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CULTURE

EXPLAINED: A guide to the best international supermarkets in Berlin

Published: 25 May 2021 19:01 CEST
Updated: 31 May 2021 11:48 CEST
EXPLAINED: A guide to the best international supermarkets in Berlin
Archive photo shows fruit from Vietnam sold at the Dong Xuan Center. Photo: Stefan Weißenborn/dpa-tmn

It was in the middle of a Rewe, of all places, where I first experienced a wave of culture shock. 

Since moving to Berlin I thought I had adapted well. I’d mastered the, at first, confusing public transport. I’d adjusted to the “Berliner Schnauze”. I’d even managed to fumble my way into a Meldebescheinigung (obligatory registration of residence). 

And yet, standing here in the tea section of a German supermarket, scanning the shelves desperately for anything resembling breakfast tea, a wave of panic hit me. 

READ ALSO: The complete German supermarket survival guide

I couldn’t have felt more un-German. 

For most of us, what we eat and drink is a huge part of our identity. A quick Google search shows that food is one of the most frequently named topics in conversations about homesickness and expat adjustment. 

Many expat sites suggest cooking home meals every now and again as a way to combat this feeling. But in German grocery shops, where spices are often limited to “Currypulver” and paprika, that’s often easier said than done. 

Even if you’re a more well-adjusted Berliner than me, you may want to know where you can get some more interesting ingredients from. While Covid-19 is still suspending a lot of travel, you can still get your culture fix with a cookbook – if you know where to get the ingredients. 

With this in mind, I’ve narrowed down a (non-exhaustive) list of the best international supermarkets in Berlin. 

Hao Cai Lei Asia Supermarket 

There are loads of great “Asia-Supermärkte” (which can mean any combination of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian and more) in Berlin. My personal favourite is Hao Cai Lei. 

This small shop just down the road from the Hermannplatz U-Bahn station boasts an impressive collection of fresh and preserved ingredients. 

There’s a comprehensive selection of Asian cooking basics, which aren’t limited to food either. They also sell steamers and other cooking utensils. 

But what sets Hao Cei Lei apart from other shops is their unrivalled choice of tofu (for fellow veggies) and a well-curated selection of traditional and contemporary East-Asian spirits and wines.

They also sell 100-year old duck eggs and other quick (and quirky) snacks. 

Note: On Google Maps, the shop comes up as “Hao-You-duo Asia Supermarket”

Karl-Marx-Strasse 15, 12043, Berlin

Centro Italia Supermercato

 
 
 
 
 
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There are now three of these Supermercatos in Berlin. I’ve only been to Greifswalderstraße. The other two are in Mariendorf and Charlottenburg. 

It was a good sign that everyone in it, whether staff or customer, was speaking Italian. 

The Centro Italia has a huge selection of dried pastas, and a fridge with freshly made ravioli, tortellini and gnocchi. 

While they don’t have fresh fruit and veggies or meats, they have more or less everything that can be tinned, dried or put in a jar.  

The best part of the shop, however, is their deli counter with a mouth-watering display of cheeses, hams and antipasti, as well as a little bakery section with fantastic rustic loafs. 

Another bonus is that every branch has a big car park (not a given in Berlin). 

Greifswalder Str. 80C, 10405 Berlin

Großbeerenstraße 169-171, 12277 Berlin

Sophie-Charlotten-Straße 9-10, 14059 Berlin

Zora Supermarket – Indian, Asian, African Grocery 

Zora is another smaller grocery shop in Kottbusser Tor. It’s therefore a place for African and Indian cooking basics, rather than a specialist store. 

However, the reason it’s on this list is their small but excellent fresh fruit and veg section. 

READ ALSO: Your complete guide to German supermarkets

On my visits, Zora has so far won out everytime on freshness, quality and choice. From bright green, unwrinkled okra, karela and green plantains, to ingredients that are harder to get elsewhere like cassava and green mango, Zora has you covered. 

While I haven’t tried them, their fresh sweets look promising, with a choice of Jalebi, cham, gulab or laddu. 

Zora is also irresistibly affordable. 

Kottbusser Damm 93, 10967 Berlin

Broken English 

Broken English has faced some challenges since Brexit came into force. However, in keeping with the British character, they deal with it through light grumbling and sarcasm on an entertaining Facebook page. 

British products are displayed at Broken English in this archive photo from 2019. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Gregor Fischer

While it’s not the cheapest (Brexit probably plays a role in this), they have a great selection of UK products – from scone batter to Scottish shortbread and, significantly, English breakfast tea. 

They even sell some fresh and frozen produce, like cheeses, hams and Linda McCartney’s veggie sausages (praise the Lord). 

And for the Scots, there’s even Irn Bru (if you know, you know).

Arndtstraße 29, 10965 Berlin

Turkish Market 

It’s basically impossible to pick a favourite Turkish grocery shop in Berlin. I live in Neukölln and tend to just go for my local (a whole thirty seconds away from my front door). 

That said, the Turkish Market on Maybachufer does have a special place in my heart. It’s relatively large, and so has a big selection of more specialised ingredients. 

It also has one of the biggest bakery sections I have seen so far. 

Even better: there’s an entire aisle for herbs and spices, so it’s my go-to shop whenever I’m looking for lesser-known components in recipes. 

Another advantage is that they’re right next to the Neuköllner Wochenmarkt, an open-air food market along the canal where you can buy fresh veg, or delicious food-to-go. 

Maybachufer 1 13, 10999 Berlin

 
 
 
 
 
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Other great shops: 

Chili & Paprika – a Mexican supermarket in Danziger Straße: one of the more affordable and comprehensive South American supermarkets in Berlin 

L’epicerie – a gourmet French shop near Mauerpark: it’s definitely on the pricey side but offers some fantastic looking luxury patês and wines

Mitte Meer – a relatively affordable supermarket for all things Mediterranean, with three locations in Berlin  

Dong Xuan Center – Germany’s biggest and most famous Vietnamese supermarket. As well as a grocery store, it boasts a big general goods market and a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant and bar.

US-Shop Berlin – Any Americans missing mac and cheese or pop tarts will be relieved to stumble upon this one-stop shop, conveniently centrally situated near Tempelhof.

Superiberico – This hidden gem on Markgrafenstrasse sells more than Iberico ham: it’s Germany’s largest selection of Spanish and Latin American groceries, including a comprehensive wine section!
 
Thai Park – Though this is actually a street food market and not a supermarket, we thought it was worth a mention. Alongside the mouth-watering authentic snacks on offer, there are also some stalls that sell fresh ingredients, especially fruit and veg that are harder to get elsewhere. 

Member comments

  1. Hey guys, there is also a great Irish/British shop at Gaudystraße 20, 10437 Berlin called Dalriata! If anyone is looking for Barry’s tea or clonakilty rashers, sausages and black pudding, would highly recommend! https://dalriata.de/en/

  2. There’s also a well-stocked Asienmarkt right outside Seestraße U-Bahn station in Wedding. It’s worth checking out.

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BERLIN

Why Berlin deserves its ranking as the ‘third happiest city’ in the world

A handful of German cities ranked among the world's 'happiest' according to a recent index, but Berlin took the top spot at third in the world. We asked some long-term residents about the best (and worst) parts of living in Germany's notorious capital.

Published: 19 June 2024 11:15 CEST
Updated: 23 June 2024 08:08 CEST
Why Berlin deserves its ranking as the 'third happiest city' in the world

Berlin was rated the third happiest city in the world according to the “Happy City Index 2024”.

Other particularly happy cities in Germany are Munich and Cologne, which also qualified for the index’s “Gold” standard.

Leipzig also ranked among the top 100 happiest cities. Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Frankfurt all ranked in the top 250.

According to the Institute of Quality of Life, the Happy City Index ranks cities across the world according to “thousands of indicators…that directly relate to the quality of life and the sense of happiness” of city residents.

Cities in the index are given a score in five categories: citizens, governance, environment, economy and mobility. The citizens category, for example, looks at a city’s education system, its level of social inclusion and library resources.

Berlin received its highest scores in the citizens and economy categories, followed by mobility.

The city with the highest overall score was Aarhus, Denmark followed by Zurich, Switzerland.

In light of Berlin’s high score for happiness, The Local takes a look at what makes Germany’s capital a great place to live, as well as some things that residents often complain about.

A capital of accessible mobility

One thing that a lot of Berlin residents appreciate is how easy the city is to navigate without a car. 

Thanks to an interconnected network of trains, trams and buses, you can get anywhere on public transportation – and often in roughly the same amount of time it would take to drive. 

Berlin’s 190 kilometre tram network happens to be among the oldest in the world.

A tram drives past the famous ‘World Clock’ in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christophe Gateau
 

Additionally, the city has a fair amount of bicycle infrastructure. It’s no Danish city, but there are enough bike lanes to make commuting across the city by bike an appealing option when weather allows.

Whether by train, bike or foot, visitors and residents alike tend to find that Berlin is a nice city for just wandering around.

Paul Sullivan, founder of Slow Travel Berlin who has lived in Berlin for 16 years, told The Local that as a “committed urban hiker”, he finds the city “incredibly laid-back and accessible, fascinating and full of interesting people”.

For urban hiking in particular, Sullivan added that it helps that the city is pleasingly flat.

Affordable living (despite rising costs)

In the Happy City Index, Berlin’s second highest score was in the economy category – which feels a bit ironic for a city long known for being “poor but sexy”.

But despite wages in Berlin being notoriously low compared to other major German cities, the city remains affordable overall. 

Asked what he likes about living in Berlin, content creator and tour guide Jonny Whitlam, told The Local, “The best part is the relative affordability.”

“Despite rising rents and groceries in recent years, average German wages are higher than many European neighbours, but cost of living isn’t significantly more, meaning that living, eating, and saving are a distinct possibility and attraction,” he added.

Affordable mobility is a factor here too, with Berlin residents being able to access all of the city’s public transportation for €49 per month with the Deutschlandtiket. Starting in July, residents could even opt for a local €29 Berlin-abo ticket instead.

Of course, as Whitlam mentioned, rising rents and living costs have delivered some blows to Berlin’s affordability in recent years.

Berlin has become the second most expensive German city to rent in, and rents continue to rise rapidly in the city despite rental price protections in place.

READ ALSO: Why are Berlin rents soaring by 20 percent when there’s a rent brake?

For now, however, Berlin rents are still cheap compared to many other big European cities. According to Statista, average rents in Berlin in 2023 were still well below those in Amsterdam, Lisbon, Rome, Paris, and Munich.

A playground full of culture and history

Mobility and affordability make Berlin a great place to stay for those who reside here, but arguably what draws newcomers to the city is its culture.

For Whitlam, Berlin’s “hedonistic bent” is among the city’s draws. Residents and visitors alike often find a taste of that hedonistic culture at one of the city’s many world-renowned techno clubs.

READ ALSO: Berlin’s techno scene added to UNESCO World Heritage list

Queue for Berghain club

Hundreds of people queue outside Berghain, Berlin’s most famous techno club. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christophe Gateau

Whitlam notes that Berlin’s rich and well-documented history also makes the city ripe for exploration. Between “Prussian, Imperial, Third Reich, or Cold War locations…you’re never far from something historically interesting and deeply significant,” he said. 

For Sullivan, Berlin offers a “sense that life can be lived differently…a willingness to embrace the alternative and quirky”. 

For some, an alternative life might mean attending FKK (nudist) events or sex-positive parties and for others it might mean growing vegetables in a community garden or living on a boat in the Spree.

Whatever it is you are into, you can probably find a community of people who share your interests in Berlin.

It’s not all wine and roses

There are many reasons why Berlin has earned its place on the Happy City Index, but it demands to be said that there are plenty of things that local residents take issue with. 

“I find it amusing that Berlin has landed in the ‘happiest cities’ category given the heavy weight of its history, the way Berliners have a reputation for routine grumpiness, and that residents complain endlessly about the long, miserable winters,” said Sullivan, putting his finger on a couple common complaints.

Beside grumpy locals and bad weather, the other most common complaint is having to deal with bureaucratic nightmare scenarios.

“Bureaucracy, and the glacial pace of it, is one of the worst things about living in Berlin,” said Whitlam.  

He added: “I have sat before government officials that have asked me to come back with this or that piece of paper, and then been amazed that I have scanned it and saved it in the cloud…This reticence towards technology isn’t just annoying, it will leave this country left in the dust as everyone else moves forward.”

Thankfully, for Berlin residents, after you’ve spent some time doing battle with bureaucracy, you can go for a walk through the park, and have a modestly priced drink by the Spree.

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