The best shopping in Berlin
From luxury stationary boutiques to artisanal tea stores, Berlin has plenty to offer even the most discerning shoppers. Foodies are especially spoilt for choice, with farmer's markets crammed with the finest local produce and zany chocolatiers. Here is our guide to the finest boutique shopping in Berlin.
We also have guides dedicated to Berlin's best hotels, restaurants, bars, nightlife and attractions – plus spending a weekend in the German capital.
Mitte
R.S.V.P
It sells all things stationery, from writing paper and greeting cards to notebooks and calendars, most of them hand-made by small manufacturers and producers intent on conserving old and occasionally moribund techniques. There’s a great selection of writing utensils too, from Caran d’Ache to Koh-I-Noor, plus a fine selection of gift wrapping paper, including Chiyogami (Japanese silkprint), Japanese Satogami paper, hand-marbled paper and some from Berlin designers Haferkorn & Sauerbrey.
Website: rsvp-berlin.de
Prices: £-££
Schöneberg
Winterfeldt Schokoladen
Set inside a former pharmacy that dates back to 1892, this charming, chocolate-themed café lies in the heart of Schöneberg. Its handsome antique drawers and cabinets now dispense a comely selection of chocolates, pastries and other sweet treats rather than medicines, including brand names like Pralus, Venci and Berlin chocolatiers Belyzium. As well as chocolates and pralines, the venue sells scones with clotted cream and jam, cheesecake and chocolate fondant cake, plus over 25 different hot chocolate varieties and organic juices, and there are vegan, gluten-free and raw versions of many offerings available. If the weather is good, grab a table outside – and afterwards be sure to visit Winterfeldtplatz, which has an atmospheric market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Website: winterfeldt-shokoladen.de
Price: £
Charlottenburg
Paper and Tea
A temple to all things tea, with museum-like white interiors, colourful limited edition products (teapots, cups, glasses) meticulously displayed on shelves, and wooden desks displaying teas from around the globe. The shop, which now has a sister outlet in Mitte, was founded by the nephew of a tea trader and aims to bring tea into the same esteemed realms of appreciation as coffee and wine. Each tea (most are from small tea gardens) has an accompanying text, which explains everything from its provenance to its taste characteristics, and if it’s not too busy you can even sample before you buy.
Website: paperandtea.com
Prices: £
Kreuzberg
Hallesches Haus
Located inside a handsome 19th-century red-brick building that was once a post office (as well as a club), Kreuzberg’s Hallesches Haus offers two good-looking main rooms. The spacious and welcoming café area has designer lamps and tables, vaguely distressed walls and its health-conscious menu of weekly lunch specials, sandwiches and waffles draws a diverse crowd of locals and tourists. The slick store next door sells an attractive selection of furniture, home accessories and cosmetics: designer trays, glasses and scissors, designer plant hangers, luxurious hand soap and incense in fragrances like chamomile and juniper.
Website: hallescheshaus.com
Prices: £-££
Prenzlauer Berg
Goldhahn und Sampson
A long-running culinary shop loved by Prenzlauer Berg's local foodies. It stocks a glamorous array of chocolate, spices, condiments, wines and more from around the world, as well as high-end kitchen utensils. There's also a little deli that sells delicious breads, croissants, meats and cheeses, and a library of around 4,000 cookbooks (many in English) that’s unparalleled in the city. They also run shops in Charlottenburg and Kreuzberg, and run cooking workshops with more than 350 classes per year (mostly in the Charlottenberg location) too.
Website: goldhahnundsampson.de
Prices: £-££
Kollwitzplatz Market
Named after famed German artist Käthe Kollwitz, the leafy, cobbled streets of Kollwitzplatz are lined by fine 19th-century houses. On Saturdays a farmers' market runs along the Kollwitzstraße side, offering everything from seasonal fruit and veg to flowers, deli food and homemade arts and crafts. The specific stalls change, but you can always find specialist items like fresh, hand-made pastas, boutique chocolates and a variety of artisanal oils, jams and other delicacies from Germany and beyond. There's also plenty to eat, from falafels and fish sandwiches to waffles and the ubiquitous wurst.
Opening times: 8am-5pm, every Saturday
Prices: £-££
