Zur Letzten Instanz, German restaurant in Berlin-Mitte, Germany
Zur Letzten Instanz is a German restaurant in Berlin-Mitte, housed in an old building set directly against the medieval city wall. It has four dining rooms with wooden paneling, a cast-iron spiral staircase, and traditional furniture spread across a compact space.
The place opened in 1621 as a brandy tavern and has been running ever since, making it Berlin's longest continuously operating restaurant. It took its current name in 1924, when its ties to the nearby courthouse were formally acknowledged.
The name refers to the nearby courthouse, where lawyers and judges once gathered after long hearings, and the restaurant became their natural meeting point. Today, framed documents and legal references on the walls still echo that connection, giving the room a particular character that sets it apart from a typical tavern.
The restaurant is in the historic center of Berlin and easy to reach on foot from the old town and surrounding sights. The dining rooms are small, so arriving early or booking ahead is a good idea, especially in the evening.
Inside one of the dining rooms stands an original majolica-tiled stove where Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly sat during his time in Berlin. The stove has survived intact and remains one of the few objects in the city with a direct physical link to his presence.
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