From the Series: Europe is Hot, Berlin is on Fire!!!
Tucked away on a quiet side street, just one block from the popular Spree river is an unpretentious budget eatery serving the traditional Berlin favourites, Döner, Currywurst and Rotisserie grilled Chicken. Slot machines, 2 televisions and a very small bar complete this Kiez local. Can cheap eats taste good? Here is my review! Guten Appetit ?
Melissa (Bistro, Imbiss, Restauant) ****, Serving lunch and dinner German / Turkish fast food and bar. Address: Corinthstr. 58, Friedrichshain, 10245 Berlin.
Always looking for a deal, we came across Melissa; a simple imbiss style restaurant serving affordable, fast food. When I say affordable, I am not joking, it is possibly one of the cheapest restaurants in Berlin. Of course, that means it is not fancy, fresh or pretty, but it will fill your tummy for cheaper than you can cook.
Locals use Melissa as a sort of meeting place, grabbing a quick bite to eat or simply enjoying a drink together, passing the time and catching up on news and gossip. As you pass through the doors, all eyes may turn in your direction for a brief moment, before all returns to normal; the good thing is these characters are a very friendly, amicable lot. Say hi!
The illuminated menu sits above the Döner and Chicken Rotisseries. You can order any of the following dishes:
Turkish Style
- Döner Kebap in Turkish Bread
- Döner Plate
- Döner Box (becoming very popular)
- Döner Dürüm (Wrap)
- Turkish Pizza
- Vegetarian Döner
- Halloumi in Turkish Bread
- Falafel in Turkish Bread
- Börek (a phyllo pastry stuffed with ground beef or cheese)
German Style
-
- Rotisserie 1/2 Chicken
- Chicken Schnitzel
- Currywurst (Deep fried chicken {not traditional, but Turkish do not eat pork}sausage with Curry & Curry Ketchup Sauce)
- Boulette (deep fried ground beef patties)
- Cheeseburger
- Chicken Nuggets
- Mixed Salad
French Fries and Salad are available as side dishes or included in the meals. They have a huge selection of non-alcoholic as well as alcoholic drinks. The Döner is slow cooked over a vertical rotisserie, while the chicken is cooked on a horizontal rotisserie.
There is limited outdoor seating; the front restaurant area offers a kitchen view, a small bar with seating for 3, tables with seating for approximately 30 and a television offers a distraction if needed or a much sought after sports show. A back room offers more seating area, casino slot machines, a second television and a smoking area.
Service is fast and very friendly. Although english is not their language, they do very well understanding and wanting to understand when you speak, so don’t shy away if you can’t speak German. There is not a single item on the menu over 6 € Euro! A good example is a complete meal of 1/2 grilled chicken with french fries, salad and a .33 litre drink (coca cola for example) for 5.90 € Euro!
This has fast become a favourite spot for us while in Berlin and we have tried almost every item on the menu. Of course, we have some items we like more than others, but that is a taste preference. My favourite meal is the rotisserie grilled chicken – juicy inside, deliciously seasoned crispy outside, but I also really like the Döner Kebap and the Chicken Dürüm is amazing too, and the… you get the idea. Basically, for fast food cheap eats, Melissa is a definite hit. A steady stream of traffic can be seen at all meal times and it is also an evening favourite. Some people eat in, but the majority seem to order take out, wait time is very quick.
If you are in the Friedrichshain, Berlin area and are hungry, don’t hesitate to stop by Melissa and have a bite to eat and if you are in the area and not hungry, I recommend grabbing some food to go, you will get hungry eventually. ? And remember, Europe is Hot, Berlin is on Fire!
Melissa – Photo Album
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