Kaufhaus des Westens — the Department Store of the West — opened in 1907 on the Tauentzienstraße near Wittenbergplatz, and at 60,000 square metres remains the largest department store in continental Europe after the Harrods-sized Selfridges claim. The name was partly political from the start: opened on the commercial axis of West Berlin, it became during the Cold War a deliberate showcase of Western consumer abundance, positioned within sight of the divided city's symbolic border. Today the fashion and cosmetics floors are unremarkable by international standards, and the luxury goods selection is what you would expect at any large European department store.
What makes KaDeWe worth a visit is the sixth floor food hall — the Feinschmeckeretage, or gourmet floor — which is one of the most spectacular displays of food retail in Europe. The hall covers the entire top floor of the building and holds something in the region of 34,000 food and drink products from around the world, plus a large selection of counters selling prepared food to eat on the spot. There are counters for oysters and champagne, a sushi bar, a cheese cave with hundreds of varieties, a deli with serious depth in charcuterie, and a bakery section that would be impressive even by Viennese standards. Come hungry and plan to stay for lunch.