The (Second) Best Kebap in Berlin

When searching for that perfect kebab in Berlin most people will tell you to head to Mehringdamm to Mustafas Gemüsekebap. If you want to get a similar döner experience but without having to wait in the queues that are typical at Mustafas then we know just the place for you.

The Nur Gemüse-Kebap stand on Hermanstrasse in Neukölln is, what has been described to us as, "the second best kebap shop in Berlin". That description was good enough to get me drooling so we took a little trip to Hermanstrasse to get our fingers greasy. The stand itself is right on the entrance to the Hermanstrasse S-bahn at the center of all the Hermanstrasse transport links so it's very easy to find. The staff are friendly and speak at least enough kebap-related English to make ordering easy for dummies.

A Dürüm kebap before it is wrapped.

We decided to try out a typical döner kebap and, my favourite, a dürüm kebap. The dürüm has the same ingredients as the döner but is rolled up inside a toasted flatbread called lavaş rather than being served in the normal bread roll. It is a little more expensive (normally about 1 euro more) than a typical döner but it's worth it in my opinion.

A döner kebap with a Turkish yogurt drink, Ayran.

I am no stranger to kebaps. In fact, I have spent many a drunken walk home biting into a spicy döner and countless Saturday afternoons curing a hangover with a tasty dürüm. I have eaten good ones and the truely terrible ones. I've experienced döners that have been cold, soggy and undercooked, with too little sauce or meat but I must say that the Nur Gemüse Döner has to be one of the best, if not THE best, kebaps I have ever eaten. I have not yet been to Mustafas and I do know that the Nur Gemüse style is a copy so I will have to wait till my next visit to Mehringdamm to compare the two.

 
I think what made this kebap different is that I could tell the meat was good quality. It was not as processed as other döner meat I have tried. Maybe the fact it is chicken rather than lamb makes it taste different too as most kebaps I have eaten have been lamb or a mixture of lamb and chicken. The addition of red peppers layered with the meat on the spit keeps the meat juicy and flavoursome. Also, it's the first kebap I have tried where they add roasted vegetables to the mix and a dash of lime juice at the end.

Not only are the ingredients good quality and fresh but the combination of ingredients is balanced with just the right amount of meat to salad ratio. The sauces are also good with a choice of spicy, garlic and normal sauce and their flavours are not too strong or light. I recommend trying it with a Turkish yogurt drink called Ayran. For me it was a little too salty but the cool drink is a refreshing compliament to the heavy flavours of the kebap.

If you want to try their kebaps for yourself I believe that it is open every day and closes at around 10pm.

Here is the address and contact details: 
S-Bahn - Hermanstrasse
U-Bahn - Line 8 Hermanstrasse
Hermannstraße 113 , 12051 Neukölln Berlin
Tel: 0163 7877 439
nur-gemuese-kebap@gmx.de