Berlin, 14 October 2015 So much more than currywurst and kebabs: Berlin was named the new vegetarian capital by the prestigious US magazine “Saveur” yesterday. The international award from the magazine for gourmands honours the culinary development of the German capital, now home to about 30 vegan and 300 vegetarian restaurants and snack stands. The winners of the Saveur Awards are chosen annually by the editors and the approximately 325,000 readers of the New York-based magazine.

The award recognises the shifts in Berlin's dining scene. The high-end vegetarian offerings have overtaken what was once a rather meat-heavy offering in Berlin's restaurants, the magazine's editors wrote. The city's history of international immigration and its unconventionality have contributed significantly to the new variety of vegetarian and vegan offerings. The vegetarian restaurants are also attractive those guests.

Vegetarian cuisine has arrived at the centre of Berlin's culinary scene. For example, “Cookies Cream” is known as a trendsetting high-end vegetarian dining establishment in Berlin and was featured in the 2014 Gault Millau gourmet guide. The vegan restaurant “Lucky Leek” has already earned an entry in the prestigious Michelin Guide. In addition, an increasing number of chefs, for example those at “Nobelhart & Schmutzig” restaurant, are using organic and locally grown ingredients and are putting vegetarian dishes on their menus. Even fast food stalls are offering vegetarian kebabs. You can find out more about the vegetarian and vegan dining options in Berlin at visitBerlin.com

The gastronomic trend in Berlin is joined with increased demand for organic and sustainable produced fabrics, vegan fashion, social cooking projects, restaurants like the soon-to-open “Restlos Glücklich” that will use leftovers, and the upcycling of used furniture or clothing.

More information for journalists can be found in these updated research texts:

„Berlin – city of green trends"

"Dining in Berlin"