Lavanderia Vecchia

Berlin loves repurposing­, whether it’s turning a former bomb shelter into an art space or a power plant into a nightclub. One of the most innovative transformations is the wildly popular Italian restaurant that has popped up in an old laundromat. Linens are still hanging on clotheslines, but, of course, displaying the history of the space is part of the point. If you can snag one of the tables at dinner (reservations are a must), you will be served excellent Italian cuisine prepared in an open kitchen and served to all of the tables at once. Antipasti may include burrata and mozzarella, vitello tonnato, calamari and bean salads, which are followed by risotto and a meat dish. The menu changes depending on what is in season and the chef feels like preparing, but the family-style meals are consistently delicious.