Welcome to Maybachufer Markets
If you’re looking to pick up a bargain, pack up a picnic, or just while away an hour or two in the company of authentic Berlin, you’re going to love the vibe on Maybachufer.
We have markets on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and on alternate Sundays during the summer, and they are like nothing else you have ever witnessed, guaranteed!
Being in Istanbul. The most Kreuzberg thing ever
The Turkish market, at Maybachufer, is Berlin’s largest outdoor produce market and is mostly frequented by locals and, increasingly, welcomes visitors to the city. Held all year round on Tuesdays and Fridays (except official holidays), it is a rich slice of Istanbul on the leafy banks of the Landwehr canal which slices through the southern central districts of the city.
Its roots can be traced back many decades because the largest ex-pat population outside of Turkey can be found in Berlin. It’s as simple as that and is a legacy of the post-war Gastarbeiter years.
The freshness and abundance of fruit and vegetables here cannot be matched, and the prices are some of the keenest in Berlin. The aromas of Turkey fill the air as pungent bunches of herbs and seasonal fruits change hands, while succulent, en-point tomatoes and avocados are dished out by the box for pennies.
Scrap everything you ever heard about German reserve – this place rocks and gets especially busy on Friday afternoons in high summer.
The market has evolved in recent years with prepared food stalls, handicrafts, and live music being thrown into the mix. Snack on freshly-boiled corn cobs, calorifically-outrageous gözleme and oriental sweets, and wash it all down with fruit smoothies and coffees and, of course, pomegranate juice.
Food is definitely the star attraction here but it’s also a great market to buy fresh flowers, fabric and sewing supplies, and everything from books, clothing, electronics accessories, hand-crafted jewellery, to the sparkliest, most tasteless shoes imaginable!
Amid the organised chaos, Local, organic, artisanal food stalls sit side-by-side with bountiful olives, spices and cheeses from the Mediterranean and across the rest of the continent.
And on Saturday
There is also a market on Saturdays in the same location, although with a very different character. The focus here being more on crafts, affordable artworks, and gourmet food than fresh produce.
It is a great place for visitors who have strayed off the beaten-path to pickup cool gifts and hand-made momentoes of Berlin which were almost certainly also “Made-In-Berlin.”
Fabrik Tip: Think ahead. If a friend has a birthday on the horizon and you would normally spend perhaps 20€ to 50€, this is where you’re bound to come up trumps.
Must Do: Be patient at Der Griecher (the Greek) deli stall. The service is slower than a week in jail but his pastes, olives and mezes are to die for.
Just don’t: If you’re coming by bike, lock it up before you get to the market or be prepared for some full-strength Berliner Schnauze.
WHEN:
Tuesdays & Fridays, 11am – 6.30pm
Saturdays, 11am – 5.30pm
WHERE:
Maybachufer Neukölln, 12047 Berlin
TRANSPORT:
On foot: 15 minutes from Die Fabrik
Tram: N/A
Train: U-Bahn Schönleinstrasse
Bus: 171, 194
Nowkölln on Maybachufer
Not to be confused with our legendary Turkish Market, Nowkoelln flea-market, towards the eastern end of Maybachufer, is a twice-monthly bun fight which is a relatively recent addition to the choice of Sunday markets in Berlin.
It took a while to build up a head of steam, and was pretty much only frequented by those locals who could drag themselves out of bed sufficiently early to make it all worthwhile. These days, however, word has gotten around and Nowkoelln is as much a favourite amongst young, local couples and the fabled, lesser-spotted Kreuzkölln hipster as it is the more adventurous easyJetters who are looking to discover another slice of off-beat Berlin.
One person’s junk is another person’s treasure
In keeping with the fine Berlin tradition of trying to sell stuff that you can’t be bothered to throw out, there is plenty to rummage through and there are definitely bargains to be had amongst the boxes of LP’s, books and memorabilia. Finding the odd super-cool 1950s lamp or a deliciously beaten-up vintage satchel is certainly not out of the question.
In fact, vintage clothing and accessories are as good a reason as any to come here.
Ever-changing is the sheer abundance of arts and crafts makers who are getting in on the act and you’ll find a strong selection of handmade jewellery, interesting prints by local artists and organic, fair-trade clothes including stylish and unique T-shirts.
The street food’s not bad, either. We have variously given a thumbs-up to the bratwurst, the crêpes, the falafel and certainly the grilled fish. The paella guy is worth seeking out, too; he keeps two huge trays – one veggie, the other with chicken and prawns – on the go for much of the day and they are brim-full with Iberian yumminess that serves as a fine lunch or an expert hang-over cure.
Fabrik Tip: Try to get there early-ish. After 13:00 on a sunny day, Nowkoelln can become just a tad too busy and all the best stuff will have been snapped up.
Must Do: Be decisive. That 1960s “Big E” Levis jacket for 25€ will be gone if you hesitate a moment longer. Buy it!
Just don’t: They say that “fair exchange is no robbery”. Many of the vendors here will be struggling to pay the rent so, as tempting as it might be, don’t haggle too hard and everyone with have had a nice day.
WHEN:
Alternate Sundays, 10am – 6pm
WHERE:
Maybachufer 31
12047 Berlin
TRANSPORT:
On Foot: 10 minutes from Die Fabrik
Bus: M29, 171, 194
U-Bahn: U1 Görlitzer Bahnhof, U8 Schönleinstraße
