Berlin. Where do you start? A city with some much history and atmosphere helped, in our case, by arriving right in the middle of Euro 2024 (football, to the uninitiated). In five nights we managed to fit in a good deal of art, architecture and vivid reminders of the rise to power of the Nazis, their defeat, the division of Berlin and its reunification in 1989. Phew. 

For us, perhaps inevitably, the architecture stole the show – but that didn’t detract from the overall telling of the history, particularly the Jewish Museum by Daniel Liebskind. Winner of a competition in 1989, it was finally opened in 2001. You only have to wander round to understand why its conception and realisation took so long – despite doubts it’s a masterpiece in fitness for purpose. Whatever the brief, it more than fulfilled it.

We had some good food (and wine and beer) but Cookies Cream was simply outstanding. Google maps was astonishingly accurate in directing us into the dark concrete service yard at the back of the Westin Hotel where a single blank door leads to the hidden restaurant. Don’t doubt yourselves, just go for it. They tell us used to be Berlin’s most famous nightclub. That explains a lot.

Back in 2007, there were no recipes and no rules for a vegetarian fine dining restaurant in Berlin. So we created a cuisine of our own which is about using modern techniques of processing, as well as old knowledge of ingredients. 

Seven courses – the “Magnificent Seven” – with some carefully chosen white, orange and sparkling wine made for a stunning meal. The depth of flavour in an all vegetarian meal was revealing. The food images are from their website but faithfully accurate of the stunning food.

Afterwards going back via the tram the city was alive with noisy excited crowds. Apparently Germany had won some football match…or something. Noisy, happy fans – and it all felt very safe.

Berlin – all its cracked up to be…

Restaurant that’s quite hidden Cookies Cream

…and we stayed at Gorki Apartments