BBB Berlin stylishly straddles being both a down-to-earth burger joint and full-service restaurant.
I must admit: since I wrote a relatively comprehensive guide to Berlin burgers back in 2014, I’ve eaten burgers very rarely. Too much of a good thing. Sometimes just the thought of a burger is enough. Not to mention the flashbacks.
That being said, when I am in the mood for a burger, I need it to be great. And BBB Berlin has the winning formula of being one of the most convincing burger restaurants in Berlin and being near my house in Friedrichshain.
I say burger restaurant, and that term may sound odd, but there really aren’t many nice sit-down, table-service places in Berlin that sell burgers and beyond. Burger joints, yes. Joints with extra seating, yes. Catastrophic failures like The Bird Kberg and over-celebrated crapholes that should fail like Burgeramt, yes. But BBB supplements its burger menu with starters, sides and mains that totally rival their burgers. Perfect for when you’re feeling… a bit burgered out.
The other thing that defines BBB Berlin as a restaurant is its focus on the experience of its diners.
The interior – all industrial and rich, tan leather, mixing US diner with Berlin cocktail chic – sets it apart from its competition, offering booth-dining where conversation flows. Then there’s the level of staff – all damn fine looking and approachable, I might add – which out-numbers normal Berlin eateries three-to-one, ensuring you always feel taken care of.
Lastly, it’s BBB’s passion for quality and ingredients that goes way beyond the burger norm. From the premium spirits in their cocktails to the everything-possible-made-inhouse approach and chalkboards of daily specials, BBB offers a true restaurant dining experience. It’s also surprisingly affordable for modern Berlin… certainly not a 4EUR burger but you definitely get your money’s worth in both portion size and quality.
They’ve just released a brand new menu and we were definitely excited to try it out.
Inventive burgers for meat- and non-meat eaters alike.
The menu retains many of the classics from their previous one – burgers like ‘The Butcher’, served with smoked bacon, rucola and a red wine/caramelised onion jam and the ‘The Sainte’, another beefy burger that’s topped with Sainte-Maure de Touraine goat’s cheese, a mustard aioli and fig jam.
But from their new menu we got to try a few of their new creations – such as the adventurous ‘Tel Aviv’ burger, which containes a beef patty studded with fig and pistachio pieces, plus halloumi and yogurt aioli. This was my favourite. The patty had a seasoned crunch from the pistachios and an added richness which actually enhanced the flavour of the beef.
For vegans and vegetarians, BBB now offers their own, homemade vegan patty, and their ‘The Vegan’ burger supplements this with smoked aubergine, tomato, lettuce, salsa picante and tahini, whilst their ‘The Veggie’ uses it with teriyaki sauce, avocado, tomato, red onions and chipotle aioli.
These are large burgers that are heavy with toppings. They fit that unctuous, over-the-top mould over those sleek, perfect-proportion burgers (has anyone ever called a burger sleek?), but the toppings are of a quality that’s worth getting your hands dirty for.
An atmosphere of sharing.
Along with the aforementioned beige-leather booths where conversation flows, BBB’s menu is loaded with non-burger items which are perfect for sharing.
From crispy, deep-fried green beans with a tangy chipotle dip to chicken wings, melt-in-your-mouth ribs, blue-cheese salads to a Middle-Eastern smoked aubergine, tahini and chickpea dip with tearable bread – you can forget the burgers completely if you want.
There’s also a whole menu of alternative mains. I need to try their fish ‘n’ chips sometime.
If you want the BBB experience on the cheap, head in for lunch. Their lunch-time offers make dining there a bargain.
BBB Burgers
Sonntagstraße 1
Ostkreuz
Berlin 10245