You should go to the Oberhafenkantine by foot because the walk is beautiful: You start at the Deichtorhallen (see article Deichtorhallen), walk over the Oberhafenbrücke and at the bridges’ end it is on the left side. The Oberhafenkantine is a very special place with a long history. And it looks very special, because of many storm tides and undercutting it is so crooked that I sometimes feel a bit queasy when I walk in! 

Since its opening in 1925 it was a place for dockworkers who got their coffee and their burger there. When landlady Anita died in 1997 (she worked there from 1925 to 1997!) the Oberhafenkantine was closed and then restored and reopened in 2006. It is a lovely place where you can enjoy some regional specialties. Everything is fresh and handmade. And in summer it is perfect when you sit outside next to the water and have some drinks. Next to the Oberhafenkantine is the Zollamt-Oberhafen a small off-gallery for contemporary art.  

By the way: The Oberhafenkantine marks the starting point of the Oberhafencity which is a huge area with epic free space and old warehouses directly at the Elbe. It is expected to develop within the next decades and is the antipole to the Hafencity. 

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Oberhafenkantine | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (Regional) | Main Dish € 12.00
Stockmeyerstraße 39 | City center
12:00 – 22:00 daily

Since we did our last project in Hamburgs Hafencity we were more or less forced to hang around there. Locals are really sceptical towards the Hafencity, because it is an very fast growing and expensive area, dozens of new buildings and quays were built within the last years. The Hafencity is blamed to be a very clean and cold place, with no heart and no life in it. Frankly spoken – it needs to grow, it needs people who live there, cafés, bars and more shops. But if you embark on this area, it is amazing – at least that is what I feel. 

The place I love most there is Heimat Küche und Bar. It is the gastronomic part of the Designhotel 25hours. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, often with DJ’s. And since it is one of few bars there it is often really crowded.

The food is based on local ingredients and simple but really good. Try fish’n chips, that’s awesome. The interior is inspired by the world of shipping, harbour and Hamburgs warehouse district in combination with some design classics. I would be happy to have their chairs round my dinner table. 

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HEIMAT Küche und Bar | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Local) | Main Dish € 15.00
Überseeallee 5 | City center
12:00 – 00:00 daily

DAS MAGAZIN is a room for international printing culture, design and art, run by Art lawyer Jens Brelle.

When this tiny space next to the Michel opened up last year, we did our Pop-Up Magazine Store there. Since this is over many interesting events – such as talks (for example Juli Gudehus introduced her “Lesikon”), Release-Parties (for exmple the Hamburg Based “Superkraft” Magazine”) or theme nights (We make Urban Magazines – a night on city magazines) followed.

DAS MAGAZIN is a relaxed place and you may find interesting people hanging out there, drinking beer and lemonade and celebrating this very small independent magazine scene in hamburg. it is worth to go there! You can check their current program via their Facebook page.

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DAS MAGAZIN | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping | Beer € 2.00
Teilfeld 8 | City center
depends on events

The heliumcowboy Artspace is a gallery in the middle of hamburg, not far away from the Gängeviertel. This gallery shows young, urban, upcoming artists in different disciplines. It reaches from painting to very complex installations or sculpturing. Check their homepage for their current exhibitions.

All exhibitions are really worth seeing, because the artists they show are rare and surprising. I think it is often that kind of art that has an immediate effect on you, the moment you look at.

And I like their motto “be true. be honest. do it all with passion or don’t do it at all. and always get your hands dirty”, because that’s pretty much what I think it should be like.

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Heliumcowboy Artspace | Art & culture | Free
Bäckerbreitergang 75 | City center | +494048408860
Various, check the website

Gudberg was founded as an agency for graphic design more then ten years ago. Today they are still doing great work in the fields of corporate-, editorial-, graphic-, interior- and web-design. Beyond this they publish their own or other’s book- or magazine-projects, they have their own magazine called “Gudberg” AND they run a small gallery with a selection of great books and magazines to purchase there (or online).

From time to time I visit them and browse through their range of books and magazines. I really like this place. Not only their interior (which was designed by themselves of course) but the idea of sharing working-space, gallery and a small shop in one location.

I recommend going there and getting inspiration from these great selection of publications.

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Gudberg Gallery | Art & culture, Shopping | Book € 20.00
Poolstrasse 8 | City center | +49408195150
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:00

This spot is my newest discovery. The Eiskantine is a small cafe, it is hidden in the Neustadt. A little bit off the Großneumakrt but close by. The St. Michealis Church, Laeiszhalle and City are only few minutes away.

According to their name they offer a small selection of home made ice creams. But you can also have lunch, snacks and coffee there. I went there for a lunch break once and had a celery soup which was fantastic. This place seems to be quite unknown which makes it pleasant because it is quiet and not crowded. It’s just a nice spot, with a fantastic interior design, where you can enjoy your break from your city tour and cool down with one of their ice creams.

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Eiskantine | Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Soup € 3.50
Kohlhöfen 10 | City center
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00

There was this black door with a bell and silver inscription of “Le Lion – Bar de Paris” when I left Le Petit Paris, a very nice small store where you can get french specialties just in front of the Café de Paris (check both articles here & here).

Now I was curious because it felt like another little mystery in the middle of the city centre and decided to check it out. I came back one evening, rang the bell and was invited to enter the “legend of the lion”.

The steward, finely suited up, took care of my coat and introduced me to the place… oh and don’t worry about a dress code.

The interior design is fantastic! I was directly pushed back to the era of the 20s & 30s when I left the vestibule as the lounge with the bar emerged just in front of me. In the background… the sculpture of a Lion – the icon of the place, floodlit by the indirect illumination all over the place – seems to keep in secret and mystery all stories, good and sad ones, which have been told at this place.

The service is perfect as you can expect it for one of the top 5 bars worldwide (2008) and the size of the spot is just perfect to create a familiar and intimate setting with friends.

But for now I’ll leave the rest to your imagination and I’m sure you will love the place and enjoy your best cocktails.

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Le Lion – Bar de Paris | Bars | Cocktails € 13.00
Rathausstraße 3 | City center | +4940334753780
Tue – Sat 20:00 – 03:00

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.

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

With its first tree planted in 1821, this green sanctuary currently comprises 47 hectares of Hamburg’s city center. Magnificent flowerbeds, well-tended lawns, and idyllic creeks provide a place of tranquility. Every section of the park offers different floral themes.

The Japanese gardens and tea house invite you to interrupt your stroll for a moment of relaxation. Families like to visit the enormous playground that may even have some fun in store for the ‘kid in you’, and some locals come here to play mini-golf, or with the over-sized chess game. 

While flora and fauna are slowly wakening from hibernation, “Planten un Blomen” has something special to offer at the conservatory of the University of Hamburg. Experience the arid desert climate at the cacti house, admire a great variety of fern, and tour the tropical house for some colorful blossoms of banana and cocoa plants; maybe you’ll spot some of the terrapins too!

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Planten un Blomen | Relaxing | Free
Marseiller Strasse | City center
Park Oct – Apr 07:00 – 22:00, May – Sep 07:00 – 23:00

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 – 22:30 daily