Café Kalwil

Nearly bang in the middle of the Motzstraße is this old-fashioned-gay establishment for breakfast, lunch and cakes, opened in 2013 by seasoned, charming and quietly cheeky restaurateur Felipe Visser, who in 1968 left Argentina for Berlin. Visser previously ran nearby restaurant Bamberger Reiter. This scaled-down operation preserves the essence of its predecessor with its near-cosy interior (antiques, traditional armchairs and sofas, froufrou decoration, warm lighting), fine home-made cakes (from the recipes of Visser's Bohemian-Austrian mother) and decently excecuted savouries, including morning and afternoon breakfasts, plus snack-sized classics such as chicken schnitzel, sausages, goulash, salads, quiches, bolognese and sandwiches. And not overpriced. Other defining features include a family of chandeliers and piped-in instrumental versions of easy-listening standards. There's even an indoor Gartenzimmer out back. Outdoor tables at the front provide a dandy view of the catwalk. The elements are here, but something doesn't quite gel (something to do with the service?). A serious downer: no toast.