The Place
Berlin Bites was founded by two German F&B veterans who saw a gap in Beijing’s food market: there was no place to get authentic döner kebab. El-mar Bengal and Sascha Sommerschuh set out to remedy this after being introduced by a friend at a club “because they are both German.”
They got to talking and decided to bring Berlin-style street food with its Turkish flair to the streets of Beijing.
Bengal and Sommerschuh at their first Berlin Bites Event
Bengal’s previous projects include the legendary Sanlitun bar street night-spot Kokomo, Rec Room, and the much-missed Ping Dynasty cider. He is also the cofounder of Slider Nation.
Sommerschuh was the manager at Paulaner Bräuhaus at the Kempinski Hotel Beijing, as well an important part of the Element Fresh team.
Berlin Bites up opened last year on Xiaoyunlu, but Bengal and Sommerschuh decided to move the shop to a more central location in Sanlitun, where it can now be found next to the entrance of Martini.
The Food
Berlin Bites specializes in Döner (RMB45-60) – Germany’s most popular street food. It is a sandwich made of Turkish-style meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, accessorized with veggies, and topped with sauce. The menu has Döner Box (RMB45-55) and Döner Plate (RMB60-70) options as well.
The team spent over half a year working to get the various ingredients to taste authentic and have the right consistency. The breads are produced specially for them based on a recipe they worked for months to perfect.
The beef, which is imported from the US, took Bengal and Sommerschuh dozens of attempts to get the balance of spices and textures just right.
The beef and chicken are both kosher/halal and there are great vegan options as well – such as the Falafel Dürüm (RMB35), which is a Turkish wrap made from Lavash or Yufka flatbreads. You can also get the dürüm with chicken (RMB40), beef (RMB45), or just veggies (RMB35).
They make all the sauces in-house and there is also a special tofu-based vegan one that tastes similar to a yogurt and herb dip.
Speaking of sauces, this brings us to the Berliner Currywurst (RMB45) – which is very much coated in their custom curry sauce made with four different types of curry.
Bengal explained that this dish rose to popularity during WW2 when there was a shortage of animal intestines in which to pack the sausages. Germans began generously pouring on the sauce to compensate for the lack of oil and for extra flavor.
There are also a number of other options on the menu including Popcorn Chicken (RMB35), French Fries (RMB30), Veggie Fries (RMB35) and Potato Salad (RMB35) if you are looking for a lighter snack.
Berlin Bites is also a great place to stop by for a well-priced and delicious cocktail or cold beer as you wander Sanlitun. Their signature cocktail is the Berlin Mule (RMB50) – and we won’t be telling you here what the base alcohol is – you’ll just have to stop by the shop and see if you can guess.
The Raspberry Kiss (RMB40) is a light and summery cocktail. Don’t let its feminine name fool you – we saw quite a few men happily enjoying the pink drink.
The Vibe
Berlin Bites is more of a storefront than a restaurant – seeing as there isn’t any indoor seating (although during the winter they will have access to the shop next door for customers to sit inside).
There is a fun patio area to sit at out front, which is in a great location to run into friends who are walking by and pull them in for a quick drink or chat. We are sure this will happen all the time seeing as Berlin Bites is right next to the entrance to Martini, and in the same area as Q Mex, Homeplate and La Platea.
It’s casual hang out vibe gets people talking to the tables next to them and provides a relaxed space to make friends.
However, if you don’t want to enjoy their food outdoors, you can order their street food to the comfort of your own home on a number of popular delivery apps. Berlin Bites stands can also be found at various festivals and events around town.
Price: RMB50- 80
Who’s Going: Meat lovers, vegans, bar-hoppers
Good For: Hearty meals, late-night snacks, drinks with friends
Open Sunday- Thursday, 11am-9.30pm
Open Friday & Saturday, 11am-1am
Berlin Bites, Room 108, Building 78, No.4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang, 北京市朝阳区工人体育场北路4号78号楼一层108室 (next to the entrance of Martini)
[All images are courtesty of Berlin Bites]
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