Hamburg, the pearl of the north, the gateway to the world. Is there really any need to explain this metropolis? Or may you just be congratulated if your longstay lasts a little longer than the usual three-day trip of an average Hamburg tourist? Anyway Germany's second largest city can hardly be explained, you have to experience it on your own. Smell the sea air and watch the boats, be amazed when the locals still greet you with a friendly "Moin" in the evening. Hamburg is a city trip and a beach vacation in one. Hamburg is loud and quiet at the same time. Hamburg is hip and rough and also elegant. Hamburg is the Reeperbahn and Blankenese. Hamburg is club culture and Elbphilharmonie. The breeze is as much a part of the Hanseatic city as sea shanties and French cinnamon rolls. Or was it fish rolls? It doesn't really matter as the culinary diversity is enormous. Let's stick to the hand-picked recommendations of restaurants near the ipartment addresses Hafencity/Speicherstadt as well as Eimsbüttel.
You worked enough! Let's call it a day! Are you hungry, thirsty and new in town? Here our restaurant guide.
Hafencity – The modern district on the premises of the former free port
Kitchens
Let's start with the most obvious: Kitchens. It's situated in the same building, kind of the restaurant at home. Here, the chefs drew inspiration from the coolest kitchens and recipes in the world. They looked over the shoulders of top chefs and into grandmas' pots in the countryside - and created their own concept: around the world in 80 pots. It's only logical that the 5-course menu changes every few months: sometimes it's dedicated to Tuscany, sometimes to Istria or Southeast Asia. Of course, there are also reliable classics in the large, cosmopolitan restaurant, which nevertheless has the charm of an exotic bazaar. Must try: Entrecôte with steam noodle, Icelandic-inspired cod, South Seas dessert. Experience also rooftop feeling: From the Moon 46 rooftop garden, you can enjoy a view of the "Speicherstadt", the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall, and the setting sun. (Am Sandtorkai 46) kitchens-hamburg.de
Strauchs Falco
Perhaps the only thing that needs to be explained about the chic waterfront grill & seafood restaurant Strauchs Falco, with its large terrace, is the name: Successful restaurant owner Tobias Strauch from Hamburg commissioned the famous designer Peter Schmidt to design it. The gold-colored screens from the 18th century with the twelve falcons come from his Asian collection. They give the restaurant its name and dominate the stylish interior. The menu, the dishes and the menu, on the other hand, need fewer words. One is enough: great. Oriental tuna tartare, Arctic trout tartare, various ceviches, mixed seafood platters. But also labskaus and the best cuts from the lava grill. Fancy more? Please have look! (Koreastr. 2) falco-hamburg.de
bianc
Since the Michelin Guide 2020 awarded a second star to the restaurant with a great view of the Elbphilharmonic it is no longer an "insider tip" in the Hafencity. Until then, gourmets tended to make the pilgrimage around the corner or to the nearest harbor to the 3-star restaurant The Table. In the meantime, Matteo Ferrantino's bianc has become fully established among gourmets and is known for its modern, creative Mediterranean cuisine. The southern Italian offers two menus equally – "Emotion" and "Garden," which is vegetarian. Each menu begins with a variety of amuses bouches served simultaneously and ends with a series of equally fine petits fours. In between, he serves crab, seafood, chorizo, moscardini and Pyrenean lamb with plenty of flavor and technical finesse in an airy, chic interior designed by architect Julia Erdmann. A look into the kitchen comes with it. (Am Sandtorkai 50) bianc.de
Coast by East
Kaiserkai, a view of the Elbphilarmonic – and in addition delicious sushi rolls, fine sashimi slices, nigiris, maki rolls and colorful inside-out rolls, which the sushi chefs around sushi master Sangay Sherpa prepare in the open kitchen. The modern seafood and grill restaurant Coast also offers a few alternatives to tuna, which comes in many varieties: various cuts, ox cheek and, of course, vegetarian dishes. The special feature is the balance of Asian and regional products. And when things are going really well, you can even enjoy the full taste experience on the spacious terrace. But even if you sit inside under the curved roof, the glass front transitions the inside to the outside. (Großer Grasbrook 14) coast-hamburg.de
Bootshaus
A modern, and yes, also luxurious grill restaurant is the Bootshaus, where for a change it is not about fish, but about the finest cuts of beef in the middle of the Hafencity. You can sit comfortably in the Bootshaus, but you have to decide whether you prefer to look into the open kitchen or whether you want to look out over the Grasbrookhafen. There is also a weekly changing menu, which complements the grill classics like "New York Strip", "Rib Eye" etc. with one or the other fish like Thai Style Dorade or fried Pulpo with Hummus. (Am Kaiserkai 19) bootshaus-hafencity.de
Chilli Club
Here the name says it all. The dishes may not be consistently chili hot, but they are aromatic, spicy, and delicious. If you love fresh Asian cuisine, you have to visit this place. The Chilli Club has wok dishes, bowls and curries in a very modern twist. Mango chili dip, teriaky sauce, lime dressing are just a few ingredients that turn, say, a chicken breast into an exotic experience. Many vegetarian dishes are on the menu, and many non-vegetarian dishes are prepared vegetarian upon request. In summer also with terrace and bamboo on the waterfront. (Am Sandtorkai 54) chilliclub-hamburg.de
The Speicherstadt – a unique warehouse complex, World Heritage Site since 2015
Wasserschloss
A popular photo motif, a tea contor, a dignified but uncomplicated restaurant between two canals. That's what Hamburgers call their beloved canals. In the middle of the Speicherstadt, surrounded by Wilhelminian brick Gothic, is this jewel with turrets, pointed gables and terraces over several floors. As befits a tea merchant, the tea selection in the moated castle is immense. 30 varieties are listed on the tea menu, but personal preferences and wishes among a total of 250 varieties can be discussed directly with the staff. Those who prefer coffee also get their money's worth. At weekends, there is high tea with scones and sandwiches. Otherwise, the menu is also dominated by classics such as carpaccio, braised ox cheek, Kaiserschmarrn. Nordic highlights such as Hamburger Labskaus and Rote Grütze (red fruit jelly) are also reliable items in the imposing building. However, the opening hours are special, but breakfast is served at weekends between 10 am and 1 pm. (Dienerreihe 4) wasserschloss.de
Oberhafenkantine
The Oberhafenkantine is an institution that has experienced many storm surges. And you can see that in the small house built in 1925: it is crooked and slanted. Once built as a so-called coffee house to feed the harbour and shipyard workers, the restaurant has long had cult status in the harbour. The interior is original and cosy, with a terrace outside. The restaurant flies the flag for North German cuisine. Hamburger Labskaus, matjes or fried cod are served as well as juicy kale in winter and asparagus in early summer. Homemade bread and mustard are a matter of course here. (Stockmeyerstr. 39) oberhafenkantine-hamburg.de
Fleetschlösschen
In the middle of the Speicherstadt there has been a little castle since 1885, the Fleetschlösschen. Once a customs house, then a valuable coffee shop for shipyard workers, today it is a modern restaurant with a lot of charm and a pretty terrace. Not everything here revolves around the finfish, but a lot does. The absolute hits are fish & chips, but also matie "housewife style", various fish rolls, fish soup, Hamburg labskaus. And for all non-fish lovers, the veal curry sausage is a real recommendation. If you're in the mood for something sweet in the afternoon, you won't be disappointed by the country cake, cheese cake and almond-amaretto rice pudding. So there's only one solution: to visit this restaurant more often. (Brooktorkai 17) fleetschloesschen.de
Hobenköök
Mitten im Oberhafenquartier befindet sich eines der Hamburger Kreativ-und Kulturzentren. Das Restaurant und die Markthalle Hobenköök, zu deutsch Hafenküche, ist sozusagen die Kantine der hier Beschäftigten und für alle anderen auch immer einen Besuch wert. Zwischen urbanen Gärten, einstiger Industrieanlagen und Backsteinhallen steht hier regionale, saisonale und frische Küche auf der Mittags- und Abendkarte. Vegetarier und Veganer kommen bei gefüllten Wirsingrouladen, im Ofen gegarten Topinambur und anderen köstlichen Gemüsekombinationen voll auf ihre Kosten. Ansonsten werden hier frischer Fisch und regionales Fleisch aufgetischt. Komm rum, es lohnt sich, zumal, wenn im Sommer die Terrasse bespielt wird. (Stockmeyerstraße 43) hobenkoeoek.de
A few rewarding meters away from the Hafencity and Eimsbüttel
Cox
The street "Lange Reihe" – pretty, beautiful, loud, funny, colorful – it's one of the most fun streets in Hamburg, especially since it's behind the train station in St. Georg. And right in the middle of it you'll find one of the Hanseatic city's greatest restaurants: the Cox. A legendary bistro classic that instantly transports guests to Montmartre with its white tablecloth, long counter and Art Nouveau interior. Here, Hanseatic understatement meets nonchalant savoir-vivre that even famous but unpretentious actors appreciate. Thankfully, the menu is manageable and changes weekly, both for lunch and dinner. The cuisine is primarily fresh and without much fuss. German dishes like fried black pudding with stewed apples and sauerkraut are on the menu, as well as raw salmon strands in soy-algae mariande. There's always a little French twist. (St. Georg, Lange Reihe 68) restaurant-cox.de
Brücke 10
Hamburg without fish rolls is like Munich without a beer garden. Namely, nothing. In other words, the fish roll is one of the basic foods of the Hanseatic people. You can find them on every corner and they are usually fresh and good. Here, however, is the tip for the – expectedly – best fish sandwich: Brücke 10, where the spray splashes over the wall and the cry of seagulls is practically part of the service. Because not only tourists but also locals come here, you may have to wait a little longer for Bismarck herring, fish cakes, herb matjes, fried herring, baked fish or – royally – North Sea crabs in homemade rolls. Brücke 10 is more than just a fish stall, it's a very nice shack, maritime but not kitschy, with a sun terrace and sun deck – when the sun is shining. (St. Pauli, Landungsbrücken) bruecke10.com
