Broken English (Kreuzberg)
This shop has reopened in Kreuzberg in October 2019. The former owner, Dale Carr from Sheffield, came to Berlin in the late seventies to work for the British armed forces. She opened her first own shop in the mid-nineties. The new owner has moved the shop to its current location in Arndstraße. At Broken English, customers come across a nice selection of food and gifts which indeed inspire thoughts of the United Kingdom. There are typical English chocolate bars and biscuits, obviously tea and whisky – the latter also as cake ingredient. Beer and the infamous Marmite spread are available, too. Furthermore you will find the suitable crockery for an original English tea time. And you can read up on the versatility of British cuisine in various cookbooks which are on sale as well.
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Der Fischladen (Prenzlauer Berg)
Der Fischladen (fish shop) in Schönhauser Allee doesn’t offer fish & chips only, but hardly any pub in Berlin comes as close to the original English snack in its best form. According to the website, they use the original English batter, Standard Gold, for frying. And just like in the UK they cut their chips especially thickly. To cap the authenticity, you’ll get your treat with English malt vinegar on top and wrapped in an English newspaper. Der Fischladen has got various other dishes on its menu which shall not remain unmentioned – from redfish to prawn. Furthermore, there even is a weekly menu at this place near Milastraße.
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Chelsea Farmers Club (Charlottenburg)
In reality, the „Chelsea farmers“ are Germans who are trying to teach Berliners some English style with their shop in Charlottenburg’s Schlüterstraße. Their repertoire comprises jackets, shoes and socks as well as furniture and accessoires. Products are less traditional than you might think. You will discover many bright colours and funny things. Do we really need an umbrella with a gun grip though?
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Get A Life British Clothing (Friedrichshain)
The Farmers Club appears too bourgeois for your taste? Then head straight to Get A Life for an alternative. This shop is located in Samariter quarter, at the corner of Rigaer Straße with its squats. It sells British fashion brands that became popular through youth and subculture: Lonsdale, Fred Perry, Doc Martens, Merc, Ben Sherman and others. The owners are German though. Besides the fashion taste, they also share the English passion for football. In their shop they sell tickets for the home games of 1. FC Union.
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Another Country (Kreuzberg)
Calling „Another Country“ just another English second-hand bookshop would be clear understatement. First, the shop located in Bergmannkiez (Bergmann quarter) and managed by Sophie Raphaeline acts as a library, too. You pay a book in full as you go, but it is possible to return it and get the money back except for 1,50 Euros lending fee. Furthermore the owners organise regular film and quiz nights, book groups and a Friday night dinner with a British touch. According to the website, Another Country is supposed to be a place of free speech and discussion in British tradition. It was possibly this atmosphere which contributed to the decision of Lonely Planet travel guide to vote the shop among the 10 best bookshops of the world.
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Saint George’s (Prenzlauer Berg)
This shop in Kollwitzkiez (Kollwitz quarter) stocks a downright huge range of new and used English books. Twin brothers Paul and Daniel have established it since 2003 with seed money from an English start-up. Besides many British and American authors Saint George’s also sells books translated into English. They specialize not only in fiction, but also in philosophy, history and other humanities. Want to get rid of some used books in good condition which you bought in Saint George’s? You will get a voucher worth half the original prize for them. And they also buy second-hand books from other sources against vouchers or cash.
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The English Scent (Charlottenburg)
This is the smell of England: in a shop in Goethestraße you can treat yourself to an intrinsically „English Scent“. Lothar Ruff only sells perfumes and body care products from the United Kingdom. Their diversity is something a layman probably does not suspect. In Ruff’s shop you can see for yourself – and obviously turn to the owner for advice. Even the product descriptions for the online shop are written with a love of detail which lets the expertise of The English Scent’s owner shine through. A lot of the flasks and tubes bear classic-looking labels, catering for customers with nostalgic feelings towards the monarchy. And even without such feelings all natural scent lovers will find this shop worth a call.
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