Konditorei Buchwald

Konditorei Buchwald is a traditional German pastry shop and café on Bartningallee, on the edge of the Hansaviertel near the Tiergarten, and it has been making cakes for around 170 years, with roots that go back to 1852. It is one of the best places in Berlin to sit down for Kaffee und Kuchen, the German afternoon ritual of coffee and cake, in an old-fashioned setting.

The speciality is Baumkuchen, the tree cake, made by brushing thin layers of batter onto a rotating spit and baking each one in turn, so that a slice shows rings like those of a tree trunk. It is a demanding cake to make and one closely associated with German baking traditions, and at Buchwald it is the cake to order if you try only one thing. The counter also offers a range of tortes, cakes and pastries, along with ice cream and coffee and tea specialities. Baumkuchen is also sold to take away, and makes a good gift.

The café rooms are traditional in style, with comfortable seating and a calm, slightly old-world atmosphere that appeals to older Berliners as well as visitors. It suits couples, families and anyone who wants a slow afternoon break after a walk in the Tiergarten. The café is popular at weekends, so arrive in the early afternoon for the best choice of cakes.

Buchwald is open daily from 11am to 6pm. For the time being, breakfast is not offered, so come for cake and coffee rather than a morning meal. The café closes for two weeks in high summer, during calendar weeks 29 and 30, so check before visiting in late July.

Family-run Konditoreien like this were once found in every Berlin neighbourhood, and few of the old ones survive. Buchwald's long history, its traditional recipes and its focus on a single famous cake make it a small piece of living heritage, and a welcome contrast to the city's modern coffee bars. Visiting is also a good excuse to explore a quieter corner of the city that many visitors never see.

Bellevue S-Bahn station is a few minutes' walk away, and Hansaplatz on the U9 is also close. Schloss Bellevue, the official residence of the German President, the Spree river path and the Tiergarten are nearby, and the Victory Column is about fifteen minutes' walk through the park. The modernist housing of the Hansaviertel, built for the Interbau exhibition of 1957, is worth a short detour.