Jäger & Lustig The new desire for domestic cuisine

What is the cuisine of a German childhood? Minced pork, perhaps? Königsberger Klopse and Kalter Hund? Not so easy to find in Berlin. It offers a variety of cuisines from numerous international countries. Regional, especially in the nicer restaurants, often means meat and vegetables from Brandenburg, but when it comes to preparation, people like to think outside the box.

Which is excellent, of course - if things are good, you should take advantage of them. But a really nice restaurant with typical German dishes is also something lovely. So we're all the more excited about the Jäger & Lustig beer parlour and restaurant in Friedrichshain: a little rustic, but honest, less shishi, but more on the plate.

Chef Sven Oliver Jahn is helping German cuisine to make a well-deserved comeback here. The dishes range from well-known to almost forgotten favourites, with a focus (naturally) on regionality and sustainability. It hardly needs to be mentioned that there is a particular focus on game meat - commonly known as better because it is species-appropriate, organic meat.

1 | 10

Even during the GDR, the catering in this Friedrichshain establishment was known for the best game meat from Brandenburg, as host Ansgar Niklas tells us. He and his team entertain us with charming hospitality - and things are just as lively. In short: Jäger & Lustig offers an exemplary trifecta of fine local cuisine, amiable service and an extremely cosy atmosphere (which, despite its location in the middle of East Berlin, is somewhat reminiscent of a Black Forest hut). What more could you want?

Perhaps a nice glass of Haake Beck Kräusen, which is served exclusively in Berlin at Jäger & Lustig. The exclusive bottlings from Durbach, served directly in the magnum bottle, are also not to be sneezed at and are a good option for larger groups. Because for those, the Jäger & Lustig is pretty great.

Of course, you'll also feel very comfortable with just a few people, as the 130 seats in the restaurant are comfortably spread out on different levels despite its size, and lots of wood also ensures good acoustics (and the original panelled GDR ceiling is even a listed building). Two of us try our way through the menu - which is a shame because one stomach only has so much room.

We feast on the hunter's board for two with venison pâté, crackling lard, beetroot butter sticks, and first-class smoked eel. For the main course, we savour a tasty pike fillet from the Rügen Bodden and grilled wild boar ribs from the Fläminger Forst. The vegetable side dishes, mountain lentils with yellow savoy cabbage and roasted pointed cabbage with sage potato noodles, are particularly impressive across the board.

This also demonstrates that German cuisine doesn't have to be as veggie-unfriendly as is often thought; at Jäger & Lustig, not only omnivores are guaranteed to be happy. Speaking of happiness, of course, we can't resist a "small" dessert and choose the "absolute recommendation": potato noodles with vanilla sauce and Williams pear. After the deep-fried balls with icing sugar, the word "food baby" is precisely the correct description, but we have no regrets.

It's great that the restaurant is contributing to the renaissance of old favourite dishes - after all, local cuisine can do so much more than schnitzel (and if you still want one, you'll find it on the menu too). A "Schnapps" at the end is just the thing. It's good that the selection is so large - we choose hazelnut and Riesling-Trester and are already dreaming of the Jäger & Lustig's large, cosy beer garden.

Ronja C. Kolls

Author