s is as close to a real diner - though not the clichéd pseudo-Route 66-style kind - as you can get in Berlin. An unpretentious, lively atmosphere, a nicely mixed crowd, and the food are all reminiscent of a good old American diner, with a wideranging choice of decent everything. Breakfast (8:00-16:00) includes many egg specialties, pancakes, really good home-baked bagels and great country potatoes. Tim’s Canadian Deli, Maassenstr. 14, U-Bhf Nollendorfplatz, Tel 21756960, www.timinberlin.de, Mon-Thu 8:00-1:00, Fri-Sat 8:00-3:00, Sun 9:00-1:00, breakfast 2.10-11 euros, credit cards, EC accepted

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