Grilling in Public

When days grow longer in spring and temperatures rise, many people look forward to a social barbecue with friends. But what if your apartment doesn't have a balcony or patio, requiring a move to public spaces? Are you allowed to barbecue anywhere on lawns and in parks? What you should keep in mind during your preparations when planning to meet on a public lawn or similar location for a relaxed barbecue evening is explained below.

Public barbecuing is not allowed everywhere

First of all, it is difficult to give a clear answer as to whether barbecuing is allowed in all locations. That's because individual federal states and municipalities have their own rules. In some cases, it even varies from city to city whether and, if so, where citizens are permitted to barbecue. The best approach is therefore to check with your city hall or local public order office to find out how it is regulated where you live. Often, cities designate specific spots as barbecue areas, especially in large parks and green spaces. These are usually located in open areas and clearly marked as public barbecue spots. Some are even equipped with a central brick or stone barbecue pit that you can use, where you might only need to bring a sufficiently large grill grate. If you barbecue in an unauthorized area, fines up to four figures can be imposed. On this page, you can get a good overview of what warning fines look like in the respective federal states.

Proper behavior at a public barbecue spot

Especially in major cities like Berlin, where during the summer it feels like everyone meets up in the neighborhood parks, there are strict grilling rules. Here, you will regularly see public order officers patrolling, particularly on weekends. Either you will find designated BBQ spots on such large green areas where having a small barbecue picnic with friends is allowed, or grilling is generally permitted if certain regulations are observed. These conduct rules may include the following:

1. Be considerate: As a general rule, behave in a way that does not disturb neighboring groups. This means keeping enough distance so that the barbecue smoke and smells do not bother anyone else.

2. No disposable grills on the lawn: Small disposable grills (those boxes in aluminum trays) are prohibited on lawns. This is because direct contact with the lawn damages the turf. Not to mention the fire hazard, which is always present in very warm temperatures.

3. Minimum distance from the grill to the ground: Point 2 usually implies that a prescribed minimum distance between the grill tray/basin and the ground must be maintained. It is better to check in advance whether this is also required at your intended BBQ spot.

4. Clean up trash: Actually a matter of course, but some people do not seem to understand this point. For a clean environment where animals and plants are not harmed, it is essential to dispose of your trash after barbecuing. Many large parks or green areas where barbecuing is officially permitted even have large trash bins in central locations. Now everyone just needs to pitch in briefly to pack up or dispose of packaging waste and other BBQ leftovers. A responsible griller leaves their BBQ spot as they found it: clear.

5. Safety first: Never leave warm grill ashes unattended at the BBQ spot. In some places, there are large, designated ash bins where you can dispose of your charcoal remains. Otherwise: let the charcoal remains cool down completely, pack them into a large, fireproof container, and dispose of them in your household waste at home. Especially in summer with an increased risk of fire, anything else would be completely negligent.

Grilling is forbidden in forests and nature reserves. If an exception is made, there are specially designated BBQ areas that are located far enough away from flora and fauna.

Are you allowed to barbecue on your own balcony or terrace?

There are also no real fixed rules, general bans, or permits for grilling on your balcony or terrace at home. Here, too – similar to public areas – the motto is: Be considerate of your immediate neighbors. Often in densely populated areas, the distance to the neighboring balcony is not far. It is best to check your lease agreement and house rules to see if there is any statement about grilling. As a rule, grilling with charcoal is prohibited for fire safety reasons alone. If you own or share a very large terrace or a spacious garden area, grilling with charcoal may be possible if the grill is far enough away from the house. But this is also regulated individually and is best clarified with your local public order office. Ideally, before there is trouble with neighbors who might feel bothered. Either way, quiet hours must be observed. But even here, there may be exceptional cases where it is allowed a little longer instead of until 10 pm.

Tip: Simply let your immediate neighbors know in advance that you plan to barbecue. Then everyone can prepare and, for example, close windows and balcony doors before you start grilling so that the BBQ smell does not drift into neighboring apartments. Or, if you get along very well, simply invite your neighbors to join you. Especially with rental properties, but also with homeownership, it is important to maintain proportionality. Anyone who barbecues occasionally over the summer months and reduces noise towards the evening is sure not to unduly annoy their neighbors.

So as you can see, there is unfortunately no general blanket statement when it comes to barbecuing. The smartest approach is to check local regulations with your city or municipality, be considerate, and pay attention to the posted barbecue rules when grilling in public spaces. Then nothing stands in the way of a relaxed barbecue evening with friends.