Spindler is my favorite brunch stop when I'm in the mood for fresh eggs and classy but-yet-simple athmosphere. 

My favourite bar of the many around kreuzkölln is Bellman. After its sudden closure and reopening it underwent some changes and is boycotted by some of its former patronage, but for the less principled like myself it’s still a good place to go and they do pull the best Jever in Berlin.

I never knew this neighbourhood existed and went to visit a friend and was instantly transported out of Berlin into some sort of 50's utopia. "The Hansaviertel is a prime example of modern architecture and urban planning in the fifties in Berlin. 36 individual buildings or ensembles still form the model of modern architecture and urban planning of the 1950s. The southern part of the war-damaged Hansaviertel, which lies between the S-Bahn line and Tiergarten, was chosen as the central demonstration area of ​​the International Building Exhibition in order to present the "city of tomorrow" - in deliberate contrast to the East Berlin Stalinallee and the restored tenement barracks." - berlin.de Also visit The Akademie der Künste, if not for the art then the architecture alone.

Zola is a Neapolitan style pizza joint hidden inside a Kreuzberg backyard. This is a killer pizza place, one of the best in Berlin without a doubt. 

A good place to drown your Berliner winter-melancholy. The bartenders are top notch and the interior is warm but stylish, with the inevitable retro vibe. Open from 6 till late. There´s also a legendary (and kinda expensive) restaurant next door, which provides the bar with some excellent snacks. Works for dates and for friends, but if you´re planning for a bigger group it might be wise to reserve.