"Berlin is a city condemned forever to becoming and never being." Interpret this well-known quote…read morehowever you'd like, but when it comes to food, I think this statement captures the diversity of Berlin's up-and-coming food scene and how a quintessential restaurant in Berlin always continues to be inspired by trends across the world. Okay Café, which has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants for breakfast, captures this perfectly: I was greeted in Swedish ("hej!"), interacted with the servers in German, and heard a few snippets of an English conversation every now and then. If that doesn't perfectly represent Berlin's multiculturalism, I'm not sure what does.
Okay Café markets itself as a Neukölln cafe with a Stockholm touch and it certainly finds the perfect middle ground between these two identities: it's effortlessly cool (with Scandinavian minimalism galore) and unpretentiously trendy. Any hipster who stops by would have nary a complaint about the food nor the decor (plants on plants!). And if that won't win you over, know that this is one of the few restaurants in Berlin where the server will bring your table complimentary tap water (with a tasteful slice of lemon) without you having to ask beforehand. Oh, and the fantastic indie music selection (off the top of my head: a HAIM cover of a Tame Impala song, LCD Soundsystem, and Babyshambles) was also a nice touch.
The food is delicious and healthy, with a good number of vegan and vegetarian options for those with dietary restrictions. Color me surprised when I found out that I could enjoy an omelette with a more-than-generous amount of avocado and a tasty side salad with pomegranate and pine nuts for €6.80! This dish screams San Francisco, but it'd definitely cost at least twice as much over there. On top of that, it's also one of the more heartier (and cheaper) breakfasts I've enjoyed in Berlin.
And since we're talking about a Swedish-inspired cafe, how could we forget about the cinnamon buns? On top of offering the classic cinnamon buns everyday, there are also daily specials ranging from vanilla to Nutella. Enjoy a Swedish fika with a cinnamon bun and an Americano with your laptop -- there's free wifi, but they ask that you don't bring your laptops in on Sundays. And if you get hungry, place your food order before 4 p.m., which is when the kitchen closes. And true to its self-proclaimed Stockholm touch, they also take card.
Tack and bis bald!