Cafe Butter’s weekend brunch buffet is a hidden gem. When first entering the place, it looks like so many other Prenzlauer Berg establishments: two open spaces on separate levels, neither too big nor too small, lighting that’s a bit on the darker side, and packed full. Nothing mind-blowing.

And then we saw the third level: a small space, in which the food is hidden in plain sight, luring our noses up the stairs with a yummy scent. Up close, the little buffet turned out to be a big surprise: rich, easy on the eyes and tasty as hell.

There’s a distinct order in which one should fill up their plate, starting off with the selection of cheese, salami and salads (greens, beetroot, lentils, potatoes, Caprese). Once the digestive juices are flowing, awaiting are scrambled eggs, sausages and awesome stir fried potatoes. The sweet department has some cereals to choose from, waffles and pancakes, and the German-must-have: apple mousse. Surprisingly though, given the place’s name, sweets were the weakest link of the buffet. Disclaimer: there was no unanimous consensus for the above sentence.

The bottom line: overall great brunch. Can do better in the sweets department

The plate test: we cleaned our plates, went back for more, cleaned them again and.. (you get the hang of it)

Crowd: not a spare chair in sight. P-Berg types, families with babies, groups of friends

Soundtrack: slightly noisy chatter. There might have also been music, but the unnoticeable kind

Kids: yes

Pets: brunch-day might be a bit too crowded for medium+ sized dogs

Service: fast

Price: 7.90€ for the brunch

Café Butter

http://www.cafe-butter.de/

Pappelallee 73, Berlin

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We’ve heard about the Anna Blume brunch about a second and a half after moving to Berlin (the place is open since January 2005, and managed to gather quite the following), and knew it’s supposed to be something special. We saved it for a special occasion, which finally presented itself: an opening post to our new blog, that will be solely devoted to the marvelous experience of Sunday Breakfast and Brunch in Berlin.

The upside of scheduling a Sunday brunch at Anna Blume is that it’s close enough so the three of us could walk there. The downside is that we knew it was going to be packed. ‘Cause as we mentioned, the Anna Blume brunch is somewhat of an establishment in Prenzlauerberg, and brunch lovers like us fill the area just as much as baby strollers do.

We decided on a strategic meeting point (church of Zion, to remind us where we came from) and started walking. It was cold. So upon arriving to the beautiful corner of Kollwitz and Sredzki, we rushed to squeeze in. The place was full of 4-generation families (grand partent, parents, kids and their iPhones and iPads). Luckily we got a table within minutes, in a dark and cosy nook way in the back.

It was pleasant at Anna Blume. The service was quick, very friendly and efficient (somewhat of a marvel in Berlin), the brunch was tasty and satisfying. As an added bonus we got three glasses of Sekt (bubbly wine) which the waitress gave us by mistake. We drank ‘till the last drop, while watching the crowd change – from hubbies and wives to hipsters with horrible color matching skills. At no point though, was there an empty chair in sight.

The brunch (they call it “Breakfast for 2/4” but don’t be fooled) comes in a pyramid-like structure. Fruits on the top, cheese, scrambled eggs, spreads and veggies on the other two floors. We took the veggie version, but there is also salami in the regular one. On the side – a basket with 3 different types of breads. The food is not original or special, but definitely does the trick. The quantity – a brunch for two for 14 Euro – is enough to feed a hungry couple or a lady-trio. The cakes on display will make you wanna save room for desert. We left happy. An amicable start to yet another frozen Berlin Sunday. Now it’s time for a Schlafstunde.

Music and noise – no music. Acoustics are fine, no need to shout

Crowded – very. Always

Light and dark – pale Berliner light comes in to the main hall from the huge windows. The cozy nook is darker

Design – tacky from the ‘80. Lots of red and burgundy

Service – excellent

Breakfast – big selection. With or without eggs and salamis

The brunch – a classic of form and substance

Food – fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, salami. Rich and diverse

Pets – during the summer they can tan outside, but inside might be too crowded for anything bigger than a jack russel.

What else? There’s an in-house flower shop and great pastries and cakes

Cafe Anna Blume

http://www.cafe-anna-blume.de/

Kollwitzstr. 83, Berlin