The Top Six Beer Gardens in Berlin
Photo by Des Récits on Unsplash
Remember: a beer garden is for life, not just for Oktoberfest. Arguably Germany’s best invention, beer gardens are an integral part of Summer in Germany. Catch up with friends, eat potato salad, chew on big fat pretzels, and (responsibly) sink a few beers!
In Berlin you’re never too far from a good beer garden, but which ones are truly the best? Here’s our list, in no popular order, of the five best beer gardens in Berlin.
Oh, and remember to always bring cash. Germans are big on paying in cash. Some places don’t take card payments at all.
Beer and Grilled Sausages at Golgatha
In the cool district of Kreuzberg there is a beautiful park named Viktoriapark, and in Viktoriapark there is a lovely little hideaway named Golgatha. It’s not easy to find, but it’s worth it when you get there. You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere, sausages on the grill (veggie alternatives available!) and bar prices that won’t hurt your wallet!
Discover a classic Berlin beer garden on Facebook here.
Experience a modern craft beer garden at BRLO Brwhouse
A little walk north from Golgatha you’ll find a beer garden that’s a lot less traditional! Made from shipping containers and hosting some 30+ beers on tap, BRLO is the top craft beer garden in the whole city. Excellent food is available, either beer garden snacks, or a proper sit-down meal inside if you prefer. If you really want to get into the spirit of things you can book a tour of the on-site brewery in advance, and sample plenty of the delicacies made on site!
Find out more about BRLO’s craft beers here.
Witness Berlin’s most charming beer garden at Prater
Proudly Berlin’s oldest beer garden, Prater has a cosy, magical atmosphere thanks to all the pretty lights in the tall trees inside. It’s only a short walk from the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station, right in the middle of the fun middle class district of Prenzlauer Berg. You can sip the hours away drinking the house “Prater Pils”, but wine and soft drinks are available as well. I recommend picking up a big pretzel, too!
Top Tip: Prater is only a stone’s throw from the Berlin Wall Memorial and Mauerpark. You could combine all three for a great Sunday in Berlin!
Click here to find out more about Prater.
Sit beneath towering trees at Cafe am Neuen See
Looking at a map of Berlin, the first thing many people notice is a whopping great park right in the middle of town. That park is the world famous, and immensely popular Tiergarten. In the South West corner of the park, quite near to the Berlin Zoo, you can find Cafe am Neuen See. This traditional style beer garden sees you getting to know the locals as you sit on long benches drinking large glasses of beer. The difference is that you really feel like you’re no longer in the city - you’re sat beneath wonderful tall trees by the edge of a small lake! Actually, if you want to really get the full experience you can even rent a little row boat and get away from it all.
Top Tip: There are many important memorials in the Tiergarten. If you start your walk through the park at the Eastern side where the Brandenburg Gate is, you could easily visit the Sinti and Roma Memorial, the Soviet War Memorial, and the Victory Column on your way to the Cafe am Neuen See.
Click here to view the Cafe am Neuen See website.
Drink in an former school gym at Alte Turnhalle
In the East Berlin district of Friedrichshain is a delightful former gymnasium turned into a rather classy beer hall and garden. Here you can drink a special non-pasteurised form of one of the world’s most popular beers, Pilsner Urquell.
This Berlin beer garden has a modern yet cosy feel. It’s definitely a bit off the beaten path - most visitors don’t make it this far out of the centre - but it gives you a good look at the real Berlin that Berliner’s love!
Discover the Alte Turnhalle beer garden here.
Relax on an island with your feet in the sand at Inselgarten
How about a beer garden where you can rent a kayak? On Berlin’s Insel der Jugend deep down in Treptower Park, you can do just that. The island is a very pleasant 20-30 minute walk along the Spree river from the Treptower Park S-Bahn station. Cross the bridge to the island and you’ll see the beer garden on the right. There’s plenty of food options available, too. I recommend the “Flammkuchen”, which is basically the German version of a pizza. The dough is super thin and crispy. Give it a go!
Want to know more about Inselgarten? Click here.