Adding to my Berlin Brunch Series is a place my friends and I enjoyed over the weekend – Restaurant ROCA. Located inside the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin, one might be intimidated to give this place a try but I hope this post will convince you otherwise.
I was really looking forward to the first Sunday of 2018. Some friends and I were meeting up to celebrate the new year as well as our friend Emi’s birthday. It called for a special venue and our friend Yuka recommended Restaurant ROCA, due to her favourite dish that I’ve been wanting to try as well.
With a bright, airy interior, the restaurant makes a great setting for brunch. The weekend all-day breakfast is aptly dubbed ‘Champagne and Eggs’. Touches of bright gold and friendlier shades of orange are sprinkled through the restaurant. They provide such a nice contrast to the marble and neutrals that dominate the space.
Champagne all-day
The weekend, all-day breakfast offer at Restaurant ROCA comes in a menu with ample choices. Nothing too extensive that can overwhelm you but with enough choices for everyone in your group.
The best part? They have sets that come with champagne! And what’s brunch without a drink or two?
Go for the champagne deals as they come with your choice of savoury dish, one dessert (also of your choice from the menu), a glass of champagne, and a choice between coffee or tea at the end of your meal. Ordering each of the dishes and drinks à la carte would actually cost you more so the sets are worth it.
That day, almost all of us went for the set that came with one glass of champagne. New Year’s Eve was still pretty fresh so I don’t think unlimited champagne was in the cards for any of us.
Hearty
My friend Yuka who’d been here before recommended the lobster. I absolutely love crustaceans so I obviously went for it too.
I just love the perfectly-toasted bread it came with. The eggs were done nicely with a lighter hollandaise spread on top. A generous helping of lobster meat (there’s another one blocked by the eggs from view) and some kaiser peppers completed the plate. I was in brunch heaven.
Our friend Eiko ordered the oyster plate which she also enjoyed.
Photo time! Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. 🙂 I blurred our little friend’s face because the internet can get pretty weird.
Sweets
Brunch at Restaurant ROCA meant I wouldn’t have any other meal throughout the day. The sweet plates were roughly the same size as the hearty offerings and were equally filling.
ROCA French Toast – fluffy and drizzled with fruity syrup.
Granola Müsli – which came with a huge cup of yoghurt.
Blueberry Pancakes – which I went for. They might look small here but three pieces of these thick and fluffy pancakes were enough to keep me full till the next day. For dinner that night, I only had one piece of bread and I couldn’t have any more. I was that full still.
We ended the meal with tea for some tea and I went for Sencha. Each pot can give you a little over two cups which made me really happy. I can be such a tea monster.
Not just for brunch
Restaurant ROCA also offers take-away and great lunch deals. I think it’s perfect for the diplomats and businessmen who have their offices in City West.
One salad, a sandwich, and a drink would set you back EUR9,80 (USD11.70). Some restaurants in Berlin that don’t come near to the quality of food Restaurant ROCA offers will charge you even more.
I also love that a lot of the salads come with a Mediterranean twist. While I’m a full-on carnivore, I did start incorporating more veggies into my food whenever there’s some available. And these salads are really piquing my interest. Quinoa and avocado? Yes, please. I would love to try it.
The sandwiches are also pretty big so I don’t have any doubts that lunch here would help you get throug the rest of the meetings you have for the day.
Oh, and let’s not forget the other desserts on offer.
I can attest that the Waldorf Astoria’s Red Velvet Cupcake is to die for. It packs a lot of flavour without being too cloying and somehow, the cream cheese frosting tastes light.
Restaurant ROCA
Ground Floor, Waldorf Astoria
Hardenbergstrasse 28, 10623 BerlinNearest U/S Bahn Station: Zoologischer Garten
Monday – Sunday 07.30 – 22.00
Book a table online by clicking here.
Phone: +49 (0) 30-814000-2460
Website: Click here.Accepts credit and debit card payments.
Service rating: 10/10. Staff were prompt. Really friendly too! They spoke English to non-German speakers. And, they go the extra mile for your requests.
More later.
Love,
Carol
