Schanze Hamburg – All our local tips

This – kind of „alternative” – cinema in a backyard in Schanze plays very extra-ordinary movies, and quite often you find the original versions with subtitles. So it’s not only for people with German language skills. Definitely not something you will find quite often in Hamburg as Germans like to synchronise movies!

Don’t expect any Blockbusters or Hollywood-stuff but European, Asian or Latin American movies which are not quite known. On Internet – or in the brochure you will find in many pubs, cafes etc – you can check the motto’s of the month like „ Play it again”, the long-time favourites. They also do special theme days e.g. Latin American movies or Bizarre cinema so there’s a big variety. In March you find movies – played in the original version – from Arabic to Hebrew, from Spanish to Polish! Every nationality should find its happiness!

By the way: 3001 sells now very special DVD’s – so if you wanna see your favourite movie again and again, this is your chance!

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3001 | Cinemas | Entrance € 8.00
Schanzenstr. 75 | Schanze | +4940437679
See the website for the program

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

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

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

During the day „Die Herren Simpel” is a classic breakfast café with a good variety of breakfast and snacks. The coffee is great! Mornings you’ll find a calm place here to enjoy the “Herrengedeck” (cake and hot beverage). In the evening “Die Herren Simpel” is a classic bar with cocktails, beer and wine, small snacks.

The ambience and interior kindly stand out from the crowd of the Schanze. It is a bit too scenic and hip sometimes, but a great chill-out area with different compartments. All guests are relaxed and everybody does their own thing. By the way, here is W-LAN, too!

The staff is so different like the weather in Hamburg. It’s like playing the lottery.

Sometimes they are fast, friendly, careful guys, but sometimes the clueless “I-have-forget-your-order-in-the-first-second-you-opened-your-mouth” temporary employee work on my nerves. So, help yourself, and order at the bar, especially on weekend, when it is crowded.

I really adore the big cherry blossoms behind the Bar.

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Die Herren Simpel | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Breakfast from € 4.90
Schulterblatt 75 | Schanze | +494038684600
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – open end

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

This is the place after the boat-trip with ‘Frau Hedi’ (see this article). Also if you didn’t get a boat ticket, come home to ‘Frau Hedis Landgang’.

This tiny pub has the craziest calendar of events in Hamburg: i.e. “Autumn Sucks Party”, “Club Madame – A Night with Paris (Hilton)”, “Oklahoma Ranch Radio Show”, “Disaster Disco for your Eyes and Ears”, or the funny “NIGHT TRASH!

The Live-Auction Show.” (where you can sell all your old and nasty stuff in an auction show), after that “Konsumboykott Party”. Everytime there is a different theme and different people.

It’s hard to explain this spot, go there and have fun! I am serious!

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Frau Hedis Landgang | Bars
Neuer Pferdemarkt 3 | Schanze | +494042102823
Thu – Sat from 20:00

Indie, Rock and 80s music fans can feel at home her. People who like to dance between the twenty-something people are very at home here. This old inconspicuous forester’s house (that’s why it called “green hunter”) is the place for alternative concerts of unknown bands from all over the world.

The entrance fee is around € 2.00 to € 6.00 (you can’t negotiate the price). Every Wednesday there is ByteFM residency (concerts) for free, give them a try!

The beer is cheap (€ 2.20). The wine is bad. You can sit in summer outside at tables, or inside on sofas.

During the weekends it is a well filled dance area. Or you can go upstairs to play table fusball or just relax in a relaxed ambiance on old sofas for smoking and talking about all the world.

Once in a while there are theme-nights like watching “Tatort” (famous German criminal series) on Sunday, other cult movies or radio play night.

At the moment they often have free entrance for concerts. Just check out the programme!

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Grüner Jäger | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Beer € 2.20
Neuer Pferdemarkt 36 | Schanze | +494031814617
From 20:00 – open end daily

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

Oh my gooo..sh, these cakes are a once in a lifetime experience! I never had a slice of raspberry torte more raspberrish. And because I tried of course from my friends plate too, a piece of cheesecake more cheese-creamish. It’s a taste explosion on your tongue. Herr Max really learned his business.

But be aware of the danger for your weight: I am already planning my next trips, because there was such a huge choice of delicious sorts to try. One looks yummier than the other and how can I miss out for long on such temptations as the choco mousse torte or the lemon tarte?

At this scenic place with its old glazed tiles and the potpourri of chairs and tables, it feels a little bit like children playing afternoon coffee invitation or maybe like a tea party at Alice in Wonderland. So have a seat, be charmed and after trying a slice of cake, grin like the Cheshire cat.

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Herr Max | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Slice of cake € 3.00
Schulterblatt 12 | Schanze | +494069219951
Mon- Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 13:00 – 17:00

Established 1961 the snack stall Schorsch is the one and only for curried sausage (Currywurst) in Hamburg. Together with home-made potato salad or (like i prefer) bread, it’s the best combination.

The sausage is fried (not deep-fried!) and served with the best sauce ever. This curry-sauce is homemade and magic. If you order “hot”, your face turns red and you will sweat. It’s a trip down memory lane the snack stall is a small place: only 5 people can stand shoulder to shoulder at the bar.

If you want to meet a real Hamburgian ”deern” (woman), go there and listen to cheeky Christel. If you are on the way from the Schanze to the “Kiez” (St. Pauli area), weak from hunger or just hungry for a mid-night snack, check out this place!

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Imbiss bei Schorsch | Snacks | Currywurst € 2.30
Beim Grünen Jäger 14 | Schanze | +494043091925
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 01:30, Sat 12:00 – 01:30

Conveniently situated between all my favourite spots and on the mass trail between Schanze and Kiez (Sankt Pauli) is one of the best snack bars in Hamburg.

After every FC St Pauli game in the Millerntor Stadion (see this article) we come here for a proper snack like a burger, French fries, schnitzel, curried saussage, etc together with draft beer.

It is always rush hour, regardless of day, time or event. Also, late at night around 03:00, you will find very mainly friendly (snotty, north-German) women with Hamburgian slang behind the counter and plenty of other people on the way from Schanze to Kiez, or Kiez to Schanze, or home.

Not that important, but good to know: outside there are two beach chairs (give them a try with one of the good and affordable cocktails in your hand) and inside a big screen for watching soccer or other important sports.

Prices are very, very affordable. You can get a Supersized Curried Sausage or Veggie-Burger for €2.80, French Fries with Ketchup or Mayo €1.70. Fritz-Kola €1.70, Astra Beer €1.60.

YOU’LL LOVE THE VEGGIE-BURGER!

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Kleine Pause | Snacks | Veggie-Burger € 2.80
Wohlwillstr. 37 | Schanze | +494301403
Mon – Thu 07:00 – 01:00, Fri 07:00 – 03:00, Sat 08:00 – 03:00, Sun 08:00 – 01:00

Le Fonque is a small but absolutely cool spot. Located in the scenic Schanze it is a bit hidden in the side street Juliusstrasse, which also means less tourists and more locals.It has been around for 10 years making it one of the old bars (first?) in this district. Le Fonque has soft couches and dark red light that flatters every skin type. The first time I stepped in I thought: oh my god – a small, red, dark, grubby brothel?! Indeed it looks a bit like the backstage room of Moulin Rouge and with a cosy atmosphere.

People are young-at-heart, interested in good music, and of all nationalities. Time seems to stand still accompanied with a professional range of music. Every night there is a live DJ right beside the bar covered with a fresh bouquet of flowers. And for sure: they know their business! The music ranges from funk (of course!) to soul, old school, new school, 70s, sometimes mixed with groovy sounds or elements of house music. All DJs have to pass through a hard test of live performance – no demo-tapes!

Astra beer costs € 2,00, other beer € 3,00. Sometimes it’s a bit too smoky and crowded, then it’s better to change to Daniela Bar or BP1 (both at Schulterblatt) and come back later. It’s always a good place for the last nightcap or to stay longer.

Funk – Funky – Le Fonque!

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Le Fonque | Bars, Music | Astra beer € 2.00
Juliusstraße 33 | Schanze | +49404307515
from 22:00 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

This convivial welcoming place is always very crowed, because you’ll get really good food. More important for a few people: real big portions for little money during the whole day.

Breakfast from 09:00 and lunch from 11:30. Actually I could recommend everything from the menu. My favourite is Pasta Marco Polo with fried chicken slices, broccoli and tomato sauce for € 6.90. The French Fries there are the best in the Schanze. If you wanna go for breakfast, they have student breakfast with bread, butter, jam, honey, cheese, sausage, orange juice, fruit salad and (all you can drink) coffee.

Sometimes you cannot find a place. Ask the super friendly staff if there will be a free table soon and just wait few minutes.

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Oma’s Apotheke | Bars, Snacks | Main meal from € 4.00
Schanzenstraße 87 | Schanze | +4940436620
Sun – Thu 09:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 09:00 – 02:00

This place in the middle of Schulterblatt is in in absolute contrast to the scenic hip shops and sushi-bars on the Schanze .

This former theater has become a successful culture house. In 1989, in response to plans to turn it into a musical theater it was overtaken by squatters and became the alternative culture house it is today.

The facade of the Rote Flora changes every few weeks, from my perspective it is always creatively done. As a political and cultural center, it is the center of a lot of art events, block parties, flea markets, and alternative political neighborhood work.

The parties in the Rote Flora are great, which is a great contrast with the pabulum of the scenic Schanze. The music varies from punk, reggae, dub to drum’n'bass or house. The people are very mixed from alternative rasta-piercing-guys to political activists to (unfortunately too many) just-have-fun party people.

By the way, beside the parties you’ll find a self-help service station for bikes and the Volxküche (with lunch).

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Rote Flora | Art & culture, Music
Schulterblatt 71 | Schanze | +49404395413
See the program

This old time favourite offers tasteful breakfasts, a nice setting for an afternoon coffee or tea – and a place for beer and a chat in the evening.

Saal II used to be a shop which you can tell by the beautiful tiles – which turned little yelowish by years of guests with severe smoking habits. You can be quite  sure to listen to nice music and watch the bar tenders enjoying their job. Some of them even continue serving beer or coffee despite their hamburg fame of being writers.

Here you won’t get hassled by the so called „In-Crowd” in Schanze – though the crowd tends to be much younger and less „Hamburgerisch” in the evening or on the weekend. Watch the people pass by while sipping at your tea or have a look at the picture of Hamburg artists and musician SAM, meanwhile you are waiting for the next beer to come along with some tunes of Nick Drake.

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Saal II | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Beer € 2.20
Schulterblatt 83 | Schanze | +49404392828
Mon – Fri from 12:00, Sat – Sun from 11:00

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

In the middle of the scenic street called Schulterblatt there is “Transmontana”, a small Portuguese café.

When the sun shines you can sit at one of the countless tables outside on the Piazza and have a great view to the alternative Rote Flora. Watch the fashionable, stylish but as well as the alternative crowd with big sunglasses.

Inside it is very cosy, but sometimes a bit noisy in the rush hour. A neighborly, Portuguese family built up this fine café-place, which has a simple, but one of the best independent breakfasts in town.

A delicious and tasty combination is an individual filled toast or croissant and fresh orange juice. The “Galão” (Portuguese milk-coffee) is not the best, but it is the local drink here.

Try the very sweet but original, traditional “Pasteis de Nata”. The service is friendly and in not-busy-times they tell you more about the family-pictures behind the bar.

Oh, and by the way, in the evenings don’t miss the Sagres (Portuguese beer).

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Transmontana | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Galão € 2.00
Schulterblatt 86 | Schanze | +494043184006
07:00 – 20:00 daily

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

Cafe Unter den Linden is a small and atmospheric cafe with a tasteful, kind of „old-fashioned”, interior.

On the weekends it’s very lively. As soon as the sun shines and the temperature is more than 12 degrees celsius (they provide blankets) the chairs and benches under the beautiful old linden trees get pretty crowded. Maybe in these days we have to ask the snow to disappear first…

They offer quite a variation of cakes, plenty of newspapers and magazines to flick through, and the connoisseur will honour that a free glass of water is delivered with coffees, cappuccino’s etc.. At evening time it gets a little quieter if you want to escape the crowd at Schulterblatt-Strasse. And they provide decent wine and a few tasty dishes like soups or salads.

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Unter den Linden | Coffee & tea | French breakfast € 5.00
Juliusstrasse 16 | Schanze | +4940438140
09:30 – 01:00 daily

Of course it is NO furniture store, but if you come in, you feel a bit like that. Sooooo many sofas all around.

I appreciate this place during the day, when the sun warms up the sofa you’re sitting on while drinking milk coffee. When the sun goes down, the as-hip-as-you-can-be people come from work (the wanna be’s and wanna see’s), the music gets louder and hipper and it’s hard to find a place on a sofa. Some call it an “after hour bar”, I call it and exhausting scenic bar at nighttime.

Better go there during daylight: The people are relaxed and easy-going! The amiable service have time to talk and sometimes to sit for a while with you, and the music fits the situation – call or better write a letter to an old friend, it’s the right time and place for that!

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Zoë 2 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Beer € 2.00
Neuer Pferdemarkt 17 | Schanze
from 10:00 daily