Palast Kiosk

Designed by Alfred Grenander—the architect behind many of Berlin’s early U-Bahn stations—this mint-green pavilion on Steinplatz is a protected monument that sat empty for years before two art students took over the keys. Elena Höller and Nicola Schüschke revived the structure not just as a place to buy drinks, but as a micro-institution for local culture. The interior is barely large enough for the operators, so the "Palast Galerie" concept pushes everything outward. A new artist takes over the display each month, while the surrounding plaza serves as the venue for whatever programming is on the schedule – from ceramics workshops and bookbinding sessions to open-air cinema nights. The counter service mixes high and low brow with little pretension. Alongside the requisite "süße Tüten" (mixed candy bags), the menu lists natural wine and Ethiopian coffee served with popcorn. You pick up your order at the window and find a spot on the square, where the line between customers, workshop participants, and passersby tends to dissolve. Instead of standard mass-market magazines, the shelves stock fanzines, artist books, and limited-edition prints sourced through open calls, turning a quick stop for caffeine into a browse through the local student art scene.