Image by Kyra Garske

Sometimes after exercising (my sport club is nearby) I meet friends in Aurel for a sparkling rhubarb juice or caipirinha (happy hour daily till 21:00, Caipirinha €4,00 and Mojito €5,50).

Especially around 18:00 it becomes very crowed and often too loud for profound talks. After work people let the day fade away in a cozy gold-red atmosphere. They have a very uncommon but tasty beer called “Große Freiheit” (great freedom) for €1,50 (small) to €2,50 (big). If you are with your wine lover friends, this is the first place I found for ordering a bottle (0,75l) of really good wine for only €11.00, last time it was even an 1-l-bottle!

The ambience is retro and mainly red, good music, mixed people, free pretzel sticks on every table. A big self-service bar, an amazing room with coloured windows in the back of first room. Beside that there is a cozy booth for only two people (in love?). Cute!

Don’t be surprised or afraid on the toilet. First of all it is volitional! Cheeps of whales in the ocean. Cute!

In summertime you can sit outside, if you can find a chair – if not: many people sit on the most frequented (of Hamburg?) road kerb with their drinks and immerse themselves in the vibrant life of Ottensen.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Aurel | Bars, Coffee & tea | Small beer € 1.50
Bahrenfelder Str. 157 | Altona & Ottensen | +49403902727
Mon – Thu from 12:00, Fri – Sat from 10:00, Sun from 11:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Gängeviertel Hamburg (by: http://das-gaengeviertel.info/)

In the middle of Hamburg, in one of the countless office districts made out of glass and steel there is the Gängeviertel. Between Valentinskamp, Caffamacherreihe and Speckstraße are 12 houses with historically worthwhile, extensively original old building substances.

Many artists squatted the district and live and work there. Almost every night there are events like concerts, readings, exhibitions, installation and performances – all for FREE! You can visit the buildings from inside daily from 13:00 (except Mondays). The people there are very friendly and open-minded, can give you loads of information and tea.

Discover the different houses and rooms: Puppenstube (dollhouse), Butze (cubby), Tischlerei (carpentry), Fabrik (factory), Druckerei (printing house), Kutscherhaus (coachmen house), Kupferdiebe and Speckstraße.

The Gängeviertel is not only AGAINST everything, they have a new concept, a new use zoning plan. You can find very in detail on www.gaengeviertel.info (click on Nutzungskonzept).

I stop here to explain more about that beautiful, creative place – KOMM IN DIE GÄNGE – get on with it – get your own picture of it – your own view – ask and talk about what you think.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Gängeviertel | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Music, Relaxing, Theaters | Free
Caffamacherreihe 43 | City center | +4915789119142
Tue – Sun from 13:00 (special events check on website)

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

Close to 1-Euro-shops, cheap bakeries, turkish snack bars, vegetable bazars and the big deconstruction area (formerly Frappant, they will build an Ikea soon) Laib & Liebe (in English: Loaf and Love) is located on the Große Bergstrasse, right beside Claus Kröger.

The café Laib & Liebe offers delicious delicatessen like mediterrian Focaccia, Antipasti, sinful cake – all homemade. The lunch dishes are super-yummy and affordable (for what you get it’s fair in price). Their salads, fresh pasta, soups, fish- and meat and vegetables are based on seasonal ingredients and always different. Fresh paninis start at 2.00 Euro.

Ginger tea is my favorite, but during the summer time I adore the lemonade. For all coffee junkies out there: go there – it’ll leave nothing to be desired: there is an espresso bar too.

Upstairs you’ll find a wonderful dinning room – lovely made with every nut, bolt and screw. Outside you can sit in the sun with blankets and a view of the heavily contested deconstruction area.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Laib & Liebe | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Mediterran) | Pasta Beef bourguignon € 6.90
Große Bergstraße 243 | Altona & Ottensen | +494038904950
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:30, Sat 09:00 – 15:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

During the day „Die Herren Simpel” is a classic breakfast café with a good variety of breakfast and snacks. The coffee is great! During mornings you’ll find a calm place here to enjoy the “Herrengedeck” (cake and hot beverage). In the evening “Die Herren Simpel” is a classic bar with cocktails, beer and wine, small snacks.

The ambience and interior kindly stand out from the crowd of the Schanze. It is a bit too scenic and hip sometimes, but a great chill-out area with different compartments. All guests are relaxed and everybody does their own thing. By the way, here is W-LAN, too!

The staff is different like the weather in Hamburg. It’s like playing the lottery. Sometimes they are fast, friendly, careful guys, but sometimes the clueless “I-have-forgotton-your-order-in-the-first-second-you-opened-your-mouth” temporary employee works on my nerves. So, help yourself, and order at the bar, especially on weekend, when it is crowded.

I really adore the big cherry blossoms behind the Bar.

BTW: Ask the staff for an English menu.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Die Herren Simpel | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Breakfast from € 4.90
Schulterblatt 75 | Schanze | +494038684600
Mon 14:00 – 01:00, Tue – Sat 14:00 – open end, Sun 14:00 – 20.00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

This is one of my favourite places in Hamburg. Till last week I thought you could only reach it by car, but that’s actually not true. Before I start to explain how to get there, I’ll give you an idea of the place.

Actually it’s just a normal bridge called “photographers bridge” close to the airport Hamburg Fuhlsbüttel. The first time, I was there, it was in the middle of the night and I saw many landing strip lights and some air-crafts landing late at night.

During the day with good weather, it’s a great choice for watching air-crafts taking off and landing. There is a small Café where you can get affordable Latte Macchiato for 2,40 Euro or a Beck’s beer for 2,30 Euro. Snacks like Sausages, hotdogs and donuts.

Coffee-to-Fly is open 365 days a year – spring, summer, autumn, winter – always. Have a small holiday while watching other people going by on the hundred of planes that pass here daily.

Give it a try, you won’t regret! And the best of ALL: it’s for free!! If you’re on a short budget, don’t drink anything in the Café, but bring your thermos flask or cold coke with you.

How to get there: Take bus #24 from Langenhorn Markt [U1] or Niendorf Markt [U2] or bus #193 from Poppenbüttel [S1] or Langenhorn Markt [U1] to Station “Wrangelkoppel”, follow the sign “Aussichtsplattform” for around 15 minutes, there you are!

PS: thanks 4 all the wonderful mails I got – it’s wonderful you liked it there.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Coffee-to-Fly | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Latte Macchiato € 2.40
Holtkoppel 100 | Hamburg North | +4917623487017
Daily when aircrafts take off or land

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

I rummaged around outside in big overseas-boxes for some new kind of tea and was really impressed by the wide range. Then I went into the seems-like-chaotic-shop and my nose and my eyes went crazy. How absolutely amazing it smells like itchy feet, far away countries, teas and spices…

From classical sorts like Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Mate Tea, Pu Erh Tea, the famous Kusmi Tea, Yogi & Ayurveda Tea, … to extraordinary teas like Precious Lamp, a Chinese tea rose bloom, which unfold itself if you put hot water on it.

Beside that they have the biggest collection of chocolate I’ve ever seen. The same applies here: a big range of the black gold from milky to salty, from hot spicy to bitter, with flowers, fruits or alcohol.

If you’re looking for some coffee or espresso, this is your place, all kinds you can imagine are fresh ground in front of you.

For sure I will go there more often now. At Claus Kröger I get all I don’t really need, but – seriously – after all that’s exactly what I really need to sweet up my life! Claus Kröger is one of the oldest shops in my neighborhood – and not a chain store. I always try to support that kind of shops because it’s one of the last individual and real Hamburgian spots.

From my morning 100% Arabica-coffee, to my something-special-chocolate, to my afternoon tea and to a delicious Claus Kröger wine for the dinner. Fair trade!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Claus Kröger | Coffee & tea, Shopping | Chocolat Hot Masala € 2.95
Große Bergstraße 241 | Altona & Ottensen | +49403806060
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 15:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

An amazing place for starting the day, best with relaxing breakfast in sunshine and with a great view over the Elbe river!

Inside it is hip and cozy, if you find a place to sit. To brave the cold weather, just go outside (especially in wintertime) – it is unbeatable – here you’ll find warm blankets. It is not very cheap there (fresh orange juice for 2,90 Euro), it no-frills, and not alternative.

It is one of my favourite breakfast points in this town. It’s a great spot for staying after long breakfast/lunch, sipping slowly and thoroughly enjoying your latte and trying the cake in the afternoon. Talking, watching and staying for the first wine and taking the day to the blue hour, the night comes, the harbour lights shines – that’s like a visual soundtrack of the Hamburg harbour!

By the way 1: There is also a big playground for kids in front of the Amphore Café.

By the way 2: Here I always bought my sparkling rhubarb juice to go to Park Fiction (see the Park Ficton article).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Bar Amphore | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Orange Juice € 2.90
St. Pauli Hafenstr. 140 | Harbour | +494031793880
From 10:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

After a long day in university or city daytrip it’s one of the best places to relax. Similar to Zoë Bar (check the Zoe Bar article) it is filled with many couches, but they are separate. That makes you feel like you are in a friend’s house.

Good for relaxing with an old friend or serious talks. The wine is awesome there and costs around 3 Euro. An Astra Beer is under 2 Euro. The staff is like the music; veeeeery laid-back and easy-going. It’s perfect for a little break between day and night. In summer they’ll open the big windows again and so you’ve the feeling of sitting outside on a couch!

The atmosphere is a bit oriental, maybe because it is located in a former Turkish culture center. Not as crowded as it is in the Schanze or in the Kiez (St. Pauli). Alternative and simple, thus great!

Bar Roosen installed security cameras, as many other bars did in St Pauli.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bar Roosen | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Wine € 3.00
Paul-Roosen-Str. 28 | Sankt Pauli | +494076975926
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sun 12:00 – open end

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by ZoeBar Hamburg (by: Kyra Garske)

“Dear Zoë,

how do you feel today?

I’d like to say to you, how stunning you are. You are perfect to meet friends or strangers or both and it’s like they already know each other. Always you welcomed me with open arms, no matter if I was stressed out or absolutely relaxed, there was a place for me and a smile on your face.Your drinks are cheap and groovy. Your cosy couches and the yellow-red lamp shades in the back rooms are reminiscent of my grandmother´s warm living room. About the secrets and mystics in your vault, we have to talk next time once more. The rooms are a bit shabby and rustic – but it’s honest! Let’s face it: You are the real Zoë, the authentic Zoë!

All my Love, Kyra.

PS: By the way: good choice to provide rooms with movies like “Gegen die Wand” or “Absolute Giganten“.

PSPS: I was seriously pissed seeing that you raised all prices all of a sudden without even talking to anyone. You’re on the same level as all the other places now. Please tell me why!”

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zoë Bar | Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | redwine € 2.60
Clemens-Schultz-Str. 96 | Sankt Pauli | +494031792323
Thu – Sat from 20:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg

Image by Kyra Garske

Of course it is NO furniture store, but if you come in, you feel a bit like that. Sooooo many sofas all around.

I appreciate this place during the day, when the sun warms up the sofa you’re sitting on while drinking milk coffee. When the sun goes down, the as-hip-as-you-can-be people come from work (the wanna be’s and wanna see’s), the music gets louder and hipper and it’s hard to find a place on a sofa. Some call it an “after hours bar”, I call it an exhausting scenic bar at nighttime.

Better go there during daylight: The people are relaxed and easy-going! The amiable service have time to talk and sometimes to sit for a while with you, and the music fits the situation – call or better write a letter to an old friend, it’s the right time and place for that!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zoë 2 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Beer € 2.00
Neuer Pferdemarkt 17 | Schanze
From 10:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Hamburg