April 23 (Bloomberg) -- The country in which green salads were once verboten has a capital stuffed with a great variety of restaurants, not all of which involve sausages. Here, in alphabetical order, is our selection for business dining in Berlin.

1. Al Contadino Sotto Le Stelle: Auguststrasse 34, 10119 Berlin. Information: +49-30-281-9023; http://www.biancomassaro.de

What: Italian home-style cooking in a cozy, lively trattoria setting favored by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie when they are visiting Berlin.

Why: Regularly changing menu. Simple, tasty antipasti such as prosciutto with fig mustard, savoy cabbage with octopus and white beans. Jovial, informal service.

Where: In the trendy part of Berlin’s Mitte district, on arty Auguststrasse.

When: For parties and dates. Too noisy and intimate for serious business meetings.

Bar: No, but try the Hackbarth across the road for an authentic Berlin Mitte bar experience.

Private Room: No, although the back room can be hired in its entirety for big groups. Space is at a premium here.

2. Fischers Fritz: Charlottenstrasse 49, 10117 Berlin. Information: +49-30-2033-6363; http://www.fischersfritzberlin.com

What: Top-rated (and top-priced) hotel restaurant with focus on fish dishes.

Why: Fabulous oysters, impeccable service, lots of space and privacy, plus the standard of cuisine you would expect from a restaurant with two Michelin stars.

Where: In the Regency Hotel, near Gendarmenmarkt and Unter den Linden.

When: The three-course lunch menu for 39 euros is good value compared with four courses at dinner for 95 euros.

Bar: There is a separate bar in the hotel.

Private Room: Yes, for parties of up to 15.

3. Grill Royal: Friedrichstrasse 105b, 10177 Berlin. Information: +49-0-288-79-288; http://www.grillroyal.com

What: Steakhouse with panoramic open-plan design, soft lighting and svelte greeters in little black dresses.

Why: Great steak. Great oysters. Great celebrity-spotting potential. Don’t go expecting adventurous cooking.

Where: On the banks of the Spree, close to Friedrichstrasse station.

When: Business meetings, dates; open every day from 6 p.m. It’s best to go early and in a small group to avoid long waits.

Bar: Yes, a long sweeping one with comfortable sofas.

Private Room: No.

4. Ma Tim Raue: Behrenstrasse 72, 10117 Berlin. Information: +49-30-3011-1733-3; http://www.ma-restaurants.de

What: Sparse Asian elegance, complete with 2,000-year-old horse sculptures; a view of the kitchen through big glass panes from the restaurant; European-influenced Chinese cuisine.

Why: Beautiful presentation, excellent service and original, carefully prepared dishes. A recent menu included soft shell crab with tamarind foam; ox cheeks with winter vegetables and lime-leaf sauce.

Where: In the handsomely reconstructed Hotel Adlon, near the Brandenburg Gate.

When: Suitable for business dinners. Now open for lunch as well as dinner; closed Sunday and Monday.

Bar: Just down the corridor is the Schochu Bar.

Private Room: No, although the sister restaurant Uma, in the same complex and also run by Tim Raue, has several.

5. Maxwell: Bergstrasse 22, 10115 Berlin. Information: +49-30- 280-7121; http://www.mxwl.de

What: Modern European cooking in an elegantly converted old brewery with a pretty courtyard, removed from the buzz of the city.

Why: Reliably good food with fish and one vegetarian option as well as hearty meat dishes. A relaxed yet refined ambiance.

Where: On a quiet residential street in Berlin Mitte, away from the tourist sights. Maxwell is not somewhere you stumble across -- you need to know where it is and you need to book.

When: Business dinners, social occasions. The service is noticeably better midweek than at weekends. The courtyard is one of Berlin’s best outdoor dining locations in summer.

Bar: Yes, in the restaurant, best suited for pre-dinner aperitifs.

Private Room: Yes, seating up to 18 people.

6. Solar: Stresemannstrasse 76, 10963 Berlin. Information: +49- 163-765-2700; http://www.solarberlin.com

What: Spectacular panorama views from a high-rise building used by the CIA for reconnaissance during the Cold War. Competent food, service sometimes overstretched, reasonable wines.

Why: The view. Be sure to book a window table.

Where: Near Potsdamer Platz, at the back of an unprepossessing parking lot. A glass elevator whooshes guests up from there to the 16th floor.

When: Evenings only from Monday to Saturday, also open for brunch on Sunday from 10 a.m.

Bar: Yes, one floor above the restaurant, complete with leather seats and a swing to relax on with a cocktail and admire the view.

Private Room: No.

7. Shiro I Shiro: Rosa-Luxemburg Strasse 11, 10178 Berlin. Information: +49-30-9700-4790; http://www.shiroishiro.com

What: Hybrid Asian and modern European cooking in an elegant, pearly white environment. A recent menu even included some Peruvian specialties thrown in for good measure.

Why: Excellent sushi, surprising mixes of ingredients that generally work well, prices that won’t break the bank. Special features include Berlin’s longest table, with room for 56 people, and cozy private alcoves with gauzy curtains.

Where: In an unpromising side street near the concrete jungle of Alexanderplatz in central Berlin.

When: When you have a few hours to spare, as service can be very leisurely. Suitable for business and pleasure.

Bar: Yes, with a large range of cocktails.

Private Room: No.

8. Weinbar Rutz: Chausseestrasse 8, 10115 Berlin. Information: +49-30-2462-8760; http://www.rutz-weinbar.de

What: Winebar and restaurant that was awarded its first Michelin star in the 2008 guide.

Why: More than 1,000 wines; experimental cooking with ingredients such as sweetbreads and blutwurst, sometimes served with surprises like wasabi foam, parmesan parfait or sherry ice cream.

Where: A few minutes walk from Friedrichstrasse station.

When: For business and private meetings. Evenings only, closed on Sundays. The restaurant also offers cooking classes and wine tastings.

Bar: Yes, downstairs is a wine bar with a simpler menu (sardines and bread, rocket salad and prawns.)

Private Room: No.

(Catherine Hickley writes for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer on the story: Catherine Hickley in Berlin at chickley@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 22, 2009 19:01 EDT