Grindelviertel Hamburg – All our local tips

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!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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

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!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Jimmy Elsass | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Alsace) | Tarte Flambee € 7.50
Schäferstraße 26 | Grindelviertel | +494044195965
18:00 – 01:00 daily

The Philosophenturm, short Philturm, (philosophers tower) is one of the (not really beautiful but) biggest buildings on the campus of the University Hamburg. In 1960/61, the Philturm was built by Paul Seitz for the studies of arts and humanities.

After a really affordable lunch in the canteen (Philturm-Mensa) in the first floor (check menu and prices here), you could go to the top by elevator or by feet (uff!) and have a nice break and watching the beautiful city from above FOR FREE. Take a coffee with you and relax in between students running e.g. from room 267 to room 865.

Take the elevator to the highest floor (i think it’s 12) and take the steps for the last two ones. It’s a bit irritating that there are no signs for the stairway but at least you could find it out by yourself. You need to go through glass doors and corridors to find the last step. There you can sit on the steps, let your legs dangle. You can see the main train station, the Binnenalster (inner Alster Lake), the innercity and and and (see picture), from the other spot, on other side you can see the campus, the TV tower, the St. Michaelis Church (short Michel), the port of Hamburg, everything!

I love to go there! And it’s free.

PS: Because of the sorrowful high number of suicides they installed new windows (impossible to open without a key).

PSPS: Toilets are in the basement.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Philosophenturm | Relaxing | Free
Von-Melle-Park 6 | Grindelviertel
08:30 – 19:00 daily (not sure about weekends)

The service is always amiable, sometimes with their heads up in the clouds, sometimes serving at the table, sometimes self-service, in this seventies furnished Pony Bar. Situated beside the campus of the University of Hamburg, you will meet lots of students shortly before seminars or relaxed after class.

I really adore the red wine there; not really cheap (€ 3.00 to € 4.50), but affordable. Merlot costs € 3.00. All the other beverages are cheap. They offer milk-coffee (€ 1.90 ) with soy-milk with no surcharge. Try out the fresh mint tea (€ 2.10 ).

The red back room is the music-area. On Mondays songwriters give their best, on Tuesdays there are very good! Open-Mic-Sessions (HipHop), contemporary Life-Jazz on Wednesday, and … and … and …

Beside that I love to watch “Tatort” (famous German criminal series) on Sunday, readings, listen to DJ’s, or watch an exhibition.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pony Bar | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Milk coffee € 1.90
Allende Platz 1 | Grindelviertel | +4940428387895
Mon – Sat from 09:00, Sun from 10:00