Restaurants
Hafenküche Restaurant and Beer Garden with a View of the Spree
Photos 1.4.5.6. © White Kitchen
Map
Wednesday to Friday open from 6 pm
Saturday & Sunday open from noon
Monday & Tuesday Closed
Hafenküche
Zur Alten Flussbadeanstalt 5
10317 Berlin-Rummelsburg
.How to get there
Elegant black-varnished boats with tea decks and dark grey padding sway in the harbour of City Marina on Rummelsburger Bucht and await their turn at sea. Fourteen in total, as well as a number of paddle boats and "sub boards" for stand-up paddling, count themselves as part of boat rental Spreeboote’s fleet.
The chic "sloeps", as the Dutch-made boats are called, are some of the most beautiful in the city and can even be ridden without a sport boat licence. You can naturally also entrust yourself to the hands of one of the charming skippers, who are available for optional booking.
The current gem of the fleet is "Pina", a Dutch sloep and the pride of Spreeboote since last year. There’s room for eight people, including the skipper, and a toilet on board. Thanks to an additional 5PS electric motor, the "Pina" can even be navigated in all directions on the canal.
She’s the perfect boat for an expedition of Berlin from the water, or for a summer picnic and BBQ with friends and family. Especially because everything from the grill to the brilliant picnic boxes and drinks is available to order from Hafenküche in "City Marina."
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Waiting for us on board is one of the nifty grey coolers, equipped with delicacies like avocado salad, mini schnitzel with potato salad, chicken legs with couscous, egg salad with crab, and apple crumble for dessert. Appetisingly packed in swing top glasses and sealed with Hafenküche-bandaroles. Fresh bread, pretzels, and rolls also come with.
In the direction of Oberbaumbrücke, the water leads to the Spree. It’s early evening and we can hear the precursors of a Berlin party night from the clubs along the water. Small and large ships alike pass us port and starboard, a soft breeze blows, it’s cinematic. The city shows its best side from this perspective.
The skipper floats us along the canal and we’re lifted to different heights at the locks as we dive into the treats. With a glass of fresh rosé, I can’t imagine a more lovely summer evening. We move to the large cushioned area at the stern, enjoy the shallow rocking, and delight in the view.
It must be lovely here in the morning as well, I think. At daybreak, when the Oberbaumbrücke and other bright red brick buildings glow in front of a steel-blue sky, competing with the strong green of the trees. And it’s cheaper to boot. Weekend bookings between 9am and noon are 30% cheaper at Spreeboote. Weekdays that offer extends to 4pm.
So grab a group of friends, or invite a business partner and reserve a boat for Sunday breakfast, a picnic, or a BBQ on board. The weekends are already well-booked, since there’s no better way to traverse the Spree - and word has spread.
