Best Döner in Berlin

This past Sunday afternoon, I met up with two friends, Brad and Sally, to play some pick-up ultimate frisbee at Gleisdreieck Park. We have been playing a lot together in our first few weeks in Berlin, testing out practices with different teams and getting to know the frisbee culture in Germany. Brad is the twin brother of a good friend of mine from Connecticut College and plays frisbee at George Washington University, while Sally is in my IES Abroad program and plays for Colby College.  We make a great trio to toss around some plastic and hang with each other in Berlin! We played for a few hours on Sunday before deciding we had gotten our frisbee fix. Brad suggested we try this Döner place, Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebab, near his apartment and not too far from the park. He told us that it was supposed to be the best Döner in Berlin, so we figured: why not give it a go?

What is Döner, you may ask? It is a tasty Turkish street-food-style kebab. In its usual form, a Döner is a sandwich stuffed with meat from a vertical rotisserie cooker, lettuce, vegetables, and various sauces. It generally costs less than 5€, making it a filling and inexpensive meal on the go––perfect for a few hungry frisbee players.

Brad warned us on the way, though, that there would probably be a line. Sure enough, as we walked up around 5:20 pm, the line was at least 100 people long. We had committed to getting Döner, though, so we knew we were going to wait it out. It took us more than an hour to get to the front of the line. (I think Deutsche Bank should put up a sign like theme parks do for roller coaster queues: “Wait Time: One Hour.”) As we got closer, we realized that there were only four guys working behind the counter. It was remarkable how few people could produce so many kebabs! As soon as we were next to order, the workers took a break to restock the tiny kitchen and let the chicken cook a bit longer. As hungry as we were, we knew we were going to get quality Döner because the workers would be fresh from their break. 

I have had Döner a number of times, but this Döner may have been the best. The meat was cooked perfectly, the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the sauces were flavorful. It was a 10/10 Döner, but I have to say, I’m not sure I will eat there again. It was a LONG hour of waiting and part of the charm of Döner is how easy it is to get on-the-go. On the other hand, I feel like I am only doing abroad right if I try the best the city has to offer, which made Mustafa’s worth the wait!