Cafe Berlin closes, leaving the city nearly bereft of German cuisine

Westword restaurant critic Gretchen Kurtz may have seen the writing on the wall when she reviewed Cafe Berlin in October of last year. "If ever a place were in need of intervention by Restaurant: Impossible, this is it," declared Kurtz. "At dinner the place can be so empty -- as...

By Lori Midson

August 12, 2013

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Westword restaurant critic Gretchen Kurtz may have seen the writing on the wall when she reviewed Cafe Berlin in October of last year. "If ever a place were in need of intervention by Restaurant: Impossible, this is it," declared Kurtz. "At dinner the place can be so empty -- as it was on one recent visit -- that you're afraid to talk for fear that the few other guests might overhear. At times like those, the brilliantly colored street scenes hanging on the walls seem sad, a reminder of pre-war Europe's faded glory," she added.

And now Cafe Berlin -- one of the city's only (and oldest) German restaurants -- is just that: "faded glory," having shuttered last night after service, and, no doubt, lots of commiserating tears trickling into the joint's beer steins.

The closure, posted on Cafe Berlin's Facebook page, says only this from owner Marlene Garrett:

Dear friends Things didn't work out the way they were supposed to, so today is our last day here. Thank you all so very much for supporting us all these years. I wish you all the very best. Thank you. I am sorry. Marlene

Auf Wiedersehen.

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