Döner Bistro

When the weather is nice, I'm always in search of someplace nice to go eat outside. My go-to is Market Station because there are so many options: , , are all restaurants in Market Station that are full of lovely outdoor seating.

Across the street from Market Station is another fantastic place to eat outside: .

Döner came about after a German transplant realized that there was basically nowhere around here to get Döner, which is apparently Germany's top fast food (The whole story is adorably laid out on their website).

It's important to note that while Döner may be popular in Germany, it's not necessarily German in origin. The "turned meat" dish was originated in Turkey as a platter served with rice. However, the Döner Bistro website says that in the 1970s, the sandwich that patrons of the Bistro have come to know and love was perfected in Germany.

Their other main sandwich, the falafel, is similarly not-German in origin. But that's not to say you can't get German food at Döner. Bratwurst and Schnitzel, as well as German beers, are also on the menu.

The menu has to stay small because the food is still cooked in the tiny Mighty Midget Kitchen around which Döner was built. The metal box is the centerpiece of the restaurant, sitting in the biergarten, right at the front door of the indoor part of the establishment.

Döner is a small operation so the owner keeps things simple: You order at the counter, take a number and choose either indoor or outdoor seating. The food will be brought to you, but the tight space isn't exactly optimal for waiters and waitresses, so you're on your own after that. It's a fast method, which is great for a quick workday lunch.

Döner comes alive at night with music every Saturday, and on First Fridays the patio is filled to the brim with revelers enjoying the filling food, music and warm nights.

For sports fans, special European events are shown, such as the Women's World Cup. Plus, you can't have a German restaurant without celebrating Oktoberfest. Döner's celebration is October 13th-17th.

Once you go to Döner you immediately want to go back. Sure, you want to return for the food, music and ambiance, but the secret reason Döner gets so much return business is people want to practice eating those sandwiches without making a giant mess. It's a specialized skill that I'm going to spend the summer trying to master.