Berlin gastronomy on the brink: cult restaurant closes its doors!

Berlin gastronomy on the brink: cult restaurant closes its doors!

The catering scene in Berlin has experienced some challenging times over the past 2025. A look back shows that numerous popular restaurants were on the brink of closure due to rising costs, an acute shortage of skilled workers and a lack of guests. The closure was particularly painful Braufactum, which has been a fixture at Alexanderplatz since 2017. Here visitors could enjoy over 20 different craft beers, most of which were not produced according to the German purity law. The abandonment of the connection to the Radeberger Group, which previously supported the restaurant, brought with it economic challenges that could not be overcome.

But Alexanderplatz won’t be empty for long: a new “Indian Restaurant & Cocktail Bar” has already announced its opening. These rapid changes highlight the questionable situation in which many catering establishments find themselves. There remains hope for innovative concepts and committed teams to stabilize the industry in the long term.

Critical situation for many catering establishments

A crack is running through the gastronomy in Berlin: While some restaurants and cafés fear for their existence, fast food chains like this continue to expand Berlin newspaper reported. Districts such as Kreuzberg, Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg are particularly affected. High VAT rates, increasing bureaucracy and rising purchasing prices are driving restaurateurs into a corner. According to Gerrit Buchhorn from Dehoga Berlin, the situation is “partially critical” and the competitive conditions are becoming increasingly tougher.

To round off the snapshot, the economic situation appears to be tense. More and more restaurant owners are fighting for their existence, while visitor numbers in Berlin are only slowly reaching 2019 levels. In addition, there is a price-sensitive consumer climate, which is additionally burdened by the high cost of living. The Berlin gastronomy could find new ways to address the challenges through technological solutions such as service robots, but the future remains uncertain.

The future remains unclear

Another example of the precarious situation is the restaurant “Zum Oberfeld” in Berlin-Kaulsdorf, which recorded a 20 percent decline in sales in October 2023. Owner Michael Hübner reported a decline in regular guests while costs skyrocketed. To counteract the creative shortage of skilled workers, some buildings are relying on technological innovations. But many in the industry are wondering whether this is enough to meet the challenges of the future.

A glimmer of hope could be the planned reduction in VAT from 19 to 7 percent in 2026 in order to better balance the burden. However, the associations are skeptical that this will actually lead to noticeable relief. This means that the catering scene in Berlin remains a reflection of the economic uncertainties that are currently affecting many sectors. The industry continues to look for long-term employee incentives and solutions to survive in times of uncertainty and change.