Berlin is home to the largest Turkish community outside of that country. In fact, approximately 200,000 Berlin residents claim Turkish heritage making them the city’s largest ethnic minority. The vibrant Kreuzberg neighborhood in central Berlin, known as Little Istanbul, is home to many of them, including our server at the Ritz Carlton. It was she who suggested we visit the popular Turkish market on Maybachuferstrasse. It was great advice!
It’s Easy to Get There
Tuesday morning we jumped on the Number 2 Ubahn line at Potsdamerplatz, changed at Alexanderplatz (a major transit hub) to the Number 8 line and took it to Schonleinstrasse. We walked a few short blocks on Schinkestrasse heading East towards the Landwehrkanal and Maybachuferstrasse, home to Berlin’s largest outdoor Turkish market.
Market Hours
Vendors set up shop from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and draw quite a diverse crowd from young mothers pushing their strollers, to older residents in traditional garb, to tourists looking for a quick bite from one of the many food stalls.
Merchants hawking fresh produce, baked goods, fresh fish, cheese, spices, flowers, clothing, toys, electronics, leather goods, table linens, and a surprising quantity of fabric and sewing notions line the approximate half-mile on Maybachuferstrasse.
Everyone is Welcome
Young people lounge along the canal enjoying impromptu musical performances by buskers while neighbors shop and chat. It’s a very lively scene.
The market is a great place to grab a bite. There’s plenty of ready-to-eat dishes, along with fresh-baked breads, pastries, produce and cheese. We were tempted by the delicious looking food on offer at the market but had made reservations for lunch so we continued on.
Though we probably could have walked, we were really hungry so we got back on the Ubahn and took the Number 8 one stop to Kottbusser Tor. A quick walk northeast on Adalbertstrasse brought us to the heart of Kreuzberg’s Turkish neighborhood and Hasir, located at Adalbertstrasse 10.
Lunchtime
The casual restaurant features traditional Turkish dishes with lamb and kabobs playing a major role on the menu. Hasir’s service was efficient but friendly, and the meals were well- priced. They get quite a crowd here and even after the typical lunch period, the restaurant was full.
After a delicious lunch we walked past several other eateries that were also part of the Hasir group, including a Hasir Express. We’ll keep that in mind for another visit if we have less time for a meal.
Though we were pretty full from lunch, there’s always room for a sweet treat. We stopped into a local bakery and treated ourselves to some just-baked baklava. Delicious!
Istanbul Supermarkt
On our way back to the Ubahn, we took a detour at the Istanbul Supermarket. It is an enormous Turkish grocery store fronted by fresh produce stands. Inside is a foodie paradise.
The market had everything from meats, cheeses, canned and packaged goods, to walls of teas and spices. I would have happily filled my shopping bag had we not been staying in a hotel on this trip. Next time!
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Written and photographed by Jeanne Neylon Decker
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