Restaurants & dining – All our local tips

This cute little Arabic restaurant is tucked away on a little cobble stone street between Schanze and Karoviertel. As you enter the bistro, nestled in a row of beautiful art deco buildings, you’ll notice the wonderful mosaic décor on the floor, and the friendly faces of owner Fariz and his amiable staff behind the counter. Their warm welcome extended to all their patrons creates a very hospitable atmosphere.

Make yourself comfortable in the dining room, and choose from a wide selection of the finest vegetarian dishes. My favorite is any version of the falafel with creamy hummus, fresh lettuce and vegetables, and a delicious sesame-yogurt sauce. Try the Arabic lemonade or have a freshly brewed mint tea with your meal.

Periodically, they’ll have different forms of entertainment including live music, belly dance, and art exhibits (e.g. photography). This low-key setting with oriental decorations, quick service, and a good-humored owner who prepares and serves the food himself is the prefect change of pace for those looking for something authentically prepared in a casual and friendly environment. Due to its popularity, reservations are recommended on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Azeitona | Restaurants (Orienta) | Falafel dish € 5.50
Beckstr. 17-19 | Schanze | +494068981481
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – open end

Many of my American friends in Hamburg have been complaining that they can’t find any good burgers around here. Well, my friends, your search has come to an end: at Doris’ Diner!

Situated in the Jewish quarter of town, the diner – tucked between two apartment buildings – is not very easy to spot. Its white and silver exterior with glass blocks vaguely resembles that of a mobile home and the mandatory neon signs in the windows give it a nostalgic appeal that will draw you inside.

As you enter the restaurant, you’re met by a friendly staff who are quick to seat and serve you either at the counter, a comfy booth, or a table for two. The large, shiny jukebox, red furniture, and wood-paneled walls decorated with beautiful photographs create a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

With a broad palate appeal at a reasonable price, the menu offers great upscale American diner fare including traditional dishes such as sumptuous burgers and hearty spare ribs, savory sandwiches and chili fries, alluring French toast and milk shakes. If you prefer to go meatless or a bit more exotic, Doris’ Diner also has a small selection of vegetarian and Mexican dishes on offer, such as veggie burgers, vegetarian fajitas, chicken burritos, and chili tacos. Breakfast is served until 17:00 and the first-rate lunch specials are available daily.

The quality and presentation of the food is impeccable and service is quick! Definitely worth a visit!

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Doris’ Diner | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (American) | Burger € 8.40
Grindelhof 43 | Grindelviertel | +4940440278
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 01:00

Gluttony is not a sin…when you’re feasting at the Friesenkeller. This wonderful restaurant, centrally located at the corner of Alsterarkaden between Jungfernstieg and City Hall, is Hanseatic cuisine and culture at its best. As you enter this culinary oasis via a winding staircase, you’ll find yourself immersed in a warm and pleasant atmosphere. The rustic and timeless style of the location is rich in warm woods, glass tiles, earth tones, and maritime decorative elements.

The menu is presented in form of a newspaper – the “Friesenzeitung” – which is also available in English. Northern German specialties such as “Fischerfrühstück” with Matjes (variations of herring), or Labskaus (all you can eat!) An interesting selection of lunch specials is also available.

The cost of food is not cheap, but the good-sized meals are definitely a value for money, and include a very friendly and attentive service. I once got a little carried away: after having a Grünkohl meal, I couldn’t resist ordering some warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. After that I was absolutely stuffed, but happy!

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Friesenkeller | Restaurants (Northern German) | Grünkohl € 11.90
Jungfernstieg 17 | City center | +494035760620
11:30 – 00:00 daily

In close proximity to Speicherstadt (see the Speicherstadt article), this brewpub is an ideal place if you are craving some traditional hearty German food and pilsener in a quaint setting.

The interior of the cellar is decorated in a wonderful rustic style: low vaulted ceilings, red brick walls, candlelight, and the shiny brass of large brewing vessels afford a delightful atmosphere. Wooden benches and tables add an authentic note. Generally, this restaurant is home to a lively atmosphere and, especially on weekends, popular with larger crowds. However, if you prefer a more intimate setting, you may want to sit in one of the large wooden barrels holding up to 4 people.

The menu features a diverse mix of traditional Bavarian and Hanseatic fare – delicious rich meals that are definitely not for people on a diet! Try interesting possibilities such as juicy pork knuckle, hefty sausage, and smoked pork chops. For a more “Hanseatic experience”, indulge in the tasty seafood platter that arrives with fresh ‘beer bread’. Or simply order some savory snacks, or one of the more moderately priced weekly lunch specials.

German food is not complete without beer! Gröninger Braukeller has its own beer brand and fun is definitely on tap when you draw one smooth pils after the other from a 10 l keg placed on a special contraption right at your table! Be sure to tour the Braukeller before you leave to get an idea of its enormous capacity!

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Gröninger Braukeller | Bars, Restaurants (hearty homemade) | meat dish € 11.80
Willy-Brandt-Straße 47 | City center | +4940331381
Mon – Fri 11:00 – open end; Sat and holidays 17:00 – open end, Sun 15:00 – 22:00

You want to try good old German “Hausmannskost” (home cooking) without to be forced to go into some touristy restaurant? Then the alternative schanze-szene hang-out “Hatari” is the right place for you: It has a slightly trashy atmosphere that makes fun of German clichés with deer antlers all over the walls. The staff is really friendly. It feels more like being a friend dropping in than being a customer.

And the food is how German food should be: no fancy stuff, big portions and moderate prices.

You get huge Schnitzels with fries and brown sauce, a wide variety of burgers and tarte flambées and not to forget the famous “Pfälzer Saumagen”, stuffed pig´s stomach from the Palatinate.

To be honest, I wasn´t yet brave enough to try it and sticked with the yummy Schnitzel. But hey, if the foreign guests of the former chancelor Helmut Kohl liked it? Be adventurous and find out how diplomats in Germany felt for 16 years, when they were confronted with the favourite meal of the chancelor.

Happy news: There is now also another Hatari in Ottensen, in the Eulenstraße 77! I am sure the whole great concept will be the same, therefore you will find me there soon to have some good schnitzel!

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Hatari | Bars, Restaurants (German) | Main course from € 7.00
Schanzenstr. 2-3 | Schanze | +494043208866
Mon – Sat from 12:00, Sun from 16:00

Take your time to find this extraordinary restaurant / wine bar, set far away from where the crowd looks for food and drinks. And be aware: though tucked away it gets really crowded at sevenish – so if you want to grab a seat, be early!

In the centre of nothing but a residential quarter you will be surprised about style, interior and cuisine of Jimmy Elsass! Definitely not German let alone Hamburg cuisine! It looks a bit like a „party keller” – those 70`s style basement rooms in German middle class houses where our parents used to drink and dance and did not really care about any possible accusations of tasteless kitsch.

But the interior with chairs, tables, couches and cushions straight from the flea market (or parents houses…), the wooden ceiling and walls covered with plastic wine and green balloons, the background music ranging from electro to gypsy style will surely make you forget any northern rainy or snowy day outside.

Yes, wait till you get these incredibly tasty tarte flambee served on some kind of big wooden tray with nothing but a cutter-knife. Salty or sweet – it’s impossible to resist another order and stuff yourself. The best thing apart from that? One of the few places where you get very good wine to very reasonable prices! Austrian Veltliner meets Alsatian tarte! Voilá!

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Jimmy Elsass | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Alsace) | Tarte Flambee € 7.50
Schäferstraße 26 | Grindelviertel | +494044195965
18:00 – 01:00 daily

Synonymous with Hamburg’s artistic and gay scene, Lange Reihe was once a sketchy area, but meanwhile has evolved into a rather hip upscale neighborhood, and serves as the starting point for the annual Christopher Street Day parade.

Lange Reihe is a spot that distinguishes itself from other districts by offering an eclectic mix of multicultural shops, restaurants, supermarkets, boutiques, and bars. Dive into this diverse ethnic and cultural life, and travel around the world in one day!

Obtain some delicious rarities at the Asian supermarket or buy some authentic jewelry from India. Maybe you’ll find an interesting souvenir at one of the exclusive wine stores, the Tibetan art gallery, or the specialty shop selling wide range of herbs and teas. On Fridays you can visit the “Ökomarkt“, an organic farmer’s market from 09:00 – 18:30.

If all that shopping has made you hungry, you could have some sushi, stop in one of the Chinese restaurants for the All-you-can-eat buffet (€ 11,80), or simply grab some quick chow at one of the eateries. Afterwards you might feel tempted by the sweet delights at a Persian pastry shop. You could round off the evening with a tasty drink at one of the trendy cocktail bars (happy hour: cocktails under € 5.00).

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Lange Reihe | Bars, Shopping, Restaurants (International)
Lange Reihe | St Georg
Daily

Tucked away on a little street in Ottensen you will find a cosy and personal Portuguese restaurant which is different from the somewhat soulless and touristy Portuguese restaurants in the so called portugese quarter of Neustadt.

The restaurant Ribatejo (translated: on the shores of the river Tejo) in Ottensen is far more atmospheric and attracts a mixed crowd of youngsters, couples and elderly people. There are many regular guests – always a good sign that customers like to come back again and again.

Here you can either just enjoy a decent wine (really tasty Rose wine for example!!) or you can enjoy Tapas or other traditional dishes The tiny and somewhat open kitchen is set pretty much in the middle of the place. So sit down on a wooden bench, relax and sip your wine while watching your meal getting prepared!

Compared to many other portuguese restaurants and bars, this place has a really nice atmosphere: Nice lighting, a tasteful interior and bar/counter, old cobble stone (!) on the floor (as it used to be the entrance of a backyard for carriages). This place can only make you feel very comfortable!

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Ribatejo | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Portugese) | Blass of vine € 3.00
Bahrenfelder Straße 56 | Altona & Ottensen | +494041287911
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 00.00, Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00