After knocking back five pints of Berlin Pilsner I was asked if I wanted to go BilaKiss, allegedly the best kebab shop in Berlin. Well I must say I did not have to be asked twice, after all many would opine that when it comes to doner kebabs Berlin is ground zero.
This is because not only was it supposedly invented here, but many claim Germany does the best in the world. And yes they do mean better even than Turkey. But! Better than England? I decided I would be the judge of this.
Click to read about the best kebab in Medway.
Table of Contents
The BilaKiss Story
BilaKiss is a Berlin kebab shop operating in the city’s late-night food and nightlife circuit. It serves high volumes of customers, particularly in the evening and night hours when the area is busiest.
The ownership structure is not publicly documented in detail, which is common for independent kebab shops in Berlin that are probably not all that into paying any tax.
There have been occasional claims and rumours that this place is used to “clean” money, which is why the ingredients are so good. In the case of BilaKiss, none of this is verified – and we obviously have no wider an opinion than whatever they are doing it bloody works.
The BilaKiss Menu
The menu is broad and follows the standard Berlin kebab format, with plenty of options:
- Döner kebab (beef/lamb mix) – €7.50
- Lamb döner kebab – €8.50
- Chicken döner kebab – €7.00
- Dürüm wrap – €8.00
- Gemüse kebab – €7.50
- Falafel kebab – €6.50
- Lahmacun – €6.50
- Extra meat – €2.50
- Fries – €3.50
- Drinks (beer and soft drinks) – €3.00
The Gemüse Kebab Style
The Gemüse kebab is one of Berlin’s signature kebab variations. It builds on the standard doner but adds grilled vegetables such as aubergine, peppers, onions and salad layered directly into the wrap.
Instead of pita bread, it is served in a large, heavy German bread roll, which makes it more filling and more like a full meal than a light snack.
The sauces are key to the structure of the kebab, typically including spicy sauce, garlic sauce and herb yoghurt-based sauces. In some cases, curry ketchup is also used as an additional flavour element. The combination of meat, vegetables, bread and sauces is what defines the Berlin kebab style.
The Taste
I’ll start with the excellent layout of the place, which has a number of indoor and outdoor seating areas, as well as beer, which makes it much more than just a takeaway deal.
We all went for lamb, which for me at least is much more authentic than the abomination that is chicken. We went for three sauces: spicy, garlic and of course the best German invention ever, currywurst sauce. These were all served in what makes this dish so good, a big hearty German bread rather than pita. This is all then packed with the meat and so many vegetables it is almost a salad.
You are then offered orange juice as a free drink, or you can get a beer as we did. And it was epic, one of the best kebabs I have ever had. This was achieved principally by the three sauces matching themselves perfectly, with the meal being so hearty because of the bread that you were not overwhelmed by the sauces.
For something so cheap, it is absolutely huge and enough to feed even the most drunken of appetites.
Therefore one of the best kebabs I have ever had and indeed proof that German kebabs do exist in their very own little universe. I therefore thoroughly agree that this is probably the best kebab shop in Berlin. Yet despite this, and perhaps because I see things through my own upbringing bias, it could not hold a candle to a British doner and chips. Pound for pound, the English Turks still do it better.
Location location location – BilaKiss Berlin Address
Address:
Frankfurter Allee 48
10247 Berlin
Germany
Opening hours:
Monday–Sunday: 10:00 – 03:00
Friday–Saturday: 10:00 – 05:00
Website: https://www.bilakiss.de