There is a certain feeling you get when you first visit Berlin: this city has a place for you, if you want it. Visitors often ask me which clubs I can recommend, since Berlin is still known as one of the best cities for dancing. They then stare at me with excitement, hoping I will give them a long list that doesn’t just include the iconic Berghain. But since I moved here during lockdown and live with the knowledge that I could go dancing next week if I wanted to – I spend my Saturdays strolling around the city instead, usually somewhere in Schöneberg, Kreuzberg or Charlottenburg.
My parents met in Berlin (not too far from where The Hoxton, Charlottenburg is located today) so I’ve always had a special bond with the city, even though I was born and raised in Hamburg.
As a journalist with a focus on all things aesthetic – interiors, design, travel, and style – I have always loved furniture, beautiful objects, and art. Berlin is a big city and I feel like I could make a never-ending list of all the design spots I adore. But sometimes you need to choose. Et voilà : my five personal favourite places to shop in Berlin for brilliant design.
I met Ari and Rainer Stippa when I wrote an article about their beautiful home in Kreuzberg. Ari, a make-up artist, and Rainer, a former stylist, share a passion for vintage furniture and a keen nose for the hot items of tomorrow. As their private collection grew, they opened their store Another June, featuring an extraordinary collection of vintage furniture. It’s also a great place for ceramic cups, vases, and candles. To enter, you have to find your way through a typical Berlin hairdressing salon. I love places like that!
Located in Chamissoplatz, one of the most beautiful areas of Kreuzberg, the area also plays host to a charismatic market that gives Hugh Grant in Notting Hill vibes. I recommend grabbing some fries and natural wine at Rekorder Gallery – ask for the pét nat from the Berlin-based brand Nature’s Calling. For a delicious dinner, there are two great Austrian places: Peter Schlemihl and Felix Austria (you will need a reservation for both).
Chamissoplatz 6, 10965 Berlin
Opened over two decades ago, Andreas Murkudis is a household name in Berlin, and so is his namesake concept store. With three locations on Potsdamer Strasse, one of Schöneberg’s central streets, there’s the concept store, a design gallery, and a design shop showcasing various furniture brands. Murkudis is also a happening place for events, especially during Berlin Art Week when people sit on the large staircases in the courtyard to enjoy a drink and a chat. I particularly love their collection of KH Würtz ceramics, a brand famous for making the tableware for the first Noma in Copenhagen.
Potsdamer Str. 77, 81 & 91, 10785 Berlin
The Potsdamer Strasse may not necessarily be the most beautiful spot you’ve ever seen; look a bit closer, however, and there are lots of pretty courtyards to discover and galleries to visit – Camaro Haus, Max Hetzler, Esther Schipper and Klosterfelde Edition, to name a few. Just down the road from Murkudis, Samira Mahboub and Zaid Charkaoui run their showroom, Limala, selling beautiful rugs that are handmade by artisanal communities in the Atlas Mountains. They also sell an exclusive collection designed by Zaid himself. Pop in, and the couple will offer you a refreshing cup of Moroccan green mint tea. (FYI, they offer free shipping throughout Europe, just in case you fall in love with a carpet that’s too big for hand luggage). If you’re hungry afterwards, try some Käsespätzle at the Joseph-Roth-Diele (closed on weekends) and stay for drinks at Victoria Bar. And if you’re an eyewear fan, make sure to stop by Andy Wolf, which counts Beyoncé and Pedro Pascal among its customers.
Potsdamer Str. 91, 10785 Berlin
I love Charlottenburg for its elegance and could watch the elderly ladies and their tiny dogs all day. The Suarezstrasse is known for its great collection of vintage and antique furniture shops (people call it the ‘Antikmeile,’ even though that is technically just the name of the great flea market that takes place here every year in September). Here, every shop is different. At Design 54, you can find Biedermeier pieces and mid-century classics, as well as great collections of vases. Then there’s Antikes & Nippes (superb for porcelain) or Zeitlos with their tubular steel furniture. And if you have some time, the famous Charlottenburger Schloss is just a ten-minute walk down the road.
Suarezstrasse, 14057 Berlin
To me, Anahita Sadighi is one of Berlin’s most exciting gallerists. Her namesake exhibition space has a great collection of Chinese furniture, southeast Asian art, carpets and textiles as well as work by exciting contemporary artists. The gallery was recently redesigned by Berlin based architects Gonzalez Haase AAS. After the gallery visit I suggest you find your way to the Kantstrasse, a road filled with so many good restaurants it’s hard to pick a favourite. But I am never disappointed with sushi at Kuchi. And if you feel like Indian food, you’re just a ten-minute walk from The Hoxton’s very own House of Tandoor.
Schlüterstrasse 16, 10625 Berlin
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