Frischeparadies — Specialty Store in Charlottenburg, Berlin

Frischeparadies is a specialty shop on Morsestraße in Charlottenburg, and the first thing you notice is how much of the floor is given over to counters rather than shelves: fish on ice, meat, cheese, ham and sausage, each with someone behind it to serve you.

The fish counter is the reason to come. Fillets are cut to the weight you ask for, and the oysters are plump and juicy, whether you eat them at the bar or take them home. The seafood soup is rich and comes with fresh bread alongside, and a plate of Serrano ham from the ham counter is an easy way to try the shop on a first visit.

Beyond the fish, there is a wine department worth a slow walk, with staff who will point you toward what to drink with what you have bought, plus sauces, olives and olive oil on the shelves. The bistro sits inside the market hall, ringed by the wine section, with counter seats that put you in front of the open kitchen.

Prices sit in the €20 to €80 band, and the gap between this shop and an ordinary supermarket is real: spirits and some steak cuts cost noticeably more here than elsewhere. A €10 voucher on a €50 purchase has been known to soften a first visit, so watch for that kind of offer.