At the IPD Berlin pre-orientation meeting, I remember the student ambassadors (aka students who went on the program the previous year) gushing about how amazing döner kebabs were. In all honesty, I wasn’t sold on it because I thought they were hyping it up, but boy was I so so wrong.
Döner kebab is part of Turkish cuisine, but you can find a döner kebab stand on almost every corner in Berlin. Döner kebabs in Berlin consist of thinly sliced meat cooked on a rotisserie, a variety of chopped vegetables and either garlic, yogurt or spicy sauce all wrapped up in pita bread. You might have also heard it referred to as a shwarma (Arab) or gyro (Greek). Regardless of its name, it is absolutely delicious — and cheap (which, let’s be honest, is the most important part).
I have personally eaten a döner kebab at least once a week (confession: I’ve even eaten it twice in one day) and I’ve come to really understand the nuances in taste between the various döner kebab stands. So here is my comprehensive review of the different döner kebab stands you might encounter in your time in Berlin.
Reva: Wittenberg Platz (3.50€)
Reva was just all right. It was not exceptionally good nor particularly bad. I included Reva in my review because it is the closest döner kebab place to the hotel we stayed at during the program. It is also the only place that was located in a storefront. However, the location is probably the only thing that Reva has going for it. A few of my friends have commented that the garlic sauce isn’t as good as other döner kebab places, and I personally think they don’t give you enough meat, but it’s a great option to have when you’re craving döner but you’re feeling too lazy to go anywhere far.
Overall score: 3/5
Döner Deluxe: Wittenberg Platz (4€)
Döner Deluxe is the absolute best place to go if you are looking for an overwhelmingly subpar döner kebab for an unreasonably high price. I honestly don’t know why anyone would go anywhere else. It even has a really progressive system of ordering where despite what you order, you may get something completely different! The adrenaline is thrilling!!! AND if you’re lucky, the man working the stand might berate you in German for a good five minutes. But only if you’re lucky.
Overall score: 0/5
Mustafas Gemüse Kebab: off the Mehringdamm Station (3.20€)
Ah – the legendary Mustafas Gemüse Kebab. You haven’t had döner kebabs in Berlin if you haven’t had Mustafas. It is allegedly the best döner kebab in Berlin, and I have to admit – it did live up to the hype. Unlike the other döner kebabs I’ve reviewed here, Mustafas döners are made with chicken, but that isn’t what sets Mustafas apart — it is its attention to detail. Mustafas makes its döner kebabs with both fried and fresh vegetables. They also have potatoes, feta cheese, and even a spritz of lemon. The first bite is truly an experience. The only catch is that you should expect to wait in a long line among other döner enthusiasts. (Pro tip: go right when it opens for the shortest wait)
Overall score: 4/5
Döner Kebab: Friedrichstraße Station (3.50€)
Despite the artistry that is Mustafas, I refrained from giving them a perfect score because I wanted to reserve that honor for Döner Kebab – the underdog. I stumbled across this hidden gem when I got miserably lost looking for the Flohmarkt, and I quite literally fell in love. Although Döner Kebab is the furthest from the hotel, it is more than worth the trip. The pita bread is crispy on the outside and the garlic sauce is to die for. It has mastered the meat to vegetables to sauce ratio, and every bite is heaven. Words can’t accurately express how I feel about Döner Kebab. Dare I say that this is what I’ll miss most about Berlin?
Overall score: 5/5
Ultimately, döner kebabs are a dime a dozen here in Berlin, and they’re cheap, but delicious — what more could a struggling college student on a budget ask for?