Der Kretaner takes business dinners, Christmas parties, company events, weddings and family celebrations for up to 150 guests when the whole restaurant is booked, with private rooms from 45 guests and cooking classes for groups of up to 15. The restaurant serves Cretan, Greek and Mediterranean cooking on Riemeisterstraße in Berlin-Zehlendorf, in the south-west of the city.
Seminars and company events
The format here is the dinner rather than the meeting. Teams book the wine cellar or a fireplace room for an evening after a conference day, a client dinner or an end-of-year party. The cellar has its own bar, a sound system and a projector, so a short presentation or a speech before dinner is possible. A private cooking class led by the chef works as a team activity for groups of up to 15. The restaurant is normally closed on Tuesdays, and private events can be held on that day on request, depending on the number of guests.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and family celebrations are part of the private events offer. The dance floor in the wine cellar and the option to book the whole restaurant make it workable for a wedding dinner followed by dancing. The owner advises hosts personally on the menu and the course of the evening.
Rooms and capacities
The Weinkeller, the wine cellar, takes about 70 to 75 guests without the dance floor, or 60 to 65 with it. The Kaminraum, the fireplace room, holds up to 60 guests, and the Moderner Kaminraum up to 45. The cellar and the modern fireplace room can be combined for up to 110 guests. Booked exclusively, the restaurant welcomes up to 150. In summer, a garden adds outdoor seating for regular service.
Catering
All food comes from the restaurant's own kitchen. Groups choose between buffet formats and a menu drawn up with the kitchen, ranging from traditional Cretan specialties to festive Mediterranean courses. The cellar holds more than 7,000 bottles of Greek wine, so wine plays a large part in any evening here. Throughout the year the restaurant runs themed nights, such as a Cretan lamb evening or a Greek fish evening, which give a sense of what the kitchen can prepare for a private group.
History and setting
Head chef and owner Dimitrios Psallidakis runs the kitchen and advises on private events and cooking classes himself. The rooms are organized around two fireplaces and the wine cellar, which gives each space its own character, from the bar in the cellar to the warmer fireplace rooms. Zehlendorf is a green residential district on the south-western edge of Berlin.
Getting there
The restaurant sits across from Onkel Toms Hütte station on the U3 line, which makes it easy to reach without a car. Berlin Brandenburg Airport is the nearest airport. The restaurant is open from noon to 11 p.m. every day except Tuesday, which leaves Tuesday free for private bookings.
