The district of Berlin Neukölln has many faces and is best known for its multicultural flair. Once the problem child of Berlin, the district has evolved into a hip neighbourhood over the years and is a popular location especially among young Berlin visitors. Here you can find everything from the coolest bars in town to authentic local theatre, from green oasis’ in the middle of the city to modern art. Keep on reading to learn all about how to get the most out of a day in Neukölln.

Heimathafen Neukölln

Heimathafen Neukölln is the perfect location to experience the district’s distinct humour and lifestyle with stories about the city, society and politics. The theatre makes art and fun accessible for everyone, bringing together many different styles and genres of art as well as cultures.

Whatever you’re into, the theatre caters to all tastes and provides an exciting break from sightseeing. See theatre about Berlin’s culture, listen to local and international music artists like Wallis Bird or Jamie Cullum or indulge in poetry slams.

Escape the hustle and bustle to Richardplatz

The Richardplatz is one of the most scenic parts of Neukölln. It is like a green oasis between Berlin’s prefab buildings and modern architecture, giving it almost a village-like atmosphere. The area was built by protestant refugees from Bohemia around the 1850s as a part of the village Rixdorf and many of the historical buildings haven been preserved and give a good impression of how Berlin once used to look like.

The intertwined cobblestone streets delight with picturesque backyards and small shops and are more reminiscent of a village than the modern German capital. Some old commercial buildings, such as a blacksmith's shop and a carriage hire shop, have been preserved right on the square.

Explore the local food culture

Neukölln is a mixing pot of cultures so it comes to no surprise this reflects in the district’s food culture and restaurants as well. Fine dining experiences are not far from authentic culinary snacks and hip eateries here.  

One of the Kiez’ most popular restaurants is Knödelwirtschaft, serving you the traditional German Knödel from our grandparents’ generation surrounded by plants and in a rustic atmosphere. You can choose from dumplings served with cheese, bacon, liver but also red cabbage or mushrooms. As dessert you can alternatively eat them in sweet variations, for example with plum compote, hot raspberries or caramel.

AVIV030 on the other hand transports Tel Aviv’s flair right to Neukölln and serves delicious Middle Eastern food along with music, almost giving you the vibe of a daytime bar. The menu delights with creamy hummus, seasonal drinks and crunchy cauliflower served with harissa yoghurt.

The best bars in ‚Kreuzkölln’

The area between Kreuzberg and Neukölln around Sonnenallee and Landwehrkanal is also known as Kreuzkölln due to its unique location. Part of it is the Weserstraße, the district’s hippest street crowded with bars, making it the perfect location for a night out or a relaxed drink with friends. The bars caters to all tastes with new music, a casual downtroddenness, some of them without wallpaper, some looking like they were furnished by your granny.

Nathanja und Heinrich lies directly at the Weigand bank and invites you to high quality cocktails and seasonal drinks, serving popular drinks such as Negroni and Sazerac but also fresh alternatives like Gin Basil Smash. During the day the bar functions as a cafe and serves heavenly cakes.

Not far from here lies TiER, one of Berlin’s best bars and well known for its artistic cocktails. You may not find photos of the bar online as pictures inside are not allowed but we promise the cozy furniture won’t disappoint.

Stroll around Britz Castle

The Britz Castle and Estate show another surprising façade of Neukölln. The castle has been under monument protection since 1971. Once a manor, it is the seat of the Britz Castle Cultural Foundation today and houses changing exhibitions, concerts and readings. A museum further shows you all about how people live in the Wilhelminian period during the 19th century.

The former manor is surrounded by intertwined and lush paths, old trees as well as the Britzer Garten, another green oasis in the heart of Berlin, and it is a popular hangout spot for locals. The 90 hectare park consists of colourful flowerbeds, lawns for sunbathing, cafes, lakes and natural trails.

Contemporary art at KINDL

Uniquely located in a former brewery of the district, the KINDL - Center for Contemporary Art regularly houses paintings, performances, installations and other art such as sound works. The old brewery turned out to be the perfect location for big-scale installations due to the high walls of the production halls and the huge exhibition area with more than 1,600 square metres of space.

Every year since 2016, the centre hosts around five different, temporary exhibitions while aiming to provide a communicative space for artistic and social discourses. This year there are installations from Alexandra Bircken and Michaela Melián on display among others.  

Shop local at Die Dicke Linda

Every Saturday from 10 to 16 the regional market Die dicke Linda, named after a potato sort, takes place on the Kranoldtplatz and it is all about Berlin and surroundings, a street food and flea market in one. Here you can find handmade crafts, healthy food and the best the region has to offer

Snack on organic baked goods like hand rolled croissants or cinnamon buns, buy fresh fish that’s smoked with beechwood right in front of your eyes, shop for antique books or multifaceted wines from old grape breeds. This market is a feast for gourmets.