Schokoladen

The paint peeling from the facade reveals the words "Tsar's Chocolates", hinting at this run-down building's past. This former chocolate factory near Torstraße was turned into a cultural center ten years ago and now hosts lectures, readings, musical performances and club nights. The Orph Theatre recently moved to the Schokoladen and puts on in-house productions or invites guest groups from other cities. While Mitte district is becoming more and more hip with countless designer boutiques, exclusive restaurants and lounge bars like 808 and Lore, Schokoladen sums up the free-wheeling spirit of the nineties when artists and musicians set up shop in disused factories and empty buildings. Luckily, the prices haven't changed for a decade either.