Let me introduce you to the Ampelmann. You will be firm friends in no time.
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of the Ampelmann, so much so that I even have a full sized Ampelmann pedestrian-crossing light in my house. It only made sense, therefore, that I would visit the Ampelmann restaurant in Berlin, Germany.
Opened in 2007, the Ampelmann restaurant is situated in the historic S-Bahn arches near the Hackescher Markt, something you are kookily reminded of each time one of the trains rumbles through. On sunny days the location really comes into its element. Lounge chairs, green grass, a flowing river, and plenty of outdoor tables are the perfect combination for an enjoyable afternoon.
The food is a mixture of Mediterranean cuisine and international dishes, so you’ll be dining on pastas and stone oven pizzas, salads, and fish. A selection of desserts and cakes, mostly homemade, will satisfy the sweet tooth members of your party. The dishes at the restaurant are plentiful, filling, and good tasting – a bonus for those visiting purely because of the restaurants connection to the Ampelmann.
As themed restaurants go, the Ampelmann restaurant is low-key when it comes to its traffic signal friends. I had expected the inside to be plastered in all forms of the Ampelmann. Heck, I was ready for everything to come shaped in the form of them. But instead what we got were some smaller, lighter touches – an Ampelmann on the napkin, red and green sugar packets, and Ampelmann beer – decoration that could almost be missed.
Luckily, if there is not enough Ampelmann for your taste at the restaurant, you can always pop over to one of the nearby shops. And one way or another, you end up with a decent meal in your belly.
Address: Stadtbahnbogen 159/160 (in Berlin-Mitte at Monbijoupark), 10178, Berlin-Mitte, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)30 8471 0709
Website: http://ampelmann-restaurant.de
Opening Times: Every day from 9am to midnight.
Heather is a writer, photographer and explorer of the world with bylines in Archaeology Magazine, Porthole Cruise Magazine, Taste & Travel, amongst others. She is addicted to pen, paper, hotels, organisation and hippos. In addition to Travel Gluttons, you can find her over at Cloggie Central. 
