AtayaCaffe is fresh, vegan and vegetarian food, served in what feels like your living room.

The place is warm, glowing with light, with mismatched furniture, chaotic patterns, and kid-made decorations. Already, on a Saturday morning, it’s blossoming: people easing from their nearby Prenzlauer Berg homes, saying bright hellos and inhaling the homegrown scent of whatever Elisabetta’s cooking up for breakfast and lunch.

Most days, the menu changes with her mood—and with the season.

Elisabetta, the head chef with 15 years of experience, is from Sardinia, and her husband, Bachir, is from Senegal—both cultures with vibrant food scenes that don’t, at first glance, go together. But their creativity and inventiveness merged in their first of many kitchens, far before their move to Berlin. And because whatever’s on your plate at AtayaCaffe has “home” in mind—be that Sardinia, Senegal, or just the concept of being close with family around a table—the food tastes fresh, nourishing. Made with love.

And it’s one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in Berlin.

We order two breakfasts–one vegan, one vegetarian, and these monstrous plates arrive: stacked with mozzarella speckled with freshly-made pesto, tofu marinated in curry and other spices, aubergine cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection, spring rolls with a satisfying, fresh “crunch”, and homemade pasta (giving life purpose if you grew up on packaged spaghetti).

The dynamic platter also features specially-made, black Pane carasau–crunchy, chip-like bread, which can’t be found in this “black” variety anywhere but one place in Sardinia, where Elisabetta buys it. Zucchini noodles, fresh and hydrating, offer delightful texture, and several strawberries and blueberries add pops of color and flair. We clean our plates with potato bread, made from–what else?–a special Sardinian family recipe.

Everything feels special, intentional, natural.

It’s a kitchen–and two souls–who set out in this world to enjoy, not to waste, and to nourish each other and the people around them.

Perhaps best of all, AtayaCaffe remains committed to its roots. Each December and January, they organize trips to Senegal. Guests stay with actual Senegalese families, becoming a part of the dynamic environment, and contributing fully to the region’s development. Click here for more details.

AtayaCaffe’s website
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AtayaCaffe
Zelterstraße 6
10439 Berlin