Kjosk, Mini Street Food Market, Kreuzberg

This was a Sugarhigh tip: a mini street food market in front of Kjosk.  Kjosk operates out of a white double-decker bus on a corner plot which used to be a garbage dump.  Presiding over the scene are graphic black and white depictions of hanging animals, 3 stories high, painted on the outside of the adjacent apartment building.

Entirely surreal and to me a so typical “only in Berlin” scenario.  Sure, big companies all over the world are trying to thrill us with pop ups, props and oddities of all sorts.  But this place felt uncontrived, authentically odd if you will.I read in this article in the New York Times that the Kjosk is the brainchild of Rosmarie Köckenberger and is simply a convenience store housed in a bus.  There are picnic tables, buckets of straggly plants, dirt - lots of it and a ping-pong table.

I didn’t expect much of the mini street food market.  I’ve been to a few of these Facebook food events this summer in Berlin and it’s usually not much more that a guy with a stack of Tupperware boxes serving food that has sat around for too long in the heat.  I’ve also been to the fancy ones, like Pret at Diner and have considered myself lucky to come back with my wallet even if the contents had been thoroughly emptied.There were some nice looking pieces of meat on the BBQ which were being served in large chunks of baguette, tyropita, mini lemon meringue pies.  It looked good as did the handsome people serving it.  When I saw the Brazilians had donned on rubber gloves to cut up the mango with salt and pepper they were making, I lined up and bought one; for €1.50.

I’m going to do a mini dance in my chair now for two reasons: first, because it’s great to encounter a reasonable price in Berlin, too often anyone who has even a wisp of a clever idea feels this entitles them to charge 3 times the going rate anywhere in the world.

Second, all these people with ideas about food starting up their independent Facebook food events, cafes, restaurants, whatever; one thing is almost alway lacking -hygiene.  Money being exchanged with the same hands that are fondling the radishes you are about to serve me raw and not a sink in sight. (Cringe and inward shudder)

We bought Layla a fish waffle filled with red bean paste, she ate half of it but too slowly so my husband decided he couldn’t possibly carry her and the waffle fish so he ate the fish to free his hands, allegedly.  The mini street market was labeled as the 1st one, which implies there will be more (Yay!).  Before that, if you ever run out of gummi bears in the middle of the night, Kjosk is the place to come to.

Kjosk
Oranienstrasse 1
Kreuzberg 10999

14 Responses to Kjosk, Mini Street Food Market, Kreuzberg

  1. ceciliag says:

    very cool idea.. we had a bus in NZ that sold pies late at night.. years ago.. I love the murals on the walls too.. c

  2. Sylee says:

    Was so sad to miss it! Glad to see it through your eyes.

    • Next time we should go together. I bought a mango myself for that salt and pepper thing but it’s still not ripe enough. Have to go down to that Vietnamese market everyone keeps talking about.

      • N Ma says:

        It’s not supposed to be ripe, it’s supposed to be unripe. The tartness of an unripe mango is what you’re going for to be balanced with the salt and pepper.

      • That makes things easier. I can always find unripe mango although there wer def. some soft sweet pieces in the mix.

  3. Adam says:

    I stumbled on this as well. What a cool event and a great place to hang out!

  4. The setting reminds somewhat of Prinzessinengärten, except the Murals are way more striking and Prinzessingärten feature a freight container bar instead of a Doppeldecker store. Cool! Kjosk has been pretty much on top of my want-to.visit places in Berlin for a while.

  5. Pingback: food food food | THE EAT GIRL

  6. kavita says:

    YEY! so glad you liked the market!! & thank you for the lovely review, Ihope you make it to the next one too! (date to be confirmed) If you know of anyone who would like to be a part of the next one please get them in touch with me… my email add is [email protected]

    See you soon! xxx
    Kavita

  7. Pingback: Cool places « isoltberlin

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