Brianna Nickel, Fredrick First: Bioscience Breakthroughs in Berlin, Summer 2026
Exploring the culinary scene of Berlin ended up being one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. Going into it I was a little nervous about the types of cuisine I was going to encounter. I always heard that German food is notorious for being bland and nothing but potatoes, dough, and sauerkraut. I was pleasantly surprised with the diversity within their culinary culture. One of my favorite dishes that I tried was spätzle. This is a traditional German dish that includes a potato noodle, in a cheese sauce, with various toppings. I was lucky enough to get two on this trip and they were both delicious! One was completely vegan topped with vegan bacon and vegetables, while the other was made in a traditional style. I think something important to note is the difference between former east and west Berlin that is still very prevalent today, especially in the culture surrounding the food. In former west Berlin, we were able to find a lot of Biergartens and other traditional German dining options. In former East Berlin, there was a lot more cultural diversity within the dining culture.
Overall, I felt like exploring the food allowed me to dive deeper into the culture of the city. Berlin is one of the most culturally diverse places that I have ever been to and one of the best examples of this diversity is the food. One example of the diversity throughout the city is the amount of Turkish influence on a lot of dishes. I found that it was some of the best Turkish food I have ever had, which was pleasantly surprising. I was able to try the dish on the culinary tour that we did of the city. We were introduced to so many Berlin staples and new twists on classic dishes. I can say that I did not have one bad dish this whole trip, and that played a big role in my enjoyment of the trip.
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