4 Best Restaurants in Berlin, Germany

Chic foodies frequent this sleek Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant from renowned Berlin restaurateur Duc Ngo, which sits behind a graffiti-covered door. The cocktails are top-notch, the sushi and sashimi some of the freshest in town, and the food is wonderfully prepared. South American--inflected dishes such as sashimi taquitos and variations on grilled beef, while not groundbreaking, are full of flavors just a bit different than what you'll find in Berlin's other Asian eateries.

This eatery makes culinary art from the Japanese snack, kushiage, breaded and fried skewers of meat, fish, and vegetables, accompanied by an array of colorful dipping sauces. The Kushinoya team uses a special cooking process to deep-fry the doughy exteriors of the skewered ingredients without letting them get oily, and offers at least 30 different skewers daily, using fresh, local ingredients. There's an interesting selection of beer and sake to go with your meal. Make sure to save room for the Japanese desserts, too.

Sparsely decorated, with a collection of handmade bowls behind the counter, the focus at this Japanese izakaya is solely on the food; there are just 10 seats around a small counter where you can watch chef Shiori Arai at work. The 11 to 13 exquisitely presented seasonal courses fuse local German ingredients with Japanese technique and can be paired with a small but smart selection of sake for some of the most authentic Japanese cuisine in town.

In a city that still sometimes struggles to get sushi right, Sasaya's concept can seem groundbreaking: simple, authentic Japanese food in an equally comfortable, no-fuss atmosphere. Don't expect sushi to be the center of the menu, though—the focus is on reasonably priced small plates made for sharing, including pickled vegetables, seaweed salad, and crispy pork belly. The best seats are the tables by the windows, where long, low couches let you recline languidly during your meal.