Berlin’s spring openings
Berlin’s spring restaurant buzz includes openings by Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs and the debut of Sani — a new Asian spot in Vogelviertel promising creative sushi and reworked classics ( ). Still — the industry faces headwinds: Germany’s hospitality sector recorded more than 11,000 insolvencies over the past six years, underscoring pressure behind the openings (wetterauer-zeitung.de).
Berlin Food Stories’ January roundup listed at least nine anticipated spring 2026 openings in the city, singling out Almi Bistro in Prenzlauer Berg, Elotl (with a planned mid‑February to early‑March opening window) and the counter‑style Edomae sushi project Nichi Getsu in Friedrichshain. (berlinfoodstories.com) A Food & Wine–curated spring roundup (republished by AOL on March 19, 2026) framed 12 “most anticipated” projects and noted that alumni of its Best New Chefs program are behind several launches, citing examples such as Vinnie Cimino’s Rosy (opened Feb. 26, 2026) and Gabriel Kreuther’s Saverne (opened March 2, 2026). (aol.com) Regional reporting confirms Sani has opened in Neubrandenburg’s Vogelviertel this month in the former Zur Elster location, with the Nordkurier noting the predecessor closed in July 2025 and the new operator focusing the menu on sushi and Asian classics. (nordkurier.de) Nationwide insolvency data compiled by dpa and reported on March 19, 2026 show more than 11,000 gastronomy insolvencies across the past six years in Germany. (op-online.de) Government and broadcaster summaries put the 2025 total at roughly 2,900 restaurant insolvencies—the fourth straight annual increase—and link the filings to rising staff, energy and rent costs alongside persistent inflation. (zdfheute.de) Berlin coverage and industry trackers describe a city where new, chef‑led openings and creative neighborhood concepts arrive even as operators cite rent pressure and softer post‑pandemic footfall, a tension detailed in local roundups and business reporting. (berlinfoodstories.com)
