Currywurst
Berlin-native Konsti Dieterle shares nostalgic stories about currywurst and Berlin in the 90s.
As a lover of currywurst and generally all things saucy, this was a real treat of an interview.
Favorite Food interviews real people about their favorite food.
You’ve got to come here at least once if you want to be considered a real Berliner.
With rapid growth and development, Berlin has gone from “arm aber sexy” (poor but sexy), to straight up expensive — but still sexy. And while I can’t complain about the new crop of third-wave coffee shops and Soulcycle copycats, I love the old-school charm of places that remain unchanged.
So when my friend and Berlin-native, Konsti Dieterle, mentioned that he’s been going to Krasselt’s for currywurst since he was a kid in the 90s, I was intrigued. Now based in The Netherlands, Konsti still comes back to Krasselt’s for currywurst when he’s back in Berlin.
As we huddle outside the Krasselt’s stand over our currywurst and pommes (fries), Konsti shares stories of Berlin in the 90s, being part of the famous hip hop group K.I.Z. in the early days, and what keeps him coming back to Krasselt’s after all these years.
Is currywurst your favorite food?
Currywurst is not my favorite food. It's a good food; it's a comfort food.
But is currywurst your favorite Berlin food?
That’s difficult to say because there’s another staple of Berlin food, döner kebab, which you know is also very good. I like the concept of currywurst more and how it was born in Berlin. Döner kebab already existed in Turkey; it was just adapted to the German market.
But with döner kebab I don't have the same emotional connection. It’s the tradition of coming to this spot [Krasselt’s].
What makes the best currywurst the best?
The sauce. I think the sauce is what makes it. Here the sauce is relatively sweet and they add a little bit of that acidic taste to it. They’ve never asked me before if I want to have it spicy, so I usually don't take it with chili flakes, but I actually liked it.
Any interesting facts about currywurst?
It was post-war and this woman1 was interested in gathering flavors from other countries like England, France, US, etc. and mixing those flavors together. Then she just made a sausage and put that on top and developed the concept of currywurst.
For a while I think it was the most eaten canteen food in Germany, but I think it's been dethroned recently2.
Where can I get the best currywurst?
Krasselt’s. This is not a touristy hotspot. Like she [the woman who served us] said, “You’ve got to come here at least once if you want to be considered a real Berliner.”
But what I really like here is the fact that it comes on that stick. I call it a meat popsicle. And again it's not in the Darm (intestine skin). Usually you have it with the intestine, which has more of a bite.
Maybe I should try other currywursts, but maybe I shouldn't. Maybe it’s also nice being stubborn and being happy that this is the one — Krasselt’s is the one.
What’s one memory you have of currywurst here at Krasselt’s?
I’ve been going to Krasselt’s since the early 90s, when I’d go with my best buddy Consti and his dad at least once a month. We were in Grundschule, which is primary school, so we were 6 or 7 years old.
I would always go for "zwei ohne Darm mit Pommes Schranke" and then there was Eis Henning across the street, something that's gone now, which was a chain that made fresh ice cream. We always got a pint of ice cream and ate that in the car. Obviously it was super healthy.
Unfortunately, his dad died early, but his mom kept the tradition so we’d go after football games or hockey games. And once Consti got a car, I think we went here once a week, because we would always do LAN parties at his place and then just drive here.
We’ve kind of lost touch, but it's still mainly because of them that I go here.
Any interesting facts about Krasselt’s?
I think it was an engineer that started it in the 50s. Somewhere around here he started selling it in the evening while he was still wearing his suit and tie. He would just put an apron on and start selling currywurst. He and his family made the sauce and perfected it.
It started growing as a weeknight spot, and the line got longer and longer. I think this is where Consti’s father got to know it and that's when he said, “Let's pass on the knowledge of the spot to the two boys”.
His dad was the one that had all the connections. He was a typical Berliner.
❤️ Vielen Dank Konsti for sharing all of these wonderful stories and for passing on the Krasselt’s knowledge.