Mitte 4 – Art

Once junkie central, this area is now ground zero for edgy art, buzzy dining and a smattering of quirky shops. Auguststr. and Linienstr., aka the East’s orginal ‘gallery mile’, are packed with art houses, though opening times vary. Your best bet is 2-6pm Wed-sat, but do check ahead.

Start at St. Oberholz / Rosenthaler Str. 72a (cnr Torstr.) (see Kaffee) / for some java and exit right to cross Torstr., then at the Y-junction, take the left fork for Brunnenstr. Stay on the right side of the road, and begin your arty jaunt by browsing opening-appropriate frocks at Antonia Goy at #5 / 446 503 86, then trot to the concrete and plexiglass edifice at #9 KOW / 311 667 70 / showing cerebral works by global newbies. Got the munchies? Exit right and skip into the park on your right for Nola’s (see Brunch). If not, cross to the other side of Brunnenstr. and continue up to Berlin Beirut Multiples at #162 / 639 619 72 / evocative Middle Eastern prints and tomes. Exit right for Galerie Lacke Farben at #170 / 486 257 11 / Euro paintings, and Objets Trouvés at #169 / 016 318 109 85 / vintage furny and industrial design. Keep right for cool and aptly named Smallspace Gallery at #178 / 0171 559 5656; mod, vibrantlyhued baubles at #187 Schmuckfrage / 432 053 48; and #188190 Neue Schule für fotografie’s / 280 468 62 / classes for budding snappers + exhibition space for emerging photographers. Continue straight on, crossing Torstr. again, after which you’re on Rosenthaler Str. Turn right at the first st., Linienstr. and trot down to #196 for Anuschka Hoevener’s / 443 192 99 / boldly-shaped, artily-embellished femwear, then cross and duck into photo-focused Kicken at #161a / 288 778 82 / before stopping for a bite at farm-to-table lunchster Lokal (see Rest./relaxed). Post refuel, pop to #158 Kuckei + Kuckei’s / 883 43 54 / bi-level multimedia space, then in the next courtyard at #155 are both Galerie Feldbuschweisner / 695 041 42 / with original young blood, and Neugerriemschneider / 288 772 77 / far left hand cnr of courtyard / home of ‘weather artist’ Olafur Eliasson. Cross over to ooh and aah at contempo jeweller René Talmon L’armee at #109 / 955 984 46 / with stunning black diamond and Ethiopian opals, then continue down Linienstr. to find Munich transplant Rasche Ripken at #148 / 400 541 60 / on the left, and conceptual quirk at Marten Mertens / 440 433 50 / next door. Exit right and you’ll soon meet Tucholskystr. Turn right here for sculptural inspiration at Lorch + Seidel / at #38 / 978 939 35. Cont. down Tucholskystr. and at Auguststr., make a left for Wunderkind on the corner at #75 / 280 418 17, then continue on Auguststr. and cross for Heckmann Höfe’s rear entrance. Hut Up (see Adv. Shop.) and Berlin funkster apparel by Nix / 281 80 44 / are inside. Back onto Auguststr., turn right for the Jüdische Mädchenschule complex (see Art) at #11, then cross for KW at #69 / 243 45 90 / museum and gallery, sis to MOMA’S P.S.1 in NYC, with ravishing glasshouse Café Bravo. Next door at #68 is ME Collectors Room (see Art) with a caff too. Opp. at #20 is DNA / 285 996 52 / Berlin-based int’l artists; then Galerie Dittmar at #22 / 283 985 40 / for Bauhaus, Dada et al; opp. is #61 Deschler / 283 32 88 / for innovative, figurative works, then back on the other side at #26 are Oona / 280 459 05 / droolery gallery, and Eigen + Art / 280 66 05 / Leipzig school roll call. Cont. and turn right into Gipsstr., which is also the end of the Mitte 2 itin. Purses out!