If – at any point – you’ve Googled the best brunch places in Berlin, chances are, you’ve read about Selig. After all, it’s on every single ‘best brunch’ listicle about the German capital. I’ve tried my luck with this restaurant and not gonna lie – I’ve failed.
One summer weekend, my husband and I decided to brave the brunch competition and found ourselves staring at Selig, filled to the brim. It also had a waitlist that ran beyond our patience. Alvin is a very patient man and I’m quite understanding about waiting when it comes to food. That day, however, we knew it was too popular for us to be able to get a seat within an hour.
About a year later, I found myself in the same restaurant being introduced to a menu they are not so known for – their lunch and dinner offerings.
Selig / Blessed
‘Selig’ is actually the German word for ‘blessed’. Christian Birkelbach, the owner, took over the spot where a Church café once stood. After a renovation which had Christian and his friends doing a lot of the heavy lifting, the restaurant opened its doors in Berlin’s trendy Neukölln district.
“We made everything by ourselves, the chairs, bars, tables – everything,” Christian shared during a bright summer afternoon in his restaurant. Its big, glass windows allowing as much sunlight as possible to enter the space.
Investing with the daily income he got from the restaurant back into it was a wise move for Christian. Despite Berlin’s ever-fickle food scene, Selig remains to be one of the city’s popular spots. The 100-seat capacity restaurant is now two years old and has 35 people working to meet its clientele’s demands. Recently, they also opened the outdoor area to accommodate 100-120 more customers if needed. And boy, do they need that outdoor area on weekends.
Sitting outside Selig while having a drink is probably one of the best things you can do on an early summer evening. There’s enough of a breeze to keep you cool despite the heatwave and there’s enough shade from the surrounding trees. It’s a neighbourhood where people watching can actually be fun again. And to be completely honest – their food is more than enough reason for me to make the trip from my neighbourhood all the way to Neukölln’s Schillerkiez.
Hallelujah for the food
The thing about living in Germany is it has converted little carnivore me into a veggie loving human being. This was something I never expected to happen. In fact, I used to abhor seeing anything green or leafy on my plate. Nowadays, I can honestly (and with conviction) say that I’m not picky with food. With that prelude, allow me to gush over the salads that Selig offers in their lunch and dinner menu.
The Kopfsalat (L) with its citrusy, fresh flavours and crunchy flax seed chips is not only healthy but also a filling dish. Definitely perfect for the summer. The instagram-able Brunnenkresse (R), meanwhile, is a tangy-salty dish that combined freshness and a creamy texture in one dish. This, through goat cheese, pepper cherries, some radish, and heavenly watercress. It’s Berlin spring on a healthy, beautiful plate.
The Brandade sounds like an easy dish to make. It’s basically fish sticks with aioli and some salad. However, there’s something about it that makes for a unique flavour. I’ve never had fish sticks this good! Is it the smoked fish? Are the potatoes magical? Well only God, Christian, and Chef Hendrik Ziolkowski know.
Best eaten with a cold, fizzy Radler and good friends who won’t overeat beyond their share. You’re welcome.
Put Holunder (Elderberry) on anything and I swear I’ll eat it. Selig’s Gazpacho is a bit on the heavier side but without being cloying due to the addition of watermelon. A meal in itself, you eat it with their bread smothered with melted, creamy scamorza.
For people with gluten allergies but are missing the fine flavours of risotto, look no further. Selig’s tasty Fregula made me forget that I’ve sold my soul to rice by being half Asian. Paprika, onions, herbs, and parmesan. It’s packed with flavour and an aroma that makes tricks you into eating more than your calorie allowance. The serving is pretty big so better share with your companion if you wish to try any of the other dishes.
If you’re still looking for something heavier but not as fattening as rice, there’s the Bruderhahn. It comes with Einkorn (little spelt) bean ragout. The chicken is organic, juicy, and deliciously flavoured. The einkorn ragout comes with a sweet, nutty flavour that is well complemented by the maiscreme (corn cream) and ginger. It’s uncomplicated and something that will excite any palate.
Selig’s lunch and dinner menu starts at 1400 and ends at 2230 on weekdays and from 1800 to 2230 on weekends.
Selig
Herrfurthplatz 14, 12049 Berlin
Open daily from 10:00-Midnight (kitchen closes at 10:30pm)
Phone: 030 68050680
Visit their website through this link
More later.
**I was a guest at Selig but that does not – in any way – affect my review and opinions expressed in this article.
