Rausch Schokoladenhaus

Amazing view and unusual deserts. Everything was delicious. Coffee, tea, cakes. Most of all I liked the cake from goat cheese. But! It's not sweet at all! And of cause it's for those who like goat cheese 😊 nice atmosphere and good service. May be lines - very touristic place

I tried the handmade chocolates. They were quite good. However, I wouldn't say they were the best I've ever eaten at. The fillings were very flavorful. Atmosphere is very nice. Especially the first floor is one of the best chocolate shops I've ever visited. Although the chocolates were great, I decided to give it 4 stars in comparison to Neuhaus.

This will always be one of my favorite places in Berlin. The ambiance is delightful, infused with the aromas of love and chocolate. The menu offers a wonderful variety of options at reasonable prices. They provide an assortment of cold chocolate drinks, cafés, and hot chocolate, allowing you to customize the bitterness and type of chocolate to suit your preference. The flavors are exceptional, and the desserts are truly outstanding. Additionally, the service is both elegant and attentive, making for a memorable dessert experience.

It was really nice — there were many different types of chocolate, and the bar on the top floor was also good. I gave it 4 stars because we had to wait about 30–40 minutes in line before getting two free seats. I also missed having windows for better air circulation. The prices were reasonable, and both the hot chocolate and the small chocolates were good.

This chocolate store is an absolute gem! The sheer variety of products on display will leave you in awe. If you have the time, it’s worth making a visit. However, selecting a selection can be overwhelming if you’re not a sweet tooth. What truly sets this store apart are the chocolate figures that beautifully capture some of Berlin’s historical landmarks. Even if you don’t have time to sit and enjoy their café, I highly recommend it. I’ve tried a few of their chocolates so far, and they’re absolutely delicious!

Someone asked us what we expected to buy in Berlin, we told them we expected good chocolate. They recommended this place, which happened to be near our hotel. We bought a box of chocolate for a friend. After we came back to the US and ate it with our friends, we understood why fresh German chocolate is so good, even better than German chocolate in the US. I wished they offered tasting samples, we would have bought 2 or 3 more boxes if we had known it was that good. If you’re looking for a souvenir gift, buy these chocolate instead of a mug or some magnets. Your friends will truly thank you for it. There are large chocolate bars for about $5 and a box of chocolate is about $20. You get to pick the flavors you like. Most have some alcohol or coffee in them, but some don’t. Be warned, the store us constantly busy. There is a long line to get serviced, so they have prepackaged boxes for the same price. I suggest you wait for the service, where they explain the selections. We went twice, the first time the wait was unbelievable, so we left. The second time was raining and there were almost no customers and the shopping experience was very pleasant. They even gift wrapped the box for us, with a card from the service woman’s signature.

One of the best chocolateries out there. I went to buy souvenirs and a little something for me to try. It is a bit pricey I won't lie BUT the quality and taste is totally worth the price. You can either buy boxes with fixed chocolate in or pick what you want from a huge selection they have.

Amazing desserts and great atmosphere! Very good location with a lovely ambience. The service was excellent — the staff were professional, welcoming, and friendly. The desserts we tried were really, really good and full of flavor. Definitely worth a visit if you love quality chocolate and sweets!

Must try chocolate cafe for all chocolate lovers! On our first day at Berlin, the concierge at our hotel recommend this cafe when I was looking for chocolates. Upon stepping into the cafe, I knew I was in for a wonderful chocolate experience. Located the the Mitte area in Berlin, this chocolate cafe had three floors. The first floor is mostly for chocolate retails, and it also has a small area for ice cream and coffee. The second floor has made to order chocolate. The third floor is a sit down dessert cafe, where reservation is recommended before arrival. I was blown away by the chocolate assortment. They have everything from chocolate bars with cocoa sourced from all regions around the world, assortment of truffles, marzipans, chocolate jams, hot chocolates and pralines. My favorites are truffle assortment, the Petite, and chocolate clusters with nuts. The chocolate cafe has beautiful models of Brandenburg Gate and other Berlin landmarks made in chocolate, which are Insta worthy. The cost of chocolates are comparable to other high end high chocolatiers in the US. They also offer retail through their website, but shipping is high for YS destination. Highly recommend!

I got a chance to visit Rausch chocolate shop during my visit to Berlin. Clearly, Rausch was the place to stop by if you are looking to check out some chocolates in town. Particularly during holidays, the hot chocolate...or as a matter of fact, anything chocolate seems to be a good thing to indulge! And Rausch is precisely good at that...for you to try any variation of chocolate you might want! I had a chance to try their hot chocolate (70% cacao) with whipped cream and thought it was good (although a little too sweet for my taste since I don't really enjoy chocolate that is on a sweet side). They also have a waffle to go with hot chocolate on their first floor cafe as well (so I did try their waffle with banana inside). It was a good snack (although still on a sweeter side though). What I liked about this place was that the store is multi-story high and you can spend time browsing all thing chocolates and will likely find something to take home with you. I enjoyed being in that environment and it was very pleasant and good for holidays spirit as well! Honestly, I would take Rausch hot chocolate over any other generic hot chocolates from any other Christmas market in Berlin any day! One thing though..their top floor has a proper sit down cafe (that has quite a waiting line)..but I don't think they have too much selection of savory things at all.

When in Berlin, you come to the city's official chocolate shop. This was a recommended pitstop if I wanted to bring home an authentic Berlin food souvenirs. I was really impressed at all the Berlin cafes, the variety of sweets I've tasted and seen from the city's food scene. Chocolates are big in Germany but wow this was a nice experience of naturally sweet and delicious I've tried. This store is huge and you can easily just find yourself grabbing any collection box of chocolates, specialty themed chocolates, customed selections to mix and match, and even the big chocolate model homes and towers replicating Berlin's signature sites. Even if I only had some room in my luggage to pile my chocolates shopping collection, this place had every type and flavor neatly packaged and a great gift for your loved ones. Store was huge and the staff were great in helping me with my decision making. Everything in this shop was exquisite, calm vibes, and overwhelmingly wonderful for any sweets fanatic. I do want to come back for their chocolate and dessert wine. This was a unique form of chocolate I've never seen. When I have a check-in luggage in mind for my next Berlin trip, I'll be sure to grab a bottle to try.

Excellent chocolates. Amazing selections. I had some chocolate bars but also picked out a couple boxes of truffles. I'd recommend coming here if you love chocolate or looking for gifts.

Absolutely loved our visit to Rausch Schokoladenhaus! This shop has been around for generations and you can feel the history in here. I didn't think a chocolate shop could be so intertwined with the history of Berlin. On the ground level there is a huge assortment of chocolates that you can purchase alongside some recreations of Berlin monuments in chocolate form! Just looking at these is worth the visit alone. Upstairs they have a cafe with hot chocolate, coffee and an assortment of chocolate pastries. I shared the 60% dark hot chocolate and a chocolate torte - both very rich and delicious. Service was super friendly. Absolutely recommend stopping by - especially because it is close to other attractions in Berlin.

Very beautiful chocolate shop in Berlin! Their main shop is on the first floor, but there are also 2 additional levels. On the top floor there is a cafe where one can order coffee, hot chocolate, + delicious pastries. Rausch is definitely the go to spot if you're craving any sort of chocolate. The service at the cafe was very friendly.

Such a fun chocolate shop in Berlin- amazed at how many generations this family business has been around. I was in awe with the larger chocolate creations of some of the Berlin monuments and the selection of chocolates. I also went upstairs to try the cafe. We got seated right away but I can see there being a queue. I shared the 60% dark hot chocolate and a three layer chocolate torte, both were rich and delicious! Service was very friendly, located in a very walkable and convenient area.

Wow! The best chocolate shop in Berlin. Tasty and creative. Rausch is the place to go if you want any kind of chocolate. Service is great as well.

Cafe is on the 3rd floor of the shop, 2nd floor has an open confectioner making chocolates. Delicious chocolate goodness in a cup, I had 70% Ecuadorian chocolate 4€. Thick smooth custard with a hint of nutty aroma on finish...like nothing ever tried before. Could go with 1/2 Gal milk rn haha but that's what the water is for on the side lol Very reasonable prices and the immaculately clean WC has a jungle theme and the most beautiful baby changing table :O

Delicious chocolate mousse and earl grey tea Friendly service and atmosphere. Yes I recommend this place to friends.

Incredible Icecream and chocolates. The service was great and the entire business as a whole is fascinating, I highly recommend it!

So after a heavy German Lunch at the nearby Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt, what do Gayle and I do next? Ice Cream! You actually come Rausch Schokoladenhaus for the chocolate. The selection is phenomenal as is the chocolate art (especially the Berlin landmarks). In fact, the offerings are disorienting in the best way. Even if you don't buy anything (like we did), the "museum" experience is worth the visit by itself. Maybe we should have relaxed in the cafe upstairs, but the adjacent stand on the ground floor had us thinking: ice cream and walk on a pleasant (albeit hot) day. There was a bit of a line, but our selections were definitely worth the wait.

The chocolate house proclaims itself to be the "largest chocolate house house in the world." There are three floors. The first floor is filled with chocolates, and a great place to buy souvenirs. I also enjoyed some ice cream. On display, there are chocolate replicas of famous Berlin landmarks, such as the Brandenburg Gate. The top floor has a cafe. While the cakes looked delicious, I didn't have any. If you have a sweet tooth, then it can be fulfilled here.

Phenomenal! A bit of a wait, but completely worth it. Service was great- Chocolate tasted amazing Atmosphere was on point.

A bit of heaven. A relaxed, soothing café with soft music playing. A personal favorite is the combination of chocolate with cherry, and their Torte is a culinary delight. Rich layers, dark chocolate, brownie cake and moist sweet cherries. My server recommended the dark hot chocolate with no additional flavors. It was perfect. And Joachim is everything that a great server should be...personable, knowledgeable, and efficient.

Amazing selection of chocolate. Good quality. Helpful staff. All this and i didn't make it mast the first floor.

This is THE place for chocolate in Berlin we were told...and after tasting it, we agreed! They had everything here - multiple truffle flavors, molded chocolates, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, whites chocolate, and chocolates filled with alcohol. In addition to having large chocolate displays around the store, they also had a counter where we chose a few chocolates to create our own box, and they even had a chocolate themed restaurant upstairs. We got a number of boxes of German chocolate and individual pieces to take home for gifts. And of course we got a few things for ourselves!

It's one of those place that when you live around there in the summer you go to little side cafe and order the ice milk chocolate or in the winter you go in and get the hot version. The chocolate is Super high quality here and the workers are very friendly. They also have exceptional cakes at their cafe if you want a little something extra on top of the yummy chocolate truffles. They accept all major credit cards (something not super common in Germany).

PLEASE DONT ENTER IF YOU HAVE A SWEET TOOTH. Now that's out of the way, if you want to buy German chocolates, try this place out. Just multiple floors of chocolate grandeur and temptation. You will be truly lost for the first time (4 sure if u r a visitor) and would have no idea what to do. I recommend you buy samplers and then double down. Just impossible number of variations to try from and this place can benefit from AI assisted touch screen to help you pick. If you are a tourist, it's a great place to buy gift packs for folks back home.

We were so bummed to find out the chocolate shop was closed for remodeling - supposedly reopening Aug 2. Fortunately the cafe on the second floor was where we really wanted to go and that was still open. We had coffees and a freshly baked Belgian style waffle (not quite a liege for those interested) with a dark chocolate drizzle, warm sour cherry compote and vanilla bean specked creme anglaise. It was delicious. The only thing that could have made it divine was if the waffle had been a true buttery and pearl sugar laden liege waffle. They referenced it having "coarse sugar" which makes those of us who love liege waffles hoping it was one...but alas, no, it really needed more fat and richness in the dough. The dark chocolate sauce was like dark chocolate silk and the sour cherry compote was delicious and not very sweet albeit a tad too artificially red looking. All in all it tasted divine. The mini shop upstairs is cute with plenty of tasty gifts and souvenirs. Don't miss this even if you only somewhat like chocolate.

What a treat! Everything downstairs was impressive. Many chocolate statues, lots of gift options and long queues! The upstairs cafe had a waiting list but it moved quickly. We were a group of 6 and all deserts we ordered were great.

There are 4 or 5 other chocolate stores within a few blocks of each other in this area. Rausch is the biggest and most eye catching. The store is more like a department store than small boutique. It has multiple floors, with the main level being a chocolate wonderland. There are single origin bars, truffles, praline, baked goods, and various gifts to take home. I was lucky enough to stop by here during the holiday time. I was able to get some elephant gin that was distilled with some berries and spices used to make some of their chocolates. I was so impressed with its flavor and uniqueness. The interior of the floor remind me of an upscale clothing store. Instead of beautiful clothes, the shelves and walls are stocked with almost all the chcolate you could ever desire! The most impressive part was their praline counter. There are signs throughout the store that boasts that the counter is the world's longest praline counter in the world. I've never seen anything like it! The pricing isn't much either for their products considering you're getting world class chocolate. I can't wait to come back! This is definitely a fun little stop if you're in the area.

Best drinking chocolate ever (I had the dark chocolate & had no issues with the marginal lactose in it- I forgot to ask if they have true dairy free option.). I had this in the store next store to the huge, multi level chocolate store. Definitely the largest selection of chocolates I have ever seen in one place- so I'm sure something for everyone. I didn't get to purchase individual chocolates- but they seemed well staffed & efficient. I did not see an elevator (so upstairs doesn't seem to be accessible friendly, but first level seemed to be...) Upon going up several flights of stairs (filled with chocolates & chocolate sculptures!) you will be delighted to find a "chocolate diner"... where chocolates rotate on a conveyor belt past guests... to be enjoyed on the whim. Had I had time I would have definitely indulged! I recommend that top floor just per the novelty!

This review is for the shop downstairs only. In what can only be described as heaven for chocoholics, Fassbender & Rausch is a must-stop in Berlin. I would even say if you are into fine chocolates, this store may even be worth a trip to the city! When you first set foot inside the doors, you're greeted with an overwhelmingly delicious scent of chocolate. How I wish these smells could be bottled! Part of this is due to the giant candy carvings that are rotated to match the season. Since it was the spring, I saw a several foot tall bunny as well as handcrafted chocolate versions of the Brandenburg Gate, the TV tower, and an "active" chocolate volcano that bubbled and spewed real melted chocolate! Luckily these sculptures are in plain view so you can even peek through the windows after closing. They are works of art, and photography is encouraged! The shop boasts the "world's largest praline counter" with over 200 different types of pralines. There are also what seems like miles of gorgeous truffles (almost too pretty to eat -- ALMOST) and mini tortes. For the kiddos, you can select from pre-wrapped candies shaped like teddy bears and more, and there are lots of classy looking gift boxes to purchase as souvenirs for friends and family back home. My favorite area of the store is the by the pound chocolate almond bark, so delicious and the perfect way to get just the amount you want without having any waste. This works like a department store and you can either purchase your selections at each individual department counter or collect them in a basket and pay all at once before you exit. This is a chocolate lover's paradise and is not to be missed.

When in Gendarmenmarkt, you have to stop by and drool at the magnificent creations that is Rausch. The triple euro signs €€€ are not a mistake. From the magical chocolate creations on display at the store to their exquisite truffles and handmade chocolate pieces, this is without a doubt, the finest chocolaterie in Berlin. Stumped on what souvenirs to take home? they have varying gift sets at different price points. If you want to indulge on a small piece of cake, they have those too. I suggest allotting at least 30 minutes of your time to browse, look, taste and spend! Your friends and family will thank you for the taste that is Rausch. Wunderschön!

Fine chocolates in Berlin! Got some for gifting and they make it a pleasant delight for the chocolate lovers! It's located in central downtown. Convenient and delicious chocolate shop!

Closes at 7pm daily. Haven't been inside yet. Need to figure out how to update Yelp.

Huuuge chocolate store (largest in the world?)! There's three floors and just endless amounts of chocolate. Lots of truffle options, pralines, ice cream, bars, and more. The chocolate art sculptures can't be missed. Super friendly and lovely staff that will help you choose your chocolates:)

This my second time going to this place. The first time was in 2015. I enjoyed the place itself better in 2015. There were some renovations taking place now. The quality of their chocolate and desserts are still the same (great!). This is a really nice place to enjoy chocolate and desserts with friends and family. Inside the store you will find various chocolate sculptures of Berlin's attractions. These sculpture are fantastic. The store is a nice looking store and with a nice charm. If you are in Berlin go grab some desserts!

Don't skip this place if you're in Berlin! You may have to splurge on your caloric intake on this one! We stopped in to enjoy one dessert together, and ended up getting 3 (three!) different ones! Plus an espresso AND an arriba iced chocolate mocha with whipped cream! Yuuuuuuuuuum! Our favorite was the Berlin waffle: #1 best thing! So perfect, with the most amazing accompaniments! Just get it! I recommended it to another couple and they exclaimed later on that it was delicious and an excellent recommendation! A nice runner up is the white chocolate mini torte: this thing is a work of art, and should get accolades for that alone!

Beautiful and Elegant old world chocolate store with prices to match. A must stop when in Berlin Germany. Rating: 5 Stars

I'm no chocolate connoisseur but I do know the difference between Hershey's and quality chocolate. Rausch tops Lindt, Ghirardhelli and Vivani - all some of my favorite chocolate bars. Great place to pick up some gifts to bring back home to friends and family...although these gifts will cost you a pretty penny. Be prepared to shell out some dough cuz these chocolates are a definite "luxury."

This is an excellent chocolate store. The owners are fourth and fifth generation family members in the business. The ground floor has several large chocolate sculptures of Berlin landmarks. There are pre-packaged chocolates or you can choose what you would like at the counter. On the next floor is the chocolate from around the world that you can get in pieces, sticks, or bars. Great place to buy gifts too.

A bit expensive but very delicious and creative pralines. Delicious chocolate from around the world plus super friendly service!

This is a good spot for a sweet treat or a nice sits after a long day of sightseeing. There's a huge retail space on the first floor with every type of chocolate imaginable, from basic bars to exquisite petit fours. The smell of chocolate is heavenly, and there's even a few chocolate sculptures to admire (on my visit, it was a chocolate volcano complete with melted chocolate lava and a model of the Titanic). If you're looking for a bite to eat, go all the way to the back and take the glass elevator up to the cafe section. There you'll find a selection of delectable desserts available for table service. We tried the chocolate chip cookie dough cake, with chocolate mousse and a little circle of unbaked cookie dough. It was really rich and delicious, but didn't quite blow me out of the park. You should definitely try their hot chocolate, which is like drinking LIQUID GOLD. And by gold, I mean incredibly rich melted chocolate. They even have a dark chocolate version, which is sweet without being overwhelming. If you're a chocolate lover or just shopping for one, you'll be in overload. It's a little pricy, but well worth a stop.

This is like chocolate heaven.... I walked around here for around an hour picking out copious amounts of chocolate. I enjoyed the truffles I bought for the next few months (you know....making them last) and they were all so yummy. The prices are high, but not outrageous for what you're getting. The service was good. I would go back.

We ordered the chocolate fondue with fruits, a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and two glasses of cava. We were very happy! The chocolate fondue was great, with banana being my favourite pick. Very good location too!

It's like drinking heaven. You must try their hot chocolate once in your life time! I had their Irish hot chocolate, and it's the best I've ever had. Their rich chocolate and smooth cream mixed with whiskey...mmmmmm Not so much fan of their cake tho. Felt like they used too much gelatin in their mousse. If I come next time, I'll just order their hot chocolate. Price wise, it's just slightly pricey...but hey, there r still tons of people coming back to drink this heaven. :) They constantly have a line, but you will be seated within 15 mins or so.... I love their dark chocolate

A great chocolate store with so many options. I ordered the Mango Tart, Nougat Mousse Cake, and the White Chocolate Symphony. All of it was delicious. I also bought some of their alcohol-free chocolate and it was also good.

The chocolates are fantastic. The lady that helped me gave me free samples and the flavored nonalcoholic creams...Omg!! So good!! They take credit cards but don't ship without a hefty price. Cheaper to buy a suitcase and ship home yourself!! Lots of chocolate creations...

If you are visiting Berlin for even just one day, this is must see. For three main reasons... First, they are known as the best German chocolatiers in Berlin. The the store is beautiful, central to other tourist destinations and they have chocolate replicas of Berlin icons like the Brandenburger Tor. Second, you need to bring home gifts for loved ones, and German chocolate is a great option. The prices are affordable for what you are buying. Third, they have a cafe above the store that allows you to indulge in some delicious German chocolate while you're there. I recommend making a reservation online before stopping by. It is best to go for breakfast or afternoon tea, if you are just looking for chocolate treats.

The chocolates on display during the holiday were all deliciously looking and we walked through the entire store admiring all of them. Then we went to the side cafe where you could get hot chocolate, we got the 43% Venezuela and 70% Ecuador they were both delicious! Must go and try in Berlin.

Well worth a visit for any chocolate lover. There is a beautiful showroom and retail shop on the main floor, then you can take the glass elevator (very Willy Wonka) to the upper level restaurant and cafe for a meal or ice cream treat. This is not bargain basement chocolate, so not the best place to have your kids shop to their heart's content. But as a chocolate emporium it was absolutely lovely. Highlights were definitely the structures of famous Berlin landmarks as well as animals, volcanoes, airplanes, etc. which were made out of chocolate and wafers. Every where you looked, you see another cool object. When in Paris, I absolutely loved seeing all the macaroons lined up in the bakery cases. At Fassbender & Rauch, they welcome you to their 'praline paradise' with 200 different types of pralines available in the world's longest praline counter. Kind of overwhelming and extraordinary at the same time.

I am not giving 5 stars for the quality of the chocolate but for the beautiful store and the excellent customer service. The chocolate itself is pretty decent however it is very reasonably priced. If your friends and neighbors are not chocolate connoisseurs then their nicely packaged goods make great gifts. It is worth a visit to see their chocolate sculptures of the Reichstag, Brandenburg Tor and Kaiser Wilhelm Kirche if you are in the area. Again their chocolate and hot chocolate are pretty good but at their low prices don't expect Sprungli, La Maison du Chocolat or Pierre Marcolini quality.

This was the first thing I saw in the morning and the last place I saw at night from my hotel room across the street. As a chocoholic, this meant trouble...in a very good way! They have an amazing assortment of chocolates. The store is big and is full of sweet treats. Hansel and Gretel would be delighted to be here. They have models of Berlin monuments, cupid, airplanes...all made of chocolate! They have individually wrapped candies that you can mix and match. You can also customize a box with whatever bon bons and truffles that you want in whatever size box. I did a few boxes of hazelnut chocolates. Whatever chocolate they had that contains hazelnut went in all 4 big boxes. I also got 1kg of dark chocolate with hazelnut bark and 1kg of milk chocolate with hazelnut bark - they were whole hazelnuts held on together with a big of chocolate so, you get more nuts than chocolate. They also have this unbelievable Florentine that was absolutely delightful. Crisp, light and not very sweet. The best I've had. As if I didn't have enough chocolates, I also got bars of milk chocolate with layers of hazelnut cream in between. So soft and creamy. You can freeze it if you don't want a soft, melty, gooey mess. You just can't walk out of this store without getting anything. I was here about twice a day while in Berlin.

Wow. Just wow. I concur with all other recommendations of hot chocolate and chocolate treats. Best dessert spot, which has been hard to come by in Berlin. I ordered a glass of red, Venezuelan hot chocolate with amaretto and espresso, and Carmel and nut symphony cake. (I was on sugar overload afterwards. Definitely split a cake if you're getting a hot chocolate as well). My friend ordered the Venezuelan hot chocolate with baileys and Irish whiskey. She was in heaven. It was everything she had wanted and hoped for (she has a sweet tooth). Must stop on bucket list in Berlin.

I do not love chocolate, but this store will make you appreciate it. I'm a believer now. My wife loves chocolate, so I wanted to take her to a place that celebrates and represents German chocolate while we were in Berlin; I took the advice of fellow Yelpers and dang, they hit the nail on the head with this place. It has been around forever and is a staple of Berlin's downtown area. For reference, we're from New York and the area this place is in really reminded us of midtown...just with much wider streets. Anyway, it's on the corner of a big downtown commercial area. Whatever, that doesn't matter. None of that matters. What matters is: THEY HAVE A HUGE SCULPTURE OF THE REICHSTAG AND THE BRANDENBURG GATE MADE OUT OF CHOCOLATE! And a life size chocolate bear! And everything else in the world imaginable that a chocolate lover could possible dream up! It's crazy. I don;t even like chocolate and it got me excited. This is definitely a must-stop-in for Berlin. Check it out!

Delicious chocolate with fun displays and the side cafe (next to the store -- not the 2nd floor one) has great Trinkschokolade (try the mix!) and nice torte slices to go.

This review is for you fellow chocoholics...and you non-chocoholics, prepare to be converted! I'd read up in advance about this place so we timed our visit with a trip to the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market; Rausch sits on the corner of this gorgeous square so there's another excuse (like it's needed) to visit. So...the ground floor...for a start it is full of jaw-droppingly amazing chocolate sculptures (toy soldiers were cute and festive but the detail of the Reichstag sculpture was phenomenal!) then there is box upon box of chocolates, chocolate bars, slabs and even a mini Brandenburg Gate to buy as well as the best chocolate counter with every flavour combination imaginable. I would definitely class these chocolates in the "treat" category as they aren't the cheapest but hey, when on holiday!... I couldn't resist so bought as much as would fit in my hang luggage (tubs of raspberry and espresso truffles included and oh so delicious) and decided I'd just have to wear all my chunky things on the flight home lol. Then...hidden at the back of the shop is a lift to what can only be described as chocolate heaven...or more precisely, their chocolate café and restaurant, oh my! Booking is definitely recommended. We hadn't received that memo so had a 15-20 minute wait for a table coming free in the café (but it was worth the wait). After much deliberation, and I mean much...we all opted for their speciality hot chocolate. First, choose from a milk or dark hot chocolate, then add your flavour: orange, chilli, ALCOHOL just a few I can remember and I have to say, hands down the best hot chocolate I've had to date. We all picked a mini torte from the menu too, each having something different so we could share as they all sounded and looked amazing, and they were. My chocolate mini torte had a dark choc mouse, moist sponge, milk choc ganache and decorative pieces on top, yikes! These were roughly €5 I'm sure and a total steal in my view given the detail in them. Although the café was rammed, we were served promptly, with a smile and nothing seemed too much bother. Sadly, we never ate in the restaurant but we had a nosey at the menu and you can easily sit down for a 3 course chocolate meal! Some options featured a hint of chocolate where as others went all out - needless to say it's definitely on my radar for a return trip! Given half the chance, I would have spent my entire Berlin trip here but I would have needed a wheelbarrow to roll me onto the plane if I had! Quite simply, this place is awesome. The only thing that could possibly make this more awesome is if the building was made of chocolate too!