In March I went on a blogger trip to Berlin and had a whirlwind 24 hours planned with the Chamäleon Theater team and six other bloggers, and a second day to do my own thing. I woke up at the super-cool 25Hours hotel, opened the curtains to blue skies and zoo views (you can see monkeys and giraffes from the bedrooms), had breakfast in the sunny rooftop restaurant and hired one of the hotel's complimentary bikes for the day. I ended up cycling 40km between the city's parks, stopping for a late lunch at Restaurant Duke.
Located in the historic Charlottenburg district and housed in a listed Bauhaus building - originally a dance hall frequented by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington (hence the name) - Duke is the elegant restaurant within the Ellington Hotel. The decor is modern, elegant yet casual, with fresh white walls lined with vintage black and white photographs of jazz musicians, smart white tablecloths and a bustling open kitchen.
Recommended in the Michelin Guide and known for its popular jazz brunches and pretty courtyard garden, head chef Florian Glauert offers a refined, creative take on traditional cooking with a changing themed menu. I started with a glass of champagne and the lobster bisque soup, poured in front of me and seasoned with tangy sundried tomatoes and fresh parsley. Next was the burrata, asparagus and rocket salad with cassis, tarragon and mustard dressing. Anything with burrata and/ or asparagus is good in my books and this was good, but I could have done with less of the sweet, overpowering dressing. I opted for the cheese dumpling with creamy spinach, smoked almonds and roasted onions for my main, paired with a glass of a fruity German pinot blanc from Becker Landgraf before finishing with a cappuccino and heading back out on my bike. Nice food, chic interiors and good value for money: it's one for your address book if you're heading there - I hope to go back one day for the jazz brunch.
Located in the historic Charlottenburg district and housed in a listed Bauhaus building - originally a dance hall frequented by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington (hence the name) - Duke is the elegant restaurant within the Ellington Hotel. The decor is modern, elegant yet casual, with fresh white walls lined with vintage black and white photographs of jazz musicians, smart white tablecloths and a bustling open kitchen.
Restaurant Duke, Duke Ellington Hotel, Nürnberger Str. 50-55, 10789 Berlin
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