Hidden away inside a former late 19th-century women’s prison-turned-hotel in far west Charlottenburg, Lovis is notable not just for its unique, moody environs, but also for the quality of its food—the talented chef, Sophia Rudolph, comes from longstanding Berlin small plates fave Oh, Panama. Rudolph turns out beautifully presented vegetable-forward contemporary German cuisine, using many ingredients sourced from the nearby Brandenburg region. Though you can order á la carte, it’s best to sample her elegant dishes in either the four- or six-course tasting menu (also available in vegetarian versions).

Hidden away inside a former late 19th-century women’s prison-turned-hotel in far west Charlottenburg, Lovis is notable not just for its unique, moody environs, but also for the quality of its food – the talented chef, Sophia Rudolph, comes from longstanding Berlin small plates fave Oh, Panama. Rudolph turns out beautifully presented vegetable-forward contemporary German cuisine, using many ingredients sourced from the nearby Brandenburg region. Though you can order á la carte, it’s best to sample her elegant dishes in either the four- or six-course tasting menu (also available in vegetarian versions).

An ex-women’s prison may not scream ‘romance’ but there’s something about Lovis that lends itself to candle-lit dinners for two. Hidden behind a discreet door on Charlottenburg's busy Kantstrasse, a 19th-century courtyard blooming with wildflowers and clambering shrubs leads to a gabled dining room with a canopy of twinkling lights. My friend Sophia Rudolph spent her formative years in Lyon, France’s “official” culinary capital, and went on to work with legend Alain Ducasse, so naturally, her cooking is rooted in classical French technique.

The Berlin architects Armand Grüntuch and Almut Grüntuch-Ernst are experienced in bringing spaces steeped in history into the present with sensitivity and subtlety. They have proven this with the Jewish Girls' School in Auguststraße and now with one of the most successful restaurant spaces in Berlin: the Lovis, a former women's prison. Without ignoring the past, they have transformed the clear forms of the old Wilhelminian-style building into a place that is as aesthetic as it is poetic.

Bar chef Nils Lutterbach creates innovative and classic concoctions at Lovis. When Sophia Rudolph took over the kitchen at the newly opened Lovis at the end of 2021, there was huge interest. Foodies saw it as the "next big thing", partly because of the location: a former women's prison, lavishly converted into the Hotel Wilmina with 44 rooms and suites, a roof terrace, library, spa and restaurant.

The Lovis Restaurant in Berlin invites you to an exceptional dining experience where modern sophistication meets historical charm. Set in a brilliantly repurposed former prison, the restaurant features high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and sleek, clean lines. Enhanced by soft lighting, the ambiance is both striking and intimate.