"On a busy, not-very-attractive Kreuzberg street near Checkpoint Charlie (past shops selling cheesy Cold War tchotchkes), you’ll turn into what looks like a parking lot. But once you step through the totally nondescript entrance and into the attractive modern dining room with flashes of color (navy fabric booths, pretty blue chairs), you'll start to feel something special. Indeed, there’s a definite buzz to Restaurant Tim Raue, and expectations are high for Berlin's most famous boy-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks-turned-chef. There’s a reason Raue’s Asian-with-a-twist classics are classics: They’re seriously good. The cute-as-a-button amuse-bouches will have you (and everyone else) reaching for your iPhone. Spring for the extra tasting menu supplement (€44, or $48) to try Raue’s Peking duck interpretation, with duck served three ways—a richly flavored broth, a melt-in-your-mouth liver mousse, and a fried breast—and his famous langoustine with wasabi. In summer 2023, Raue also introduced his Kolibri X Berlin menu, a homage to his hometown with modern riffs on nostalgic dishes from his childhood like Königsberger klopse (German meatballs) and chicken fricasée, enlivened with signature Asian flavors. Like everything else he touches, it’s a hit. Vegans also aren’t left out, with a delicious menu dedicated just to them." - Liz Humphreys
