Where to eat in Berlin, Germany – Today, Italian! Restaurant Review

Update:  We returned in August 2017 – One year later

The Unfriendly server is no longer working in the restaurant.  The atmosphere is dramatically improved due to his absence.  Our server was a friendly young lady.  Food is still a very good quality and of course, delicious.

Orignal publish date:  August 2016

Al Colosseo ****, Italian Trattoria Restaurant, Stone Oven Pizza, Italian Cuisine.  Address: Am Treptower Park 37, 12435, Berlin. Telephone: (Germany) 030 / 5337456

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Our love of Italian Cuisine keeps us on the hunt for the ultimate Italian taste experience; last stop, Al Colosseo in the Treptow Neighbourhood of Berlin, Germany. Offering ample seating inside and a patio outside, the restaurant offers a full Italian menu including Antipasti, Soups, Salads, Noodle dishes, Pizza, Fish, Beef, Pork, Chicken and liver specialties.

A friendly young man greeted our intimate group of three immediately on our arrival and offered us the option of sitting outside on the Patio or inside. Although several outdoor tables were occupied, we opted for the dining room as the evening was slightly cool. The dining room was warmly lit with candles and soft lighting; mural scenes of Italy and wine cabinets graced the walls creating a pleasant, tasteful ambiance. Our server arrived after a short wait to take our drink order – no greeting or introduction; seemed a little cold. We ordered a bottle of Farnese Primitivo di Puglia red wine, as well as a bottle of mineral water.

After what seemed like a long wait, my husband found a bottle of the wine we ordered in the wine rack, and took it to the bar with a request for it to be opened. Our server immediately showed up and in a very loud voice told him he can not touch the wine and to put it back where he got it. The wine was put back in it’s place and our server then came and set a bottle of San Pellegrino on our table and proceeded to make a big show of trying to find the wine. Eventually he found another bottle, opened the wine and hurriedly poured for everybody – no bottle presentation or sample before full pours. Disappointing – we have never experienced that when dining.

For appetizers, we decided on the Antipasto Al Colosseo and Spaghetti Aglio. The Antipasto was a beautiful plate of colors which included roasted peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms, prosciutto wrapped melon, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, spiced Italian salami and thin sliced veal topped with a creamy tuna fish sauce and capers. Each individual morsel was a delicious, heavenly treat! The Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino was a worthy competitor; pasta al dente tossed with olive oil, garlic and a small amount of little red hot peppers – delectable, piquant, luscious. A basket of white bread accompanied the appetizers. Our rude server was quickly banished to the backs of our minds as the wonderful tastes and aromas overpowered us!

Pizza Margherita (Margarita) arrived next, bubbly fresh from the touted Stone oven; nicely browned crust topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil and a little arugula. Perhaps it is possible to find a better pizza in Italy, but this Al Colosseo pizza is Berlin perfection!

The huge Pizza Calzone was just as good – a pizza “pocket” filled with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian salami, ham and mushrooms, topped with a little sauce for colour, as well as arugula and some grated parmesan.

One of the house recommendations was the Ravioloni – Fresh, thin noodle pockets stuffed with beef and mushrooms, topped with a truffle cream sauce, cherry tomatoes, arugula and finished off with a generous dose of parmesan cheese. This divine dish was delectable, unforgettable perfection.

As far as Italian Restaurants in a foreign country go, this one is a clear winner. The food was fresh, nicely prepared, beautifully plated and simply delicious.  We hope they eventually find a worthy server to match.

4 Stars **** because:

• Delicious food
• Great Atmosphere
• Fabulous Variety
• Fresh, in house prepared dishes
• Friendly kitchen
• Nice wine selection

Lost 1 Star -* because:

Unfriendly Server – a server can make or break the atmosphere, and this server destroys it – Luckily the food is so good.
Italian restaurant tradition offers a digestif on the house at the end of a meal – we were not offered one on our first visit, however, we were offered one on our second visit (the following evening because we had to know if the server simply had a bad day or was really as bad as we thought). Unfortunately, he was as impertinent the second time as the first time – fair to say he was at best uninterested, at worst rude.

Please note, I repeat, the Chef and kitchen staff were great!

Al Colosseo, Berlin – Photo Album
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