Looking for the most delicious, scrumptious, and best desserts in Berlin? You’ve come to the right place! These seven desserts in Berlin have been tried and tested (many, many times) and I’m so excited to share them with you.
After trying what seems like over a hundred bakeries and cafes in Berlin, I’ve narrowed it down to the seven absolutely best desserts and pastries. I know that if you have a sweet tooth like me, you will not be disappointed!
This post is all about the best desserts in Berlin and exactly what you should be ordering (with pictures, of course)!
When I moved to Berlin back in 2017, I had a difficult time finding something that truly satisfied my sweet tooth. Growing up in New York, there were so many bakeries and pastry shops filled to the brim with chocolate covered macaroons, rainbow cookies, the fudgiest brownies, five-layer tiered cakes…. you get the point. I was a newbie in Berlin and still had some soul searching and sweet searching to do. Now, over four years later, I have tried enough cheesecake, cookies, and croissants that I am pretty confident that these are the 7 must-try desserts in Berlin.
Am I the only one getting hungry here??
LET’S GET TO IT!
1. The Chocolate Bun at Zeit für Brot
I remember the first time I had a bun from Zeit für Brot vividly. I was living in Moabit in a shitty flat share, the weather was dark and gray (surprise, surprise) and I had an insane craving for a warm and gooey cinnamon roll. I did some research online and found a bakery that had allll kinds of different buns and the pictures piqued my interest. I got dressed, traveled 45 minutes across Berlin, and was standing outside of the Alte Schönhauser Str. location when just based on the aroma alone, I knew I hit the jackpot. Within 2 minutes of purchasing a chocolate and cinnamon bun, one was gone almost instantly. I even had an umbrella in one hand and no fork, but that didn’t stop me.
This bun was definitely my first love in Berlin.
Zeit für Brot translates to time for bread … and it is always time for bread! It is my go to place to bring my friends visiting me in Berlin because it hits the spot. Every. Single. Time.
There are multiple locations in Berlin and the chain has been growing over the last few years. They also have locations in Frankfurt and Hamburg. I loved to sit here when I was in grad school – a treat for actually trying to get some work done. I highly recommend the Alte Schönhauser Str. location as their buns are by far the yummiest and freshest when compared to the other locations.
Other bun flavors @ ZfB include: White chocolate, apple cinnamon, cherry marzipan, poppy seed, white chocolate with raspberry, and banana chocolate. These depend on the location and season, but my forever favorite will be the chocolate one.
Look at this:
2. Pastel de Nata from Galao
Right next to bustling Rosenthaler Platz and across the street from the Volkspark am Weinberg, this Portuguese cafe blows our minds every time. Galao is where I lost my Pastel de Nata virginity, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We have brought these bad boys for our friends whether it be a brunch or a picnic and the decision is unanimous … “these are wayyy better than the pastel de natas in Portugal.” They are perfectly flakey, not too eggy, and they will be gone in seconds.
Galao’s croissants are also super fresh and yummy – go in the morning! They also have lots of vegan options, whether that be vegan pastel de natas, croissants, or sandwiches.
3. Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chunk Cookie at Fine Bagels
If you are a fellow North American living in Europe and missing the hell out of a banging, gooey, melt in your mouth chocolate chip cookie, then I have the place for you. The Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chunk Cookie is a hefty sized cookie, with huge chocolate chunks and topped with salt flakes…. C’MON!!!
Fine Bagels is also the only bagel shop in Berlin that comes anywhere close to a NYC bagel. It may be a bit on the pricier side for Berlin, but it’s worth it. They are also situated inside the wonderful English bookstore called Shakespeare and Sons.
Chocolate chip cookies, books, and bagels….. BEST TRIO EVER!
4. ANY Cheesecake at Princess Cheesecake
It’s dangerous knowing that this place exists – and that there are two locations in Berlin!
I absolutely love this cheesecake cafe. The cheesecakes are beautifully made, rich, and you will keep coming back for more. They use only premium organic ingredients, which are often local as well. A slice is around €4-5.
There are a wide variety of options including a classic German, Russian, poppy seed, dolce de leche, passion fruit cheesecake, and lot of others. The poppy seed is a surprising top contender for me. It is an airy, fresh, and fluffy cheesecake that isn’t too sweet. If you are looking for something chocolatey and rich, then you can’t go wrong with the Dolce de Leche. There’s something here for everyone – they even have vegan options!
Fun fact #1: For my 27th birthday, I spent the evening with my girlfriends, which revolved around insane amounts of Princess Cheesecake and wine.
Fun fact #2: When Jay asked me to be his girlfriend, he had Princess Cheesecake delivered to his flat – and then put this together (see below!). Since then, he’s surprised me with it countless times.
5. Eclairs from Canal
The OG Canal location is tucked away in Hackescher Hof in a teenie tiny hole in the wall. It was a delicious ice cream shop until they introduced eclairs outside of the ice cream season. Their eclairs are what absolutely stole my heart. They recently opened up a second location, which has some seating and is where we tend to gravitate to now.
To begin with, I was never even a fan of eclairs. I grew up on Costco frozen Mini French Eclairs that my parents would buy when a bunch of people were coming over – would not recommend. The Canal eclairs on the other hand, I would very highly recommend.
These are a work of art. Seriously, that would be the best way to describe them. Each one is hand crafted and decorated so beautifully. I feel guilty biting into one because I can only imagine the time and detail that went into its creation.
Here are some of the eclair flavors & ingredients so you can let your mind wander a bit:
- Paris Brest: Hazelnut Pralinè , hazelnut financier, hazelnut cream, caramelia chablone, Orelys-Hazelnut ganache, Christmas pearls (this is my favorite one, but it’s not always available)
- Strawberry Yuzu: Strawberry coulis, Yuzu pastry cream, Tahiti Vanilla whipped ganache, fresh strawberries
- Matcha Sesame: Matcha pastry cream, white chocolate whipped ganache, white and black sesame nougatine and matcha sponge cake
- Exotic Cheesecake: Passion fruit caramel, guava cream, cheesecake mousse, hazelnut crumble
Hot Tip: They typically sell out of the eclairs within a few hours of opening on the weekend, but you can always pre-order ahead of time on their website to guarantee that you won’t be heartbroken when you arrive and the glass display is already empty.
6. Blueberry Cruffin at Codos (formerly Black Apron)
When Jay and I moved to Prenzlauer Berg in the Summer of 2020, there was not one weekend when we didn’t go to Black Apron (at least once). When Berlin’s restrictions were eased and we were able to sit indoors, we always looked forward to sitting here in the corner nook, with a book or journal in hand, sipping on their delicious oat cappuccino. They have a great selection of baked goods with vegan and gluten free options, all made in house and fresh daily. The show stopper for us is the Blueberry Cruffin and depending on the freshness, the cinnamon rolls with frosting are also a great choice.
7. Miso Sesame Cookie from AERA
My best friend Abigail introduced me to AERA a while back and fast forward to now… there is a brand new AERA location opening up just a few minutes away from me. I am really looking forward to it!
AERA is the BEST (gluten free) bread you will ever try. The most popular brunch spots in Berlin carry AERA bread and once you try it, you’ll know why! The current location in Charlottenberg is tucked away in a lovely courtyard. It is minimal, crisp, and straight to the point – the display is simple and you won’t be overwhelmed with the options because there aren’t many & that’s the beauty of it.
My go to at AERA is the Miso Sesame Cookie.
The flavors work insanely well together and the chewy soft base of the cookie with the miso caramel filling won’t disappoint. It’s also by far the healthiest option on this list!
And that’s a wrap!
I would love to hear your favorite desserts in Berlin and if you tried one of the sweets on my list, let a girl know what you think!