Shopping – All our local tips

This shop is first and foremost one thing: made out of colourful vintage terry towels! The designer Andreas Linzner uses the patterned 50s-80s fabric for one-of-a-kind cuddly pets. In the bright, fluffy shop you find yourself surrounded by donkeys, monkeys, giraffes, bunnys, pigs, cats, dogs, mice and not to forget the classical cuddle bears.

And if you want to see your favourite towel being reincarnated as your personal terry pet, just ask for this service. There is nothing Andreas Linzner can´t make out of a towel!

Children will love them. But if you get one for yourself to cuddle with, noone can laugh about it, because these toy animals most certainly are a piece of art!

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Andreas Linzner | Shopping | From € 40.00
Marktstr. 6 | Karoviertel | +4940433435
Mon – Fri 13:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 17:00

A sweet and small shop for sweet and small stuff for girls – jewellery! In the shop Bleu there are a few clothes (it used to be more, it seems they want to reduce the software to the hardware and only left a few items by mbyM etc) and present now tiny shiny glittering things by gold and silversmiths like Jane Eppel, Jewelberry or the Hamburg Hoffnungstraeger.

There are earrings, necklaces etc – all neat and non-flashy and very affordable. The girls in the shop are helpful,  friendly, won’t be pushy but will give you a good advise what to combine. If you need other extraordinary accessories – go for the bags or special scarves.

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Bleu | Shopping | Earrings from € 25.00
Schanzenstrasse 41 | Schanze | +494050719760
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 16:00

This candyshop in Ottensen is as bright and colourful as you always imagine them in children books. It is one of these shops where kids press their noses against the window pane to get a closer look.

When you open the door, the beautiful smell of candy, fudges and and roasted nuts is welcoming you. Most of all you see, smell and taste in the glasses is in organic quality and made lovingly by hand. And every day you can discover your inner child and watch at around 16:15 (Saturdays at 14:30) how out of one huge bonbon they make hundreds of little ones and funny looking lollies or how the fudge is made and the nuts are roasted.

The shop is called Bonscheladen, because “Bonsche” is the word for bonbons in Hamburg. But it also means a “treat”. So reward yourself with a visit to this shop and dont be surprised when you find Mary Poppins next to you getting her favourite strawberry candy.

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Bonscheladen | Shopping, Snacks
Friedensallee 12 | Altona & Ottensen | +494041547567
Tue – Fri 11:00 – 18:30 (show 16:15), Sat 11:00 -16:00 (show 14:30)

Brie from the Normandie? Goat cheese from Var? Cottage cheese from Madagascar? “Bruno´s Käseladen! is the right place to be in this case: No desire of a cheese lover stays unfulfilled here!

The tiny shop in the middle of the Schanze seems to be too small: so many different yummy cheese sorts and so many people that want them to try. Just sniffle your way through! And if you are confused by so many delicious possibilities for sure the friendly service helps you out with some taste samples and competent knowledge about the world of cheese.

In warmer nights you can be lucky to get hold of a space on the benches outside. While enjoying the Alsatian tarte flambée or a tasty cheese platter, you can amuse yourself with watching the crowds of the Schanze that are passing by.

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Bruno’s Käseladen | Shopping, Snacks | tarte flambée € 4.80
Schulterblatt 60 | Schanze | +49404300201
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00

In search for rare political books, travel guides or CD’s in German with novels spoken on to practice your language skills? Maybe looking for some present for X-mas?

The bookstore in Schanze offers a big variety of books and a very friendly and kind of „alternative” service. Here you can find all kind of novels, assorted by country of origin of the writer, a bit of English, Spanish and French literature in original and magazines for art, theatre and politics.

If you are tired of the same old boring postcards with the usual Hamburg motives on them, this is the place for different stuff as well. Some of them handmade by Hamburg photographers with very neat and special impressions of the harbour, Hafenstrasse etc..

If you speak German check out the readings or discussions with a political background which take place from time to time.

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Buchhandlung | Shopping
Schulterblatt 55 | Schanze | +49404300808
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00

A bit of a distance lies between this café and the Schanze and maybe that’s the reason why it’s neither trendy nor „cool” but very relaxed and cosy.

The interior – with old chairs, antiques, wooden shelves and little cupboards – makes yourself feel very comfortable.

The people who come here don’t seek the funky flashy style but a decent coffee or tea, a good piece of cake and a place where you could sit for hours if you feel like reading or writing. As they sell used booked as well and have some readings from time to time, it really is the right spot for those who love books and coffee. Not the worst combination!

You can also just browse through the books which is a good way to get to know writers you havn’t heard of before while enjoying your cheese cake or the great cocoa – they have a big variety to choose from if you like that warm sweet liquid. The area is a quiet one with many old Hamburg houses, lots of families and elderly people who live in that area for quite a while.

So this quiet cafe (apart from rainy Sunday afternoons – maybe the reality for some of the next few months) will give you a complete different impression of Hamburg. And it’s a good spot for writing your postcards if you don’t want or can’t enjoy the books written in German.

And you know what!? There is even a neat little fireplace to warm you up on a cold winters day!

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Café Mathilde | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping | cocoa € 3.30
Bogenstrasse 5 | Hamburg North | +494041495384
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 00:00, Sat 12:00 – 20:00, Sun 10:00 – 20:00

Today I was after months again in the blue-house-with-gold-letters-shop. How can I explain my impression or my feelings, when I got in — into the most sinful paradise… ?

I rummaged around outside in big oversea-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, fresh finely grounded in front of you, all kinds you can imagine.

Same for wine and sparkling wine… all price classes! Amazing!

In addition in the shop you’ll find all accessories for extraordinary tea-session, teapots, ginger-biscuits, tea boxes, … as a gift for your friends?

For sure I will be there quite 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 with no other chain stores. I always try to support that kind of shops because it’s one of the last individual and real Hamburgian (not like American coffee shops).

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!

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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

Are you looking for something unique and just tired of browsing the same old major brands? Don’t hesitate to visit one of Hamburg’s premier shopping streets! Eppendorfer Weg originates in Eimsbüttel and runs northwards through Hoheluft- West and -East until it terminates at Lehmweg right in the heart of Eppendorf, one of Hamburg’s ritzy neighborhoods.

The section between Lehmweg and Kottwitzstrasse is known as the ‘art nouveau quarter’ because of its wonderful architecture. This upper stretch of Eppendorfer Weg is famous for its magnificent blend of quaint little cafés, exclusive boutiques, bakeries and delicatessen, upscale stores, classy bars and restaurants. Sounds too expensive? Don’t be fooled! Every store has its distinctive character and price, and there is something affordable to discover for everyone.

My favorite spot on Eppendorfer Weg is “Burg’s Kaffeerösterei” (coffee roastery). The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans will draw you right into the shop where you can spend hours browsing a multitude of unique little gifts. Shiny decorative items and tasty chocolates (to accompany your coffee), interesting spreads and jams, tins, coffee grinders, mugs and pots, and much more will be hard to resist – you definitely don’t need to like coffee to make a find here!

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Eppendorfer Weg | Coffee & tea, Shopping
Eppendorfer Weg | Hamburg North
Daily

The air is filled with the shouting and yelling of vendors, clusters of people are crowding around stands and trucks, empty cardboard boxes are flying, bags are stuffed with fish, baskets are filled to the rim with produce and sold for as little as € 20.

Hamburg’s fish market is legendary and simply a must for every visitor. Since 1703 merchants have been trading everything you can imagine. Today the choice of products ranges from a wide selection of seafood and meat, exotic fruits and veggies, pastries, household items, Hamburg souvenirs to live animals including guinea pigs, bunnies, geese and chicken.

A unique feature of this market is that many items are sold and traded in bulk, often directly from the truck. Things get very hectic and exciting for both merchants and customers when closing time is announced over the loud speaker – gotta make that last deal!

In addition to the early birds, many night owls come here to conclude a long night on Reeperbahn with a fish sandwich and some coffee. The brunch at the historic “Fischauktionshalle” (fish auction hall) with live music (Jazz, Country, Western, German classics) is special highlight!

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Fischmarkt | Art & culture, Shopping
Fischmarkt 2 | Sankt Pauli
Oct – Mar: Sun 07:00 – 09:30, Apr – Sep: Sun 05:00 – 09:30

Every Saturday very early in the morning the place around the old slaughterhouse, the gallery of the “Schlumper” (art from handicapped people) and the Knust (concert hall and bar) become a flea market.

It’s a vibrant place which is calm & relaxing. You’ll see a lot of tradespeople trying to sell their old, rare, extraordinary hodgepodge, kitsch and curiosities.

On this expedition through history, you can find art, clothes, affordable furniture and sometimes practical stuff old and new.

Attention should be paid to the selection of the Flohschanze. You won’t find any brand-new-traders or special items like at other flea markets.

Here are people, who have cleared out their houses, and display their wares on a wallpapering table or a blanket on the ground. Just for this event they are rigorous traders that have fun selling their wares with their friends in an typical rummage atmosphere.

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Flohschanze | Shopping
Neuer Kamp 30 | Schanze
Sat 08:00 – 16:00

A corner shop stuffed with records, CD’s, hi and low-fi audio, super 8 movies and cameras, books, cartoons, corny posters and and and. So it’s the place where the heart of the true lover of music and old-style stuff beats a little faster.

Though it seems a bit disorganized you can be sure that the friendly and dedicated guys who are running the shop will help you to find EVERYTHING which is available concerning music, whetheryou are fond of Jazz and Avantgarde, or into Hip Hop or Indie-music.

There is a mail&order website called hafenschlammrekords and you will be thrilled about what they offer. But if you come to the shop you will forget about time and space – and later find yourself stumbling onto the scruffy street in St. Pauli with at least one vinyl in a bag, a smile on the face and a little spark in your eyes.

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Freiheit & Roosen | Music, Shopping | Records around € 15.00
Paul Roosen strasse 41 | Sankt Pauli | +494023549339
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 18:00

Twice a week, Hamburg’s Isestraße becomes Europe’s largest outdoor market: the Isemarkt. Set in a charming residential neighborhood with beautiful art nouveau buildings, this extraordinary gourmet farmers’ market spreads almost 1 km below the metro rails allowing for a magnificent experience regardless of the weather. Let’s stroll down the center lane and discover what close to 200 vendors have on offer!

Immerse yourself into the various sensory pleasures – when I first encountered this market, I felt like a sponge trying to absorb all the different scents from the abundance of flowers and plants, herbs, spices and soaps, cured meats and fish, pralines and chocolates, and international delicacies that are freshly prepared upon order.

Sample some delicious local (organic) produce, or have a long thin smoked sausage called “Wattwurm”. I’d also recommend tasting the vegetarian soups and quiches, and obtaining some of the homemade jams. In addition, you’ll find this plethora of culinary delights interspersed with stands offering leather goods, arts and crafts, jewelry, high end fashion, and home appliances.

If you feel like taking a break, have some coffee or tea, and watch how people engage in friendly conversations with the merchants exchanging ideas and recipes, listen to the street musicians, and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere – you’ll notice that nobody here seems to be in a rush. Haggling is definitely allowed, but as the experts among you’ll already know: your success rate will be highest towards closing time.

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Isemarkt | Shopping
Isestraße | Hamburg North
Tue & Fri 08:30 – 14:00

Coffee or clothes!?? You can have it both. Kaffee Stark provides you with tea, coffee, juices, cakes and tasty toasts, soups or sandwiches.

And in the room in the back there’s the clothes store to-keh which will give you hope that one day the sun will come back to Hamburg (to give you a chance to wear that stuff).

You find this special combination in a nice area of St. Pauli, halfway between Schanze/Schulterblatt and Reeperbahn. The room itself is beautiful – high ceiling, huge windows, an old wooden floor, and an area on a higher level with some little staircase. There you will enjoy sofas with thick and soft cushions, tempting you to make yourself very very comfortable. You will find plenty of magazines and newspapers if your friends left you alone for shopping in the rooms of to-keh.

It’s a pleasure to see how friendly the guys are who are working there. Yes, it’s a bit of a hippie-style: all these cushions, mums and daddies drinking their coffee, kids

playing on the sofa, young lads eating their carrot soup, girls flicking through an art magazine… but is there anything better than feeling easy on an afternoon in autumn in a big city??

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Kaffee Stark | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Rhubarb juice € 1.60
Wohlwillstrasse 18 | Sankt Pauli | +494067382060
10:00 – 23:00 daily

Now it really happened: Frau Goetz said goodbye to all the busy lizzies and gave over her little shop to the new owners: Ina and Nanni. Their shop is called “Kunst Kiosk” and as the name says, sells art in every variation for the every day need.

And if you didn’t discover such a need yet, just go there and it will develop for sure: For example when you see the great black and white prints that they make in their own workshop. And the “ohhh how sweet” effect is for sure catching up on you, when you have a look at the “smussels”, small animal-like cuddle pillows.

Similar to Frau Goetz, Ina and Nanni have a heart for newcomer designers: They still give them the possibility to present their design products in the shop (for the nostalgic ones this also includes some Frau Goetz products)

So have a look at the new, but never the less still cutie shop and dont forget to also check out their monthly art exhibitions.

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Kunst Kiosk | Shopping
Paul-Roosen-Straße 5 | Sankt Pauli | +494037429522
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 20:00

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

You might ask yourself why there’s so much Scandinavian fashion in Hamburg!? Because it’s so close to us people in the North – and it’s so nice!

In Lille /stor (which is kind of a wordplay as lille means small and stor means big in Danish but reminds of shop as well) you can try on fashion from designers like Lysgaard, Snobdesign or Kaffe but also by heavy boots for snowy days or funny warm woolen shoes for cold winter evenings at home. And there is self-made chocolate to fight the winter blues (known by heart from the Scandinavians).

The cosy shop with lots of little cute stuff is divided into two separate stores, the left one with mixed up fashion, the right one mostly with clothes for kids, mums and those you are waiting to become mums.

Just a few meters away you will find the shop „Van der Lilleberg” where Scandinavian fashion meets with fashion from the Netherlands. So forget about Milano or Paris! The In-places for fashion are up in the North! And you won’t pay a fortune for it…

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Lille / Stor | Shopping | Tops from € 40.00
Schanzenstrasse 97 | Schanze | +4940343741
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:30 – 18:00

Lille Ø literally means „Small island” in Danish. And this little island on Eppendorfer Weg is another good place in Hamburg for stylish danish clothes.

The store used to be a place for motorbikes and bicycles and provides now very sportive clothes from Hummel, very feminine stuff from Rosemunde Copenhagen. Great are the jackets, 1937 Manchester style.

Lille Ø is run by the very nice and friendly German-Danish couple Jan & Lisa and lies just across of Cafe Röschen (see the Cafe Roschen article). So why not take a stroll along the Hoheluft canal, enjoy a cup of coffee at Röschen and continue to Lille Ø in search of a nice dress, coat or whatsoever.

Be sure that you will get a good and friendly advise what’s hip, comfortable and what suits you well. Much more relaxing and easy-going than shopping in many of the crowded store


s in Schanze!

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Lille Ø | Shopping | Tops from € 40.00
Eppendorfer Weg 190 | Hamburg North | +494067385014
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat 11:00 – 18:00

If you wanna have an original souvenir from Hamburg, you need to visit Maegde und Knechte. Ina Kurz founded the shop on the idea to put poetry not into books but on textiles or other materials. On all kind of daily accessories she prints funny, witty German proverbs that give things a special meaning:

wash bags with “BLEIB SAUBER” (stay clean), pillowcases with “HIER IST MANCHMAL ZU HAUSE SEIN” (here there is home once in a while) or glasses with ICH WILL AB JETZT DIE GLÜCKLICHSTE ZEIT MEINES LEBENS HABEN (from now on I want to have the happiest time of my life)

Certainly you will get a kind of translation in the shop; although the double meaning is not easily transferred. But maybe as a non-native speaker, with these German pearls of wisdom it is like reading fortune cookies: not catching the exact meaning adds even to the charm.

And for sure you will have a unique memory of Germany and can show off with your language skills every time your friends ask for the translation.

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Maegde und Knechte | Shopping
Feldstrasse 44 | Karoviertel | +49404302114
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 18:00, Sat 12:00 – 15:00

This is the kind of book shop where you only have a chance to come out of the door after some minutes, when you know exactly what book title you wanna carry home. But even then, its more likely that the atmosphere inside will take you in. Hours later you will stumble out, still dizzy with all the beautiful things you have seen.

The book shelves in the long stretched corridor reach far under the ceiling and are filled with all kind of art, design, photography and architecture books. This is heaven on earth for bookworms and art lovers. No worry when you cant read German, there are definitely enough pictures to look at! The staff are experts and will help you out when you are overwhelmed by the possibilities.

They also have once in a while interesting book presentations. So if you can understand some German, give them a go.

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Sautter+Lackmann | Art & culture, Shopping
Admiralitätstraße 71/72 | City center | +49040373196
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 17:00

Sneakers, runners, golden high heels, heavy boots, shoes for costume parties, shoes for weddings, shoes for premiere shows, shoes for etc etc.

In this souterrain shop on Marktstrasse, run by a sometimes grumpy man (don’t let that bother you) you can find all kind of second-hand shoes. This is not everyone’s favourite thing, but let me tell you that most of the stuff sold there is in very good condition. And it’s very special! You can find also belts and bags from 60`s, 70`s and 80’s to very reasonable prices.

And if you don’t pay by card you can even dare to bargain (easier said than done…). Knowing that buying shoes makes yourself very happy indeed!

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Schuhe U2 | Shopping | From € 30.00
Marktstr. 1 | Karoviertel | +4940438356
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 16:00

This coffee and tea shop still represents the old Hamburg hanseatic style. To this day, time has a quality in here: I love the elderly ladies behind their old fashioned counter that seem to have hours for every customer. And I love the small shop where you could spend an eternity: looking at all these different bars of chocolate in the wooden racks or getting advice for special tea sorts or watching the ladies grain fresh coffee in their old grinder.

Of course you also get here all kind of little presents of the world of tea and coffee: lovely cups, pots and candies. Not to forget Hamburg specialities like “Schanzensekt” (schanze sparkling wine) or “Hamburger Rote Grütze” (Hamburg red berry compote)

I just realize that I never heard the ladies speaking English. Maybe they are fluent, I don’t know. But if not, they for sure will take their time to explain you every single tea sort with hands and feet. Of course I hope you know the basics in tea sign language!

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Stüdemanns Teashop | Shopping
Schulterblatt 59 | Schanze | +49404300630
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 15:00

Whether you want to attend a special rock-, jazz- classic-, theatre production, a reading or a political event, you will find yourself in a unique atmosphere in the FABRIK in Ottensen.

Here you can combine cultural events with a look into the industrial history of Ottensen that once has been big in producing machine parts for the ship industry. The famous alternative and multicultural “communication center” was founded in 1971 in a building of a former machine factory that is around 150 years old.

Unique surrounding, unique program: In the FABRIK you don’t find mainstream events, its more for the particular taste or even more particular taste. So check out the website, if there is anything that makes you curious. And maybe you are anyway a fan of the “sounds of the Mongolian grasslands” or the “festival of the monsters of ska-punk” and don’t understand at all why I stress this point so much!

The famous Fabrik indoor flea market is my favourite in the cold season, when the hall and the gallery are packed with the Ottensen folk that emptied their attics. There is always a treasure to find here and for sure also one or two German scurrilities. Good luck with your own hunt!

In the cold season the flea market is once a month on a Saturday from 09:00 to 15:00. Check out the website for more information. Entry is for free.

The next dates are:
13 March 2010
17 April 2010

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The FABRIK | Art & culture, Music, Shopping | Tickets from € 8.00
Barnerstr. 36 | Altona & Ottensen | +4940391070
Presales Mon – Fri 13:00 – 17:00

Hamburg is famous for St Pauli: this is first of all of course the red light district. But St Pauli is also a famous soccer club, whose fans are different in the “punk” way. Try to get a great in demand ticket while you are in town. It is for sure an experience, even when you aren’t a big soccer fan.

A real fan you will recognize by the pirate flag, skull and crossbones on black ground. This symbol got really hip in Hamburg. So now you find it on everything you can imagine: baby rompers, underwear, on hair clamps, rubber ducks, toasters and so on… Of course for the girls, the cool skull is also available in the combination with fake diamonds or lovely red hearts and ribbons.

At the little present shop “tthoch3″ of Tonja Tietjen, you for sure will be successful when you are searching for the skull and crossbones motive. But there is also a lot of other bric-a-brac to find here: no one needs it but it puts a smile on your face!

So have a look there, get you own pirate symbol and become one of the real Fischköpfe/fishheads (that’s how the Hamburg locals are called.)

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TThoch3 Tonja Tietjen | Shopping
Beim Grünen Jäger 10 | Schanze | +494059464754
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 18:00