Primo Maggio

Kreuzberg / Neukölln, Berlin –

Opened in 2010 by the self-described “proud lefty” Paolo Maggio, Primo Maggio is an airy little café with a relaxed vibe and a diehard dedication to pasta.

Sunny weekdays find young Kreuzberg artists lounging under big umbrellas on the sidewalk patio, where they smoke unfiltered Roth-Handles and chow down on the Internationale, a bountiful breakfast that includes fruit, yogurt, muesli, a club sandwich, fresh juice, and a double espresso.

Enough food and caffeine to storm any barricade the soulless corporate machine decides to build!

Relaxed couples and Italian expats gather inside at simple wooden tables to sip specialty coffees – all imported from a small Italian roaster – or dip their spoons into egg-free organic tiramisu made from locally sourced ingredients.

The daily menu of seasonal pastas is the biggest draw, offering weary tourists a feast of dishes like field ravioli stuffed with flower blossoms, while meat-loving Berliners can venture into exotic territory with such items as the antelope tagliolini.

All the food is easily complemented by a glass of imported Italian wine or beer, a choice most of the jovial regulars make as they huddle at tables along the sparsely decorated walls or chat with the owner about how Silvio Berlusconi destroyed the universe.

No matter what side of the political spectrum his patrons reside on, Paolo Maggio’s pasta has made Primo Maggio a popular haunt for carbo loading before a long day exploring or a long night of partying.