Pala Berlin - Greek Cafe — Restaurant in Berlin

See response to comment from owner below. I’ve been wanting to try this place for a long time so today I finally went. First shock was that the location in the photos is their old location. The new location isn’t as nice.

Also unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to try the food because, since I am allergic to dairy, I asked if they could leave the yoghurt off the Aubergine dish. They said they could leave the yoghurt off but they refuse to since the taste won’t be the same. They offered the 1 vegan fava dish on their menu instead, but I told them I don’t like fava (pureed split peas) and that I was craving a dish similar to Aubergine Imam which is a very common vegan dish in Greece (I.e. no yogurt on top). They said they won’t leave the yoghurt off so I respected their decision and left.

So, if you are allergic or intolerant to lactose and / or vegan then be aware you only have 1-2 choices here, both fava dishes.

With that said, despite being inflexible, the staff seemed friendly.

Response to reply from owner:

My review is fair and true based on the experience I had. You chose to be inflexible and I was offered one lactose free alternative, a fava dish. You didn’t mention any other lactose free option when I was in your café.

I know I don’t like fava because I’ve tried it more than numerous times in Greece (Nafplio, Lefkadia, Santorini, Kefalonia, Paros, and the list of locations in Greece goes on). So as you can tell, I’ve lived and travelled in Greece for enough time, and experienced dining at different locations, to know that this experience was not fair.

The pictures do not reflect the location of the address listed in Google. The photos are of a different location. That is a fact, so I’m not sure how you can argue that.

My advise: learn from customer feedback so you can do better next time. I see that you justify yourself whenever someone leaves a negative review but it comes from a negative place rather than seeing it as an opportunity to grow and improve your customer experience. Therefore, I’ve updated my score from what was a fair 3 star to a 1 star.

Please reconsider and despite this unpleasant experience, I do wish you...

I wouldn't call it bad food per se, at least the ingredients seem high quality, but in terms of composition this was one of the worst Greek salads I've ever had. There were barely any cucumbers (3 small slices?), the feta is crumbled, there was a single measly olive, and barely any olive oil?? Instead it was bombarded with super strong balsamic vinegar which, what?? Ive never had a greek salad with any vinegar and I've had thousands. And this cost 11eur, jesus christ. And it was the only low carb option on the menu (or at least could be made low carb after I asked without the bread & chickpeas, which also, why would a Greek salad have chickpeas?)

The staff are at least friendly and helpful, the place is nicely designed, this is why not one star, but I'm not coming back for this food, I feel so cheated paying that much for that "greek" salad.

Edit: to the response from the owner that claims this is an "elevated" greek salad and I should go to a taverna, well maybe you tried to elevate it bit the simple fact is it didn't taste good nor was it satisfying because of the lack of cucumbers and olives. Sourdough bread is useless for me as I don't eat gluten, and if you rely on bread to be satisfying that means the dish is lacking. Trust me I love elevated gourmet food and modernised versions of dishes, this wasn't it, the balsamic was so strong it completely dominated the taste, and as I said there was barely any olive oil until I asked for more. If you make a variation from a traditional dish that works, you better make it good, and I'm sorry but you didn't and no, considering what I got it was not worth that price even in today's...

I had a spectacular brunch at pala‘s. Just like the hidden location it is a hidden gem in berlin. The moment my friend and i set foot in this beautiful cafe we were blown away by the beautiful decoration and interior full of plants. You could sit on the terrace or inside, both looked cozy. Indoors there were comfortable sofas and tables that also served as study places for some guests. You would order your food, pay directly and then get to enjoy the quiet ambiente. The waiters were super friendly and kind. The food was also incredible. I had the eggplant on top of a bed of yogurt and my friend had a filled pepper. We were both stunned by the quality and the taste of the food. In addition to my eggplant dish, I got freshly baked pita bread that was coated in olive oil and herbs. To compliment our wonderful meal we ordered mimosas and an iced latte. We both agree, that we would love to...