You might do a double-take when you reach 893 Ryōtei. Yes, that graffiti-splattered, seemingly abandoned storefront with tinted glass is where you’ll be eating gorgeous, modern Japanese food. It’s got a gritty cool factor that’s characteristically Berlin, and while you can certainly focus on the sushi and sashimi, try the dishes with influences outside of Japan, like the lomo and sashimi taquitos. Wear the most fashion-y thing you brought and you’ll blend right in.

Berlin has a big Turkish population, so you’ll find Turkish grills all over the city. One of the most famous is Adana Grillhaus. There are two locations right around the corner from each other in Kreuzberg, but the one on Skalitzer Strasse is brighter and better for big groups. Both are open until the early morning, and their namesake minced lamb meat cooked on a skewer is one of the best ways to end a night of drinking your way down Oranienstraße at spots like Café Luzia and Biererei Bar.

El Borriquito is the place to be if you love noisy, drawn-out dinners that turn into boozy parties. Bring a big group and book a late table (no earlier than 9pm), preferably on the weekend, so you can see some live music. Share tapas like pimientos de padrón and fried calamari from a platter of mixed starters before moving on to heftier plates of grilled fish and meat. By the time you’re on your second bottle of Rioja, the band will likely be belting out the Gipsy Kings rendition of “Volare”.

Annelies is one of the stars of Berlin’s brunch scene, evident every weekend when crowds of bleary-eyed creatives rouse in the early afternoon and gather outside to debrief the night before while waiting for a table. Reservations aren’t possible except for large groups during the week, so set your alarm early to avoid the madness. There are only seven dishes to choose from, but there are three clear winners.

There’s perhaps no better introduction to Berlin than eating currywurst: sausage slathered in curried ketchup with a side of fries. If you’re hopping around Museum Island, you’re just around the corner from Curry 61, where there’ll probably be a small crowd of locals and out-of-towners huddled outside the order window for a quick lunch or snack. Your order will be up almost as fast as you place it.

Markthalle Pfefferberg, the 700-square-meter hall of shops and food stands, is a fun stop on any tour of the restaurant-packed Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. If you only try one place inside, make it Taquería el Oso, which serves the juiciest al pastor tacos sliced straight from the trompo. Tables can be tough to come by on weekend afternoons and evenings, so plan on coming around noon when the party people are still sleeping in. Make it a Sunday, since that’s when they serve birria.

Like teatime to the British, the tradition of “kaffee und kuchen” (or coffee and cake) is a big deal for Germans, and so is where to get said cake. We like Zuckerbaby, where you’ll inevitably end up going overboard with an order of rich turtle cake drizzled with chocolate and caramel, a dense poppyseed cake, and the best carrot cake you’ve ever had. Order the Nuss-Nougat Kakao, or nut-nougat cocoa, and call your kaffee pairing complete.

Wen Cheng serves up traditional Chinese hand-pulled noodles, and they’re so popular that there are two locations on the same street that are a 25 minute walk from each other. We like to go to Wen Cheng II at Schönhauser Allee 10, since it’s significantly bigger and offers a better view of the staff stretching out that noodle dough. It’s walk-ins only so the line can get long—your best bet is to visit right when they open at noon for lunch. Our go-to order is the Biang Biang Beef noodles.

When you’ve checked off seeing the World Clock in Alexanderplatz and the picturesque courtyards of Hackesche Höfe in Mitte, Kin Za Georgian Kitchen is a great, relaxed place to refuel for lunch. When it’s busy, the space can feel a little cramped, but that doesn’t really matter when you get plates of satisfying khachapuri and khinkali. Those two dishes could easily make up a full meal, which will have you ready for miles more walking, or maybe a little snooze at Monbijou Park.

Thai-Art is on a street full of great places to eat, but it's the only one with a huge photo of the owner smiling in sunglasses above the door. Locals regularly fill the place for classics like pad see ew, pad thai, and tom yum soup. There are only about ten tables inside, but getting one never seems to be a big issue, even during the work lunch hour. Two rules for your visit: bring cash and heed the sign on the wall by the door that says “please taste food before seasoning!”