Gesa Simons is a jack of all trades: a photographer, DJ, manager of a fine meat shop, and recipe author. It was love that, eleven years ago, brought the native Bavarian to Berlin, “the only city in the world where I never wanted to go”, a musician from the Mitte district having conquered her heart. Today the 46-year-old photographs Japanese wall clocks, bands, and oc-casionally the Chancellor. She knows the culinary scene of the German capital so well because both her shop and her husband’s wine business supply a number of restaurants with choice products. 

#1 Lulu Guldsmeden 

The unpretentious Lulu, opened in 2017, is the Danish Guldsmeden group’s first hotel in Germany. Housed in a former residence with sumptuous stucco ceilings, it offers cool loft rooms with a touch of Bali which are also perfect for whole families. From the fabrics to the breakfast, everything is organic and sustainable. guldsmedenhotels.com/berlin 

#2 Café Dujardin

In this cosy cafe on the banks of the Panke River, you feel immediately at ease – thanks to a timeless smorgasbord of church chairs, tables from village pubs, and art - works that restaurateur Werner Geyer has collected over the decades, “especially from artist friends who urgently needed money”.  cafedujardin.de 

#3 Kindl – Centre for Contemporary Art 

Beer hasn’t been brewed in the Kindl for a long time. Since 2016, the building with the impressive brick façade has been a venue for top-class contemporary art. 1,600 square metres are available for rotating exhibitions. kindl-berlin.com 

#4 Tulus Lotrek 

Thinking up the name “Tulus Lotrek” takes a bit of imagination. Humour is an integral part of the service strategy here. Together with creativity and luxuriousness. The shop with the plant wallpaper and 17 GaultMillau points is definitely not a place for purists or fault-finders. The astute kitchen still manages completely without gimmicks. tuluslotrek.de 

#5 Silent Green cultural quarter 

Many factories in the Wedding district have been repurposed, and a cultural centre has even been established in the former crematorium. The heart of the venue is the Mars coffee bar. The domed hall hosts concerts. The building also houses the Harun Farocki Institute, the Ebensperger Rhomberg gallery and the Savvy Contemporary Art Space. silent-green.net 

#6 Wine shop Baumgart & Braun 

When Gesa Simons is looking for suitable drinks to accompany her culinary endeavours, she has it quite easy. After all, her husband runs a wine shop close by. The trained guitarist has 1,500 wines on offer. “And he has tasted every one of them.” Incidentally, the couple share a particularly high regard for fine sparkling wines. baumgartundbraun.de 

#7 Kochu Karu

One of Berlin’s most charming restaurants is run by Korean singer Bin Lee-Zauner and her husband José Miranda Morillo. Their union has given rise to tapas variations that are as subtle as they are exciting. How about “black-feathered chicken, truffles, and green plum” or “adobo mackerel, barley, and apricot”? kochukaru.de

#8 Konk 

Sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly important in Berlin. Konk features creations by local designers such as Anntian, Thone Negrón, and Tiedeken. You won’t find a classic eco look here. Instead, you’ll encounter offbeat silk prints, material mixes with recycled content, deep blue wool scarves, and jewellery from the 3D printer. konk-berlin.de

#9 Gärtnerei 

Austria native Bernhard Hötzl, who has lived in Berlin for eleven years, describes the Gärtnerei (nursery) as the green sister of his butcher’s shop. In addition to vegetarian fare like beetroot sashimi and cauliflower steak, schnitzel and marinated fjord trout are also on offer. Shredded directly at the table, the Kaiserschmarrn is a perfect finish. gaertnerei-berlin.com

#10 Cinco by Paco Pérez

A myriad of copper kettles hangs above the large table in the elegant restaurant of top Catalan chef Paco Pérez. Though it is less avant-garde than his flagship restaurant Miramar, the kitchen still harbours plenty of surprises, like amberjack and caviar or Wagyu beef tartare. 5-cinco.com