No visit to Berlin would be complete without eating at least one traditional, Turkish döner. While the döner may not be native to German culture, it has become a popular food option in Berlin. With a high population of Turkish people living in the city, Turkish food and culture has become an important part of Berlin culture. To fully experience Berlin would require dabbling a bit into the Turkish influence.

Döner stands line the streets of Berlin and are often the inexpensive lunch option for Berliners. Döner stands are also open later than most restaurants so they are often a dining choice for clubbers or those staying out late.

Döners will typically cost anywhere between two to five Euros — depending on the kind you order. The sandwich is typically served with lamb meat, but be aware that you can order a vegetarian or chicken döner as well. A salad made of chopped lettuce, cabbage, onions and cucumber is then added to the meat in thick flatbread. And your choice of sauce will top the salad. Most stands will typically have a hot sauce, herb sauce, curry sauce and garlic sauce to choose from. My advice? Always order the “Hausegemacht Soße” – the homemade sauce that is unique to each döner stand.

Also, word to the wise: plan on making a huge mess while eating your döner. It is difficult to eat one without getting it everywhere!

While there may be many döner stands to choose from in Berlin, not all of them will give you a quality or worthwhile döner experience. When I lived in Berlin, I had my fair share of good döners and bad döners. And eating a bad döner is enough to ruin the experience for you forever. It became my goal to discover the best döner finds in Berlin before I finished my study abroad. The following are my top three favorite finds:

1. Yorckstrasse Döner: Take the S-bahn to the Yorckstrasse S-bahn station. The döner stand is located just outside of the station. Exit anywhere and once you’re on the street, you’ll find the döner stand. This is my all-time favorite döner. Be sure to ask for the “Hausegemacht Soße” because you won’t want to miss out!

2. Charlottenburg Döner: Take the U-bahn (U2 line) to Sophie-Charlotte Platz. Exit the station on Bismarckstrasse and walk a few steps until you reach SchlossStrasse. Take a left on the street and walk past the small park. On the corner you’ll see a döner station. This döner is delightful and inexpensive!

3. Shark Döner: Take the S-bahn to Hackescher Markt. After exiting the station, look for a gigantic Starbucks. Shark Döner is located right across the street from the Starbucks. Hackescher Markt is a thriving area in Berlin and Shark Döner is located right in the middle of the hustle and bustle.