This juicy meat rotisserie
combined with three flavorful sauces,
plenty of fresh vegetables,
and a warm, fluffy bread
make the hearty and heartwarming döner kebab.
It's arguably the most popular street food
and late-night eat in Berlin
and found on nearly every street corner.
But only one stall draws a line of both tourists
and locals at all hours of the day.
It's called Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap.
Customer: You can see.
[laughs]
Customer: It's very juicy. The chicken is amazing.
Customer: Look, this is definitely one of the best
döner kebab I've ever had.
Narrator: Cooking lamb meat on a vertical rotisserie
has been a popular tradition
in Turkey and throughout the Middle East
since the 18th century.
But how did the döner kabab become
a beloved sandwich in Berlin?
In the 1960s, Germany was in need of laborers,
and so it began inviting Turkish citizens
to work in the country.
And many of them never left.
Today, the country is home to
the largest Turkish community outside of Turkey.
It's said that one of those Turkish immigrants,
Kadir Nurman, was the first to introduce
the sandwich to Berlin in the 1970s.
Nurman had an idea for feeding customers on the go.
He took the original döner plate and stuffed
that roasted meat and salad into bread.
Many argue that Middle Easterners
were eating the sandwich long before
it made its move to Germany's capital.
But Berlin claims it as their own today.
Customer: The guy from the hostel told us that
it's a good place to go.
He had told us that we should expect a queue.
That's what we are experiencing.
Customer: But not too long, actually.
Maybe 20 minutes.
Customer: No, 45 minutes, something.
Customer: It can get very, very long,
like one hour
at 7, 8 p.m., when,
especially in the weekend.
Narrator: Every morning, they bring in a new piece
of rotisserie döner meat,
which weighs about 330 pounds
and is prepared and served throughout the day.
Once the meat is ready and the ingredients are prepared,
Mustafa Gemüse Kebap opens for business
and is ready to take its first orders of the day.
Narrator: Despite offering a variety of sandwiches
and snacks, their most popular dish
is by far the traditional döner kebab.
So what goes into this famous sandwich?
First, a freshly baked piece of bread
is buttered and toasted.
Then the specialty sauces are mixed
together inside the bread.
Next, layers of thinly sliced meat are added,
followed by grilled vegetables
and your fresh salad of choice.
Topped off with cheese and a squeeze of lemon.
And...
Customer: It was great. It was awesome.
I'm quite blown away.
Customer: I liked it very much.
Narrator: Gemüse in German means vegetables,
and ensuring only fresh vegetables go into the sandwich
is what makes Mustafa Gemüse so special.
Narrator: Döner kebab is not just a sandwich;
it is definitely a full meal.
Customer: On Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap.
Customer: Yeah. [laughing]
Customer: Mustafa Gemüse Kebap!