Berlin needs more Knödel

Österelli and Knödelwirtschaft put dumplings at the centre of the meal. Two places for Austrian cooking where you can mix varieties on your plate.

Österelli – Knödel as a course of their own

Österelli serves Austrian classics without the alpine-hut cliché, in a small, modern bistro on Bismarckstraße. Julia and Andi opened it in autumn 2020; in the dining room Carl Hansen chairs meet pink Verner Panton lamps. The menu changes with the season and has plenty of vegetarian dishes.

Order the spinach and beetroot Knödel as a course of their own, and finish with the Kaiserschmarrn to share. The dining room is small – a reservation is worth it.

Knödelwirtschaft – four kinds on one plate

The SÜD branch of Knödelwirtschaft sits on Fuldastraße in the Reuterkiez and does one thing: Knödel. Four varieties rotate every few months, with Bergkäse and Speck fixed, plus a vegan version with tofu and mushrooms. The room is small, packed and reads like one of the old Neukölln shopfronts; the kitchen stays Austrian and South Tyrolean, and handmade.

Mix the varieties right on the plate – it's explicitly allowed here. To close, the Grießknödel with apricot compote. Open from late afternoon on weekdays, from midday at weekends.