Kathi Kamleitner rounds up some of the city’s best ice cream parlours…
Whether you like your ice cream straight-up classic – among the German’s favourite flavours are vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut – or you like to experiment with a basil-laced scoop or a frozen delight infused with rose, Berlin’s ice cream parlours have something to satisfy every palate. Here are some of our end-of-summer favourites…
Fräulein Frost (Neukölln)
Fräulein Frost has been selling homemade ice-cream in Neukölln’s Kreuzkölln area since 2009. The spacious store has tables and a sunny terrace where you can feast on a bowl of ice- spaghetti or a take-away cone. The owners use only natural products, so there are no additives here, and mainly organic milk. You can choose from 18 flavours that change daily. The parlour’s classic is GuZiMi, cucumber-lemon-mint ice cream and also on offer are creations like Gorgonzola-pear.
Friedelstraße 39, 12047 Berlin, U: Schönleinstrasse, Opening Times: Mo-Fr from 1pm, weekends from noon. One scoop: €1-1.30 (depending on flavour)
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Erste Sahne Otivm or Gelateria Mos Eisley
Vanille & Marille (Kreuzberg)
This tiny parlour may only be in its fifth season, but business is so good, that Vanille & Marille have already added three more shops in Schöneberg, Tempelhof and Steglitz. The all-natural ice-cream is made in Kreuzberg. Besides the popular classics, they make their own special creations like Café Noir (a blend of chocolate and sherry). Tip: to avoid the long after-school queue, go there before 4pm.
Hagelberger Straße 1, 10965 Berlin, U: Mehringdamm, Open daily 11am-11pm. One scoop: €1.20
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tanne B. two stores: Eisenbahnstraße 48 & Marheineke Markthalle/Bergmannstraße
Eismanufaktur, four stores: Graefestraße 7; Auguststraße 63, Mitte; Simon-Dach-Straße 9, Friedrichshain; Weserstraße 6, Neukölln,
Die Eismacher, Blücherstraße 37
Hotel Bar, Mariannenstraße 26
Der Eisbärliner (Friedrichshain)
Der Eisbärliner can be found right in the bohemian weekender heart of Friedrichshain: Boxhagener Platz. The ice cream is delivered by tanne B., which also has two parlours in Kreuzberg. The flavours are divided into three colour-schemed categories: dairy, organic and vegan (all their cones are vegan). Some of the most popular flavours are Semolina and Cherrymania.
Gärtnerstraße 11, 10245 Berlin, U: Frankfurter Tor, Open daily 10.30am-9pm. One scoop: 1€
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Caramello, Wühlischstraße 31
Efa’s Frozen Jogurt (Mitte)
Efa’s is a small store near Rosenthaler Platz with a stylish interior and a small sun terrace. Founded in 1949, the company has a long tradition of ice cream production. There was a big change in 2011, when it turned away from its signature product to the healthier frozen yogurt. Today, Efa’s is the only organic frozen yogurt parlour in Berlin, using only low-fat, certified organic yogurt and agave juice as sweetener.
Weinbergsweg 24, 10119 Berlin, U: Rosenthaler Platz, Opening Times: Mon-Fri 9am–9pm, Weekend 10am-9pm. Price for a small cup: 2,40€ (toppings extra)
Original DDR Softeis (Mitte)
This softy ice cream booth is popular with tourists as it is close to Checkpoint Charlie and Potsdamer Platz. You can only choose between vanilla and chocolate, and the indecisive can blend the two together. The ice cream is made with powder from the Komet company that existed in GDR times, hence the name of the parlour.
Corner of Wilhelmstraße/Zimmerstraße, 10117 Berlin, U: Kochstrasse. Small cup: 1.50€
Eis-Box (Moabit)
A visit to this parlour makes the trip to Moabit definitely worth it. The ice cream is produced in-house, using only organic ingredients. Even traditional flavours like chocolate or lemon are served with a twist, whether it’s chocolate mixed with goat milk and sea salt or a blend of lime and rosemary. People come here to try unusual combinations and relax either under the trees or along the Spree, which is around the corner.
Elberfelderstraße 27, 10555 Berlin, U: Turmstrasse, Opening Times: Mon-Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm. One scoop: 1.50€
Mocca’s Eis (Schöneberg)
Situated at Winterfeldtplatz in Schöneberg, this is the perfect place to visit during your weekend-trip to the farmer’s market. Mocca’s Eis has been selling Barletta ice cream for almost 10 years now. The most popular flavours are caramel-pine nut, walnut-fig and yogurt-orange. The vegan sorbets are much in demand – try orange-basil or elder-strawberry.
Winterfeldtstraße 2, 10781 Berlin, U: Nollendorfplatz, Open daily 9am-10pm. One scoop: €1
Vanille & Co (Charlottenburg)
At Vanille & Co you can find more than 70 types of ice cream, all manufactured by hand and without using any typical convenience products like lemon juice. Every lemon is squeezed, every rose leaf picked up by hand. Rose Leaf? Oh yes – and rose ice-cream is only one of the house’s own creations, alongside Yuzu (Japanese lemon) or Tartufo (a chocolate variation). In addition to the staple vanilla and mango they have nine flavours that change daily. . The specialities are the frozen cupcakes, frozen pralines and ice-cream cakes; many of the sorbets are vegan and dairy-free, everything is gluten-free.
Joachim-Friedrich-Straße 27, 10711 Berlin, U: Adenauerplatz, Open daily 12pm-7pm. One scoop, depending on flavour: €1-1,90
Silvio Dal Col (Wedding)
To get to Silvio Dal Col, you have to cycle along the U6-line all the way up to Leopoldplatz, but it’s worth the effort: The most popular flavours are the classics – chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut, but they also have new blends such as Limoncello, and other smart ideas like handmade popsicles.
Müllerstraße 157, 13353 Berlin, U: Leopoldplatz, Open daily 12pm-10pm, One scoop: €1
Eislabor (Prenzlauer Berg)
Eislabor describes itself as a Kiez-parlour, the ice cream shop around the corner. They use as little sugar in the production as possible, and sell mixed scoops for 1€. The most popular flavours here are yogurt, rice pudding, vanilla (made from homegrown vanilla) and Fassbrause (the taste of the typical lemonade of Berlin).
Raumerstraße 31, 10437 Berlin, U: Eberswalder Platz, Open Mon-Sat 12pm-8pm, One scoop: €0.90-1
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Hokey Pokey, Stargarder Straße 73
Napoljanska, Kastanienallee 43
Kleine Eiszeit, Stargarder Straße 7
