Delicious Southern food and attentive service at a restaurant in Berlin? Well, those are two things…read morethat I thought I'd never find in this city! Tucked away in Prenzlauer Berg, Southern Vittles is an authentic restaurant that checks all of the boxes.
I haven't done much soul food exploring stateside, but one of my brunch go-tos is chicken and waffles. And since it's swept the nation from coast to coast, I've had to put up with various quirks, ranging from dry chicken to a stingy amount of overpriced chicken. But this was some of the best chicken and waffles I've ever had. The chicken was so tender that it stole the show, but the sweetness from the maple syrup made it taste even better. (Part of me wishes that the maple syrup hadn't been drizzled onto the chicken in the kitchen and that it would come on the side, but the chef poured the perfect amount, so I can't really complain.)
And because I came on a weekend morning, I got to enjoy the bottomless coffee service. It doesn't seem that special because it's from your standard coffee machine, but what really made it stand out was how the owner would walk around with the coffee pot and ask if I wanted a refill. (Alas, it reminds me of how servers in the U.S. constantly come around for water refills...!) And the coffee also tasted better than some of the burnt excuses for coffee that some fancier places in the city sell, so don't look down on a simple cup of joe.
Speaking of the owner, he provided the best service that I've ever experienced in a Berlin restaurant. The small talk (imagine that!) made me feel like I was back home in the U.S. The prices (given the exchange rate) made me second guess that feeling a bit, but I can't deny the deliciousness of the meal or the friendliness of the owner.