Food-cations highlights DC area restaurants or events that offer food and experiences so unique you might forget you’re in DC.

Oktoberfest is in full swing in Munich, Germany, through Oct. 7. While thousands of revelers are celebrating Bavarian culture with lederhosen and steins in large beer tents, those of us who can’t make it can still experience authentic German hospitality in the District.

You won’t find a boisterous beer garden at Café Berlin on Capitol Hill, but you will find savory German cuisine.

The restaurant, housed in the bottom floor of three adjoining townhouses, offers a cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of a café in old Europe, and tables in an outdoor patio, which fill up quickly on a warm evening.

Aside from the traditional wursts and schnitzels, Café Berlin has a special Oktoberfest menu, with specials like Gegrillte Schweinehaxe (grilled pig’s knuckle) and Munchner Schlachtplatte (assorted German sausages and Kassler, or salted pork), each served with sauerkraut and home fries.

Order a liter of your favorite German beer and finish it off with one of the café’s famous house-made desserts that are made fresh daily, like the apple strudel, black forest cake or blueberry apricot torte.

Café Berlin
322 Massachusetts Ave. NE
(202) 543-7656