As I LOVE everything about cooking, food and eating (I read cookbooks like other people read novels) this place is one of my favorite spots.

The Kochkontor is a mixture of bookstore and restaurant. They sell cookbooks of all shades, from different countries, about different topics – everything your culinary heart could wish for.

Included in this shop is a big open-space kitchen and a few tables. Every day they select one of their incredible plenty of books and cook one or two dishes for lunch. You should go there early as there are only a few tables for many potential guests. If you liked your dish you may just buy the appropriate book or any other book that caught your eye.

If you have the possibility and you speak German you can also participate in one of their cooking classes. I haven’t done this yet, but it’s definitely on my agenda. I would probably choose „Classique – French cuisine”. Have a look at the dates on their homepage. Many classes are booked out long before.

Mooi means beautiful in Dutch and that is a perfect description for this restaurant. Mooi is a very charming small place in a backyard in the Karolinenstraße / Karoviertel. They offer very good food, high quality and kind of extravagant. It’s not cheap, especially in the evening, but it is worth its prices.

Don’t worry, it is not that kind of snobby or affected place. The atmosphere is very warm, cosy and down-to-earth, the interior is simple but elegant. That’s what I like so much, to have really upper-class food in a pleasant atmosphere with nice guests and a lovely service.

Mooi offers seasonal ingredients now in winter for example winterly salads with hazelnut and avocado, roast goose with walnut-cream and marzipan-quark-dumplings. Furthermore they provide really creative and fine aperitives such as cremont with ginger.

During the week they are only open for lunch, on Friday and Saturday you can have dinner there. You should book a table when you go there in the evening.

Café Panter is definitely my favorite café in the Marktstraße. It is a very relaxed place with good music and friendly service. 

You need to order at the bar where you get all usual coffee specialties and some snacks like salads, pasta, sandwiches or cake. Their food is not cheap but they use only organic ingredients. I once had a very tasty tomato-buffalo-mozzarella-salad with basil. Their pasta is simple and good as well. I warmly recommend you try their chocolate-brownies. They are so delicious, tasty, juicy! You’ve gotta try them if you like chocolate as much as I do.

We often go there for a coffee during day times or for an aperitive in the early evening as they are not open that long in the evening. Thus it is perfect for a break from your shopping tour through the Marktstraße.

The Karosech is a really great Cafe/Restaurant and located in the more quiet area of the Schanzen- and Karoviertel, which I personally really love.

At any time of day, it is a great spot to enjoy a good meal, some good coffee and homemade cake. The prices are affordable and the variety of dishes is nice!

The authentic interior design with the original tiling on the wall and interesting pictures create a unique atmosphere and style in combination with the illumination.

When I was there I got the impression it is on one hand a very unique, chilling and intimate place where you can fully enjoy yourself.

On the other hand, on Thursday evenings the place turns into an event called: “Cooking for friends”. Then it becomes very crowded. If you ever want to participate then take a close look at their facebook fanpage. The last event I took part in nearly turned into a party.

The service is excellent and language shouldn’t be a problem. You are good to go if you make Karosech the spot for your last evening in Hamburg before departure and leaving the city. I’m very much persuaded it will stay in your mind for a very long time.