erlin-born and bred Luisa Weiss left her native city to live in New York, where she edited cookbooks, before returning in 2009 and creating the popular The Wednesday Chef.com blog. Viking publishes her book, My Berlin Kitchen, A Love Story.

'I love Meierei, which is a little lunch spot in Prenzlauer Berg with only a scattering of tables. They make truly excellent Alpine food – from goulash to cheese-stuffed Knödel in an ethereal broth. The menu is not very long, but everything they make is exacting and perfect. It's a real gem.'

Meierei - Kollwitzstrasse 42 D-10405, www.meierei.net

James Glazebrook and Zoe Noble relocated to Berlin from London with their cats in 2010 and have been busy exploring the city and reporting back through their blog überlin.co.uk.

'PANTRY specialises in 'Iberian-Pacific' cuisine, a fusion of the chefs' training in Melbourne's Thai restaurants and love of the Mediterranean. This sleek but welcoming eatery turns out some of the most distinctive and well-flavoured dishes we've tasted in Berlin, from expertly spiced hot and sour beef salad to perfectly crisped free-range chicken with liquorice asparagus. An exciting addition to the city's cuisine scene.'

Pantry - 
Freidrichstrasse 120
10117, Mitte,
 www.pantry-berlin.com

Argentinean website designer Flaco Zacarias moved to Berlin from Barcelona in 2011 and while he prefers the Vietnamese and Thai restaurants, he heartedly recommends that visitors try a German dish or two.

'There's a good German restaurant where I go called Augustiner and it's at Gendarmenmarkt. Very nice place and great traditional German food from the south.'

Augustiner - Charlottenstraße 55 10117, www.augustiner-braeu-berlin.de

Sylee Gore, who was born in Mumbai, grew up in America but has lived in Berlin since 2000, writes the Berlin Reified.com blog.

'I'd love to recommend Joseph Roth Diele in Potsdamer Straße. The snug, atmospheric bistro/gallery is named after the German writer and the walls are covered with artworks based on his works. The simple, hearty dishes on offer (cheese spaetzle, open-faced sandwiches on brown bread) are perfect for a winter meal. If you're lucky, someone might tinkle the ivories on the mezzanine-level piano while you dine. (The day I was there, a man played Debussy.)'

Joseph Roth Diele - Potsdamer Straße 75, 10785, www.joseph-roth-diele.de

For coffee shops and bakeries in the central area of Mitte, the Foodie in Berlin.com blog is a great source of information. For cinnamon buns head to Zeit für Brot, Bakery & Café. Apparently the coffee is good at The Barn – Roastery, although not a place if you want to access wifi in a hurry as there is only one table where laptops are allowed. The coffee is excellent at the OSLO Kaffe Bar,
but they do not serve food.

Zeit für Brot, Bakery & Cafe - Alte Schönhauser, Straße 4,
 www.zeitfuerbrot.com

The Barn – Roastery Schönhauser Allee 8, www.thebarn.de

OSLO Kaffe Bar - Eichendorffstrasse 13
10115,
 www.oslokaffebar.com

When it comes to something stronger, the Good Food in Berlin.de blog is packed with reviews of bars. The Brazilian cocktail bar BR 101 is held up as a fantastic example of delicious but reasonably priced drinks and it has a happy hour between 7pm and 9pm. The Pony Bar is also recommended for wintry nights thanks to its cosy atmosphere.

Br 101
 - Torstraße 69
10119 Berlin
030 4404-3871 Pony Bar - Alte Schönhauser Strasse 44, 10119 Berlin-Mitte