36 Hours in Berlin

By GISELA WILLIAMS

Berlin, which has been Germanys modern capital for only 23 years, has reached a coming-of-age moment. As it attempts to evolve from a city that relies heavily on government support to one with sustainable industries, companies like Google and Etsy have opened up offices, joining technology start-ups like SoundCloud and ResearchGate, giving credit to the hype that Berlin is becoming a contender for Europes Silicon Valley. The citys Wild West energy and landscape is also changing. Certain areas, like Mitte and pockets of Kreuzberg and Neuklln, are transforming faster than it takes to say fair-trade organic coffee bar. Berlin still boasts a legendary nightclub and art scene, but now it seems that every two weeks, a grown-up cocktail bar or restaurant opens up in Mitte, the neighborhood of choice for Berlins global professionals. Not long ago even the gentrifying parts of Neuklln were too gritty for most tourists, but these days, even less adventuresome travelers will be charmed by the shops and cafes popping up along its streets. Nowadays, everyone can have fun in Berlin, not just 20-somethings with the right jeans. FRIDAY 5 p.m. 1. Old School Is New School In the early 90s, soon after the Berlin Wall came down, Auguststrasse, in the fashionable neighborhood of Mitte, was the street where pioneering art gallerists set up shop. Over the years, the lane of cafes and galleries became a bit stale. Last year, the gallery owner Michael Fuchs brought fresh life to the street with

the reinvention of the Ehemalige Jdische Mdchenschule, a former Jewish girls school, now a complex of cafes and galleries. Until late October, Eigen+Art Lab, on the third floor, will be featuring a group show, and Mr. Fuchss own space will be showing works from Johannes Albers and Douglas Gordon. After taking in the art, grab a glass of crmant at Mogg & Melzer, an intimate modern deli on the ground floor, or a bourbon sour at the Pauly Saal Bar, a stylish space with emerald green walls and a glossy wood bar. 8 p.m. 2. With the Mitte Crowd Katz Orange, which opened last year on a courtyard thats part of a historic brick brewery building, serves a mix of vegan and organic meat dishes like lemon potato mash served with porcini mushrooms and artichokes (19 euros, about $25 at $1.30 to the euro), and short ribs glazed with soy sauce and ginger (22 euros). The Pantry, an intimate living room of a space on the far north end of Friedrichstrasse, manages to tick almost all of the boxes, from chic but cozy design (giant caramel-toned leather sofa seats, a wall of gold tiles and natural wood floors and tables) to tasty upscale Iberico-Asian dishes like beef tataki (small portion, 12 euros). Midnight 3. Watering Holes By day, the Monbijoupark is a small green oasis in the hectic heart of Mitte. Recently, the surrounding area became the place to go at night, thanks to three new watering holes. Those looking for gold, glamour and the perfect cocktail should head to TheLiberate, which might as well be called The Liberace, with its interiors of quilted bronze banquettes, black and gold wallpaper and crystal chandeliers. A more relaxed spot can be found in the clublike cocktail bar of the newly opened Monbijou Hotel. The bar that everyone is talking about, however, is Trust, a two-story lounge behind an unmarked door under railway arches,

which has just the right mix of international D.J.s and gritty glamour: some surfaces are painted gold; others are of exposed concrete. SATURDAY 11 a.m. 4. Coffee at the Barn The Barn is a tiny cultish cafe on the corner of Auguststrasse where local stylesetters will wait 10 minutes for what they consider the perfectly brewed cup of coffee. The beans are bought from micro-farmers, the espresso machines are made in Seattle, filter coffees are single origin, and adding sugar is frowned upon. (A cappuccino costs 2.40 euros.) If its too crowded, head to Barcomis Deli, one of the first cafes in Berlin to roast its own coffee beans. (A small cappuccino is 2.50 euros.) 1 p.m. 5. Kapoor in Berlin Berlins current blockbuster exhibition is at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, a grand 19th-century exhibition hall not far from Potsdamer Platz. The British sculptor Anish Kapoor has orchestrated a circuslike show (through November) of enormous throbbing, bulging, exploding and deflated artworks that spread out over about 32,000 square feet. Admission is 11 euros. 3 p.m. 6. Late Market Lunch Farmers, foodies and protesters all mix at the revived historic Markthalle Neun, where every Friday and Saturday farmers sell their organic vegetables and cheese. A work in progress, the market hall keeps growing: Heidenpeters brewery opened up in the cellar of the building, and more recently so did Sironi, an Italian artisanal bread maker. Grab a beer there are two pale ales and a

Belgian style beer at a bar in the market and some smoked fish at Glut & Spne (glutundspaene.de) and take in the local scene. 5 p.m. 7. A Vintage Stroll In and around the edges of the bohemian Kreuzberg and Reuterkiez neighborhoods, vintage treasures are to be found on almost every corner. Start at the cheerful secondhand shop Pony Htchen, a few minutes from the Markthalle, for vintage furniture, shoes and clothing (a 1950s cocktail dress goes for 35 to 45 euros). Then head south and cross the Landwehr canal and make a stop at the cozy Katies Blue Cat to refuel with a cappuccino and snack such as Earl Grey shortbread biscuits. Wander down nearby Sanderstrasse and stock up on affordable vintage clothing and objects at a charming group of shops: Sing Blackbird, Vintage Galore and Aura. At Polka, a sweet little atelier also on Sanderstrasse, the designer Teresa Albiez will design a dress for 60 to 100 euros. 7 p.m. 8. Gastro Kneipe In the same area where Kreuzberg meets Neuklln, sometimes called Kreuzklln, graffiti-covered facades hide obscure 19th- and 20th-century buildings and the new life that is going on inside them. Several of the most interesting restaurants are in dilapidated-looking kneipes (pubs). From the outside and even from the inside the Gasthaus Figl looks as if it could belong in any German Alpine town, but in the kitchen theyre cooking up something new, for Berlin at least: pizzas with high-quality ingredients, including one topped with sardines, capers, garlic, thyme, rosemary, mozzarella, tomatoes and chile oil (8.90 euros). Or head to Nansen, where the small German menu changes frequently and the produce is local. The wild game entrees, like

the venison leg served with an onion tart and sides of yellow beets, are a good choice. (Entrees cost 21 to 24 euros). Bring cash. 10 p.m. 9. Bar Crawl Some call the phenomenon Deutschlyn; others Berlyn. Either way there are so many Brooklynites in Berlin that sometimes it feels like a borough of New York. In the smoky bars (yes, you can still smoke here) lining Weserstrasse, one of the liveliest streets in Neuklln, youll find hipster types who look as though they belong in Williamsburg. The two major hot spots are the bohemian , an eclectic scene that offers occasional live music, art installations and a storytelling night, and Tier, a more upscale hangout across the street. Midnight 10. Party by the Spree While the squats in Mitte await closure, other communal artist groups have figured out a way to pay their rent and keep the spirit alive. The artist and director Ralf Schmerberg and the Mindpirates, Mr. Schmerbergs merry band of artists and curators, have turned a complex of rooms along the River Spree in Kreuzberg into a compelling independent art and event space. One week they might screen avant-garde films and another week they might host a dance party; visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/mindpirates.ev. SUNDAY 11 a.m. 11. Breakfast Slam Several American expats have rebelled against the typical German breakfast of cold cuts and rolls and are offering up huge servings of huevos ranchos or pancakes and French toast. Patrick Blasa is founder of the California Breakfast

Slam, a popular weekend event that has recently expanded to every day of the week. Mr. Blasa takes over a faded old kneipe called Lagari with his friendly team. The menu offers 8 to 10 dishes, from an Eggs of Pope Benedict, with cured Kassler ham and asparagus, to black bean huevos rancheros, and three specials, which might be strawberry and mint pancakes. About 11 euros. 1 p.m. 12. Adult Clubbing The eight-year-old Berghain Panorama Bar (14-euro cover), a world-famous club on the second floor of a former power plant, still reigns. From the wee hours of Sunday morning until the beginning of Monday, the space, in the Friedrichshain neighborhood, is one big party. The insider secret among those with real jobs is to hit Berghain Sunday afternoon, avoid the wait and still get in more than 12 hours of dancing. But be warned: the bouncer is tough, so look the part: wear black and shoes made for nonstop dancing. THE DETAILS 1. Ehemalige Jdische Mdchenschule, Auguststrasse 1113; maedchenschule.org. 2. Katz Orange, Bergstrasse 22; katzorange.com. The Pantry, Friedrichstrasse 120; pantry-berlin.com. 3. Monbijou Park. TheLiberate, Kleine Prsidentenstrasse 4; theliberate.com. Monbijou Hotel, Monbijouplatz 1; monbijouhotel.com. Trust, Neue Promendade 10; trust-berlin.com. 4. The Barn, Auguststrasse 58; thebarn.de. Barcomis Deli, Sophienstrasse 21; barcomis.de. 5. Martin-Gropius-Bau, Niederkirchnerstrasse 7; berlinerfestspiele.de.

6. Markthalle Neun, Eisenbahnstrasse 42/43; markthalleneun.de. 7. Pony Htchen, Pcklerstrasse 33; pretty-stuff.de. Katies Blue Cat, Friedelstrasse 31; katiesbluecat.de. Sing Blackbird, Sanderstrasse 11; Vintage Galore, No. 12;vintagegalore.de. Aura, No. 13. 8. Gasthaus Figl, Urbanstrasse 47; gasthaus-figl.de. Nansen, Maybachufer 39; restaurant-nansen.de. 9. , Weserstrasse 40; ae-neukoelln.de. Tier, Weserstrasse 42. 10. Mindpirates, Schlesische Strasse 38, Haus F in 3rd Courtyard; mindpirates.org. 11. California Breakfast Slam, Pflgerstrasse 19, Kreuzklln. 12. Berghain Panorama Bar, Am Wriezener Bahnhof; berghain.de.