Berlin
Bieberbau: a visual and gastronomic feast
From the outside it's almost impossible to believe what's hidden within, but step into the Bieberbau restaurant and prepare to be dazzled.
The fine dining establishment in the district of Wilmersdorf takes its name from Richard Bieber, a renowned sculptor and master plasterer who set up a studio here in 1894.
As a novel way to showcase his work he converted the ground floor into an inn, adorning its rooms with exquisite examples of the plasterer's art.
The highly detailed reliefs and mouldings were the finest of their kind, a perfect advertisement for Bieber's skills as well as a backdrop to one of Berlin's most extraordinary meeting places.
Miraculously, the fragile stucco survived World War II, and although Bieber's masterpiece later fell into disuse, a new restaurant was established here in 1968.
The lovely surroundings remain a highlight, and another is provided by the food itself: acclaimed gourmet fare awarded a coveted Michelin star.
What's more, the prix fixe menus count as one of Berlin's gastronomic bargains, with a fabulous 5-course meal costing (at time of writing) 62,50 €.
The perfect opportunity, then, to savour a unique historical gem and a dinner worthy of Bieber's legacy.
See also:
A chocolate shop in a pharmacy
Berlin's gloriously retro hotels
Berlin's inner-city village
Biberbau: Durlacher Straße 15, 10715 Berlin.
Dinner only; closed Sunday and Monday.