i am spoiled rotten. the "esspressobar / paninoteca" BRANDI (the new kid sister to Baretto in the Wrangelkiez) just opened and literally couldn't be closer to my apartment: it's in the basement of my building. with the quality of their espresso and baked goods, i'll be hard pressed to make coffee and breakfast at home from now on...
my rating's really a 3.5 stars because, i'll be honest, BRANDI is nothing *astoundingly* new to Kreuzberg: they offer the regular barrage of espresso drinks and pastries (croissants, Rosinenschnecken, pastel de nata tarts...) and a simple line-up of italian specialties ranging from pastas to salads to panini. the interior design is minimalist and pleasingly straightforward, with a lovely monolithic light wood bar that makes the jade green tile backsplash really pop with color. despite the simple styling and primary colors, BRANDI remains cozy, with the high booth-benches inside and the windows to the street providing good nooks for curling up with a book or conversation. there isn't much inside seating but since there's no wifi and no public restroom, most customers probably won't linger too long and you can easily grab a spot.
what sells BRANDI for me is how friendly the staff are and that it fills a gap in the types of businesses at this end of the Kiez - Dieffenbachstrasse has plenty of places to eat where you CAN grab a coffee, but with the arrival of BRANDI (and given that Goldmarie, Matilda, and Kaffeebar Jenseits des Kanals are all within 5 minutes' walk), i'm now quite the lucky dog when it comes to finding a nice espresso + café vibe in the area. the other major selling point in BRANDI's favor is the curious "basking deck" they've built out front, a low wooden platform jutting from the front of the building and perfect for laying back and soaking in the fickle Berlin sun. the neighborhood has already begun to discover it - this entire Saturday, a consistent crowd sat basking, like lizards with caffeine addictions. i look forward to joining them most weekends... read more