"Two Dutch chefs cooking a pared-back, produce-led tasting menu with a Green Star in Kreuzberg — reserve weeks ahead for a relaxed first date."
About Lode & Stijn
Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi met at culinary school in Holland, cooked separately through Scandinavia and Hamburg, and reunited in Berlin to open Lode & Stijn on Lausitzer Straße in Kreuzberg in 2016. The room is small and informal — record player in the corner, easy service — but the cooking is serious and the kitchen earned a Michelin Green Star for its sourcing.
The format is a four- or seven-course set menu, meat or vegetarian, that changes with what the producers send. Plates are markedly simple, with a Scandinavian leanness rather than fuss.
The Kitchen
Van Zuylen and Remi build the menu almost entirely from small regional producers, which is the Green Star's whole point. The cooking is reductive on purpose: roasted celeriac with fermented black garlic turns a humble root into the table's quiet highlight, and the cod with pak choi and grapefruit arrives charred-black outside and barely set within. Wine pairings lean toward low-intervention bottles and are chosen with care rather than markup.
The seven-course menu runs about €100 to €115 depending on the night, with a shorter set available; the vegetarian menu is treated as an equal, not an afterthought. You eat what is good that week, which is the honest version of seasonal cooking.
The Room
It seats roughly 30 across dark-green benches and a few tables, with a single bold geometric shape on a white wall and very little else. Sound sits at an easy hum, lighting is warm and low, and the staff are chatty rather than formal. There is no dress code worth the name — Kreuzberg smart-casual is the room. Tables are close enough to feel convivial, not cramped.
Best for First Date
Book Lode & Stijn for a first date because the room does the heavy lifting: it is warm, low-lit and quiet enough to actually talk, the set menu removes the awkward what-do-we-order negotiation, and the staff keep things light. The pacing gives you natural pauses to lean in. Pair it with the rest of the first-date shortlist, or browse the wider Berlin dining guide.
Not for
Not for a big appetite in a hurry or a strict budget eater — it is a fixed multi-course menu with deliberate gaps between plates, and there is no à la carte fallback.
Frequently Asked
Is Lode & Stijn worth it?
Yes, for diners who like restraint over spectacle. The Green Star reflects genuine sourcing, the celeriac and the charred cod show real technique, and €100–115 for a seven-course menu in a relaxed Kreuzberg room is fair for the quality. It rewards patience more than it rewards a hungry rush.
How hard is it to book Lode & Stijn?
It is a small room, so weekend seats go a couple of weeks out. Reserve online or call +49 30 65214507, and ask whether you want the four- or seven-course menu when you book so the kitchen can plan. Mid-week tables are easier and the pacing feels even calmer.
What is the dress code at Lode & Stijn?
There is no formal dress code. The room is relaxed Kreuzberg — smart-casual is plenty, and most guests arrive in good everyday clothes. You will never feel underdressed in a clean shirt, and nobody is checking for a jacket.
What does the tasting menu cost at Lode & Stijn?
The seven-course set menu runs about €100 to €115 depending on the night, with a shorter four-course option for less. Wine pairings are extra and lean toward low-intervention bottles. The vegetarian menu is priced the same as the meat menu and treated with equal weight.
Is Lode & Stijn vegetarian-friendly?
Very. The kitchen runs a full vegetarian version of the tasting menu alongside the meat menu, not a single token swap, and the produce-first style suits it. Flag dietary needs when you book so van Zuylen and Remi can build the menu around them.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Lode & Stijn
Reserve via lodeandstijn.com or call +49 30 65214507. Small room — book 2 weeks ahead.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressLausitzer Straße 25, 10999 Berlin
NeighbourhoodKreuzberg
CuisineModern European
Price€100–115 set menu, wine extra
Dress CodeSmart-casual
Seating~30, benches and tables
ReservationDirect / phone · ~2 weeks ahead
