Casual German eatery Berlin65 brings Berlin’s iconic cosmopolitan street eats to Singapore’s Central Business District.
A slice of Berlin’s food culture has come to town.
But Berlin65, recently opened along Stanley Street in Singapore’s commercial and business heart, does not quite offer the kind of German cuisine one might expect. There’s no schweinhaxe, that much beloved grilled or roasted pork knuckle dish, or schnitzel, those lovely deep-fried breaded pork or veal cutlets, for example.
Instead the casual 40-seater shines a spotlight on Berlin’s iconic street foods, which draws on the multicultural influences of the cosmopolitan city that has seen multiple waves of immigration descend upon it. Indeed Berlin’s melting pot of cultures means its culinary landscape has elements of Turkish, Middle Eastern, African, and even Vietnamese cuisines, many of which are presented in both authentic or fusion versions of street foods across its various neighbourhoods.
And that’s what Berlin65 brings to the table, in an industrial space streaked by colourful graffiti as inspired by the city’s metro stations.
Many are mezze style dishes perfect for sharing. Of course you’ll find Currywurst, Berlin’s most iconic of fast foods. This consists of sliced sausages, drenched in a robust house-made curry ketchup that you’ll want to eat with bread or some fries. There’s also the Königsberger Klopse, probably best described as Germany’s answer to Swedish meatballs. These minced beef and veal meatballs, smothered in a traditional white sauce dotted with capers, are a must-order.
Then there are its renditions of those multicultural influences. You’ll find Vietnamese Springrolls and side by side on the menu with Levantese Hummus and Turkish Adana Kebabs, all vying for attention.
The döner kebab too, found on most street corners of Berlin where revellers head for after a night of drinking. Here Berlin65 has taken the Turkish flatbread sandwich and run with it, presenting four different versions.
The 1972 Berlin Original is the most authentically German of the lot, combining chunks of spit-roasted chicken with a melange of fresh vegetables and drizzled with housemade tomato chilli sauce and garlic yogurt. Otherwise there’s the Beef Adana Döner Kebab, the closest to the Turkish original. A fun take is The Banh Mi, which leans on the sandwich’s Vietnamese cousin by incorporating Vietnamese pickles, sririracha, and coriander. The last is Vegetable Is King, a fully vegetarian version. (It might surprise you to know that Germany has the highest rate of vegetarians compared to the rest of Europe.)
These handy sandwiches make fantastic lunch options for CBD denizens who may not have time to dine in.
But for those who are, you’ll want to have some beer on hand with your meal. The brew of choice at Berlin65 is the BRLO Pale Ale brought directly in from the Berlin district of Kreuzberg, available here exclusively on draught.
Make sure you save some space for dessert. The Berliner – spherical doughnuts that come piped with your choice of filling – here are excellent.
The irony of Berlin65? It’s actually opened by a couple of Austrians, specifically Chef Stephan Zoisl that you may know from Chef’s Table by Stephan Zoisl, as well as Lorenz Raich, currently the Group Executive Chef over at German beer restaurant chain Brotzeit.
But that’s just further proof of Berlin’s cosmopolitanism.
Berlin65
Address 30 Stanley St, Singapore 068739 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 11.30am to 11pm Mondays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays
Tel (65) 9788 4230
Web berlin65.com
Facebook berlin65
Instagram @berlin65_ig
Reservations book here
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