Sicilian fine dining – Berlin style

For a really special evening meal try Grünfisch at 26, Gräfestrasse, in Kreuzberg. It is one of those wonderful restaurants hidden away in a big city, but so good that everyone would love to find it. Grünfisch has been going for several years and has built up a considerable reputation among Berlin food-lovers. The joint owners, Dang Vu Pham, originally from Vietnam and his partner, Giovanni di Liberto, from Sicily, started with a small 22 seat restaurant. As word spread and they grew bigger, they moved premises several times, eventually arriving in this leafy urban neighbourhood in 2012.

Grünfisch originally served just fish – hence the name. But why green? Apparently Fengshui says that green creatures with their harmonious colour bring happiness and luck. And that’s the way these two chefs create their dishes – to please both themselves and their guests. The food can be described as modern Italian with an Asian twist and it is both expertly prepared and served, along with a very good selection of wines.

The interior is tastefully decorated and the pavement terrace is equally inviting. The menu changes daily according to what is available and in season and many ingredients are sourced Sicily. You can always be sure of some fabulous seafood, fish, meat and pasta dishes (average ‘menu’ price for three courses is €27).

Grünfisch is open from 6pm-12pm daily, except Sundays. It’s best to make a reservation (030 -6162 1252) and the nearest U-Bahn stations are Südstern and Schönleinstraße, each about a 10 minute walk. Or start the evening with a stroll along the Landwehrkanal, admire the sunset from the Admiralbrücke and then make your way through the Gräfekiez (the name of this great local neighbourhood) to the Grünfisch.