I've been on the hunt for the best juices in Berlin, and I've now been to Daluma several times.
A little background: I've guzzled a ton of green juice in my life. I'm not just talking about apple-pineapple-with-a-little-spinach-tossed-in-to-make-it-green juice; I'm talking sprout-wheatgrass-kale-celery-dandelion-chard no-mercy juice. In short, I'm used to drinking juices that aren't "yummy," simply for the health benefits. You get it down, you feel good. No biggie.
That said, here are my thoughts ...
JUICES
I've now tried five juices at Daluma--and I'm sorry to report that some of them are absolutely vile. Like, pour-them-down-the-sink undrinkable.
We'll start with the best one I've tried, which is "The Radiator." The aloe is a nice touch.
"Run, Forest," a green juice mix with some apple, mint, and ginger tossed in, is tolerable.
And then there's "Supergreen." I actually asked the manager if it's possible that the juice had gone off, since it had that buzzy twang that fresh juices get after they've expired. It tasted like bile. The guy working the counter theorized that this was probably due to the cabbage. I've had cabbage juice before, and I've liked it. This must be a different sort of cabbage, I guess.
Next was "Pink Fuel." Perhaps cabbage was the culprit once again, but it really tasted like peanutty vomit, and there's not even peanuts in it. Down the drain.
And tonight I tried "Beet Box," for which I had higher hopes. Unfortunately the dill, while a creative addition, makes the whole thing taste like a super-sweet fruity pickled beet. No.
FOOD
To be fair, I've only tried one breakfast item and one main, but let's talk about them anyway. The breakfast was chia pudding with what I believe was the acerola-cashew-topping. The photos of this dish on the website are quite beautiful, but in real life, the topping looked like yellow-orange slime. Really blended. And it tasted like baby food--you couldn't tell any of the flavors apart. The chia pudding was okay. Threw it all out eventually.
The main I tried was the raw mix with almond-lime dressing. I was hoping the mix would be a deep-green leafy base with a rainbow of lovely vegetables--that's the vibe this sort of place gives off--but what turned up instead were some raw mushrooms and not-so-green-greens and some other forgettable stuff. The almond-lime sauce was really, really sweet. Didn't finish it.
I've been meaning to try the homemade coconut yogurt, which is apparently quite "beliebt." So beliebt, in fact, that every time I've gone to the shop--and this includes mornings--they haven't had any. (When I asked the cashier about this, she snapped at me. Must have been having a rough day! Not even a consoling smile. Which is a pity, since the people who work at Daluma are otherwise super super nice!)
SMOOTHIES
So why on earth do I keep coming back here? Here's why: The "Choc-Choc Crave" smoothie is off the charts. Unreal. Absolutely one of the best things I've eaten in Berlin. And I say "eaten" instead of "drunk" because this thing is thick as hell, like straight-up PUDDING. It's made of avocado and raw cacao and sweetened with dates, banana, and rice milk, and then there's some moringa and maca thrown in to make it superfood-y.
If you get it "to stay," it's served in this big squat glass bucket-tub thing that really imparts a sense of abundance. And they sprinkle nibs on top, which occasionally make their way up the straw for a nice little crunch surprise. The whole thing is decadent yet energizing. Eating it makes you feel like a million bucks. I would give this thing 1000 stars if I could.
I've also tried "Smooth Operator," which reminds me a bit of pb&j--also very delicious.
CONCLUSION
Everyone has different tastes, and I'm sure the owners will insist that some people LOVE the juices I've just hated on. That's okay. All I can say is try them for yourself if you're curious--but I couldn't not put the warning out there. And definitely get that chocolate pudding-smoothie, because it really does make up for everything else. read more