Hamburg is great when it comes to fish rolls, but the Hanseatic city has so much more to offer in terms of gastronomy. Our editorial foodie Jana lives in Hamburg and introduces you to 7 restaurants that you should definitely save on Google Maps. And off we go to feast!
1. The best fish roll in Hamburg is here
We start with the obligatory fish roll to go. It has to be crispy and freshly made. If you see that the fried fish is coming out of the warming drawer, get out of the store quickly!
At the Fischbeisl bistro in Altona, you can be sure that the fried fish is only prepared to order. You can even watch the fish being prepared in the open kitchen. The home-marinated salmon and the tender matjes herring are also delicious here.
Not only in terms of taste, but also in terms of price, hardly any other fish sandwich shop in Hamburg can match the “Fischbeisl”: the fried fish costs 5 euros, the salmon 4.50 euros and the matjes herring 3.70 euros. The only catch: Fischbeisl is a bit out of the way. The best way to get there is to combine your visit with a ferry ride. From the Landungsbrücken, it’s just two stops.
Fischbeisl, Große Elbstraße 131, 22767 Hamburg, opening hours: Thu–Tue, 11 am to 10 pm
2. Salt & Silver , St. Pauli
The ambience at Salt & Silver in St. Pauli is special. The restaurant is snugly small, the interior stylish, and through the windows the lights of the harbor cranes shine in the evening.
The concept at Salt & Silver: food sharing. You order several small dishes, which the service (which is outstanding, by the way) then places in the middle of the table, and everyone can try a little of everything. Most of the dishes are inspired by Israeli and Lebanese cuisine, and the menu changes regularly.
Salt & Silver Levante, Hafenstraße 140, 20359 Hamburg, opening hours: Wed–Sun, 6–11 pm
3. Restaurant Klinker, Hoheluft
The Klinker in Hoheluft also offers dishes for sharing. Sustainability is the top priority in the restaurant, which works with seasonal products from the region whenever possible. This is not only the case with the food, but also with the staff.
The restaurant in Hamburg-Hoheluft is only open during the week, with the team having time off at the weekend. And the fact that everyone enjoys working here is something that is also conveyed to the guests: the Klinker restaurant is a place where you feel at home.
Incidentally, another special feature here is that every evening a table is kept free for two students or apprentices, who receive a 50 percent discount on food and drink – we think that’s great!
Restaurant Klinker, Schlankreye 73, 20144 Hamburg, opening hours: Mon–Fri, 6 p.m. to midnight
4. Izakaya by Dokuwa, Karoviertel
Izakaya by Dokuwa in the Karoviertel brings a taste of Japan to Hamburg. As you would expect of a proper izakaya, the menu includes small snacks, beer and other drinks. There are no seats, so Izakaya by Dokuwa is a standing bar. You can stand either at the long bar in the interior or at the beer tables outside.
And what can we say, the food is just unbelievably good. Full stop. If you like Japanese food, you are bound to become a regular at Izakaya by Dokuwa. They have crispy yet juicy Karaage, deep-fried chicken, the freshest sashimi, hearty Japanese potato salad, pickled sardines and much, much more. There is also plenty on offer for vegans and vegetarians.
Izakaya by Dokuwa, Karolinenstraße 18, 20357 Hamburg, opening hours: Tue–Thu, 6–11 pm and Fri/Sat, 6–1 am
5. Momo Ramen, Sternschanze
Ramen shops can be found on every street corner in German cities. But unfortunately, not all of them are good, so which one do we recommend? There’s only one way to find out – try them all.
And after slurping up many bowls, one thing is clear: one of the best ramen in Hamburg can be found at Momo Ramen, between Sternschanze and Eimsbüttel. Whether shio, shoyu, miso or tonkotsu, the broth tastes intense, the noodles are homemade and the side dishes are perfectly prepared. Our recommendations: spicy miso and tonkotsu.
Momo Ramen, Margaretenstraße 58, 20357 Hamburg, opening hours: daily from 12 to 10 pm
6. Spaccaforno, Winterhude
If you’ve been walking from one sight to the next all day, you can quickly develop a craving for pizza. That’s why there’s a recommendation for all pizza fans: the staff at Spaccaforno take particularly delicious Neapolitan pizzas out of the oven.
You can find three branches in Hamburg: in the city center – near the town hall, in Fuhlsbüttel and in Winterhude. The last-mentioned branch is particularly cozy, where you can also sit nicely on the terrace.
If Spaccaforno is fully booked, just walk around the corner to the Pizza Social Club on Mühlenkamp. The carbonara pizza here is particularly delicious.
Spaccaforno, Poelchaukamp 25, 22301 Hamburg, opening hours: Tue–Sun, 12 noon to 10 pm
7. Sakura Sushi, city center
Sakura Sushi is a small temple of tranquility right next to Hamburg’s largest shopping street. Here you can relax after an intense shopping tour and reward yourself with a lunch menu that consists of a small sushi variation, tea, a salad with algae and either a miso or a noodle soup.
If you want, you can also order udon dishes here or put together your own sushi menu.
Sakura Sushi, Rosenstraße 8, 20095 Hamburg, opening hours: Mon–Sat, 11:30 am to 4 pm
Fancy something sweet?
Finally, a very special place must be mentioned: the micro-patisserie genascht. If you are passing through Hamburg on a Friday afternoon and could do with something sweet, you should make your way to the Komponistenviertel in Barmbek-Süd and visit Ilka in her shop.
From 3 to 6 p.m., you can get extraordinary and always delicious sweets here: cookies with miso and white chocolate, lemon-basil cupcakes, brownies with flamed orange marshmallows and pecan nuts, lemon cake with fennel seeds, and so on and so forth. It’s a real sugar dream.
genascht, Mozartstraße 15, 22083 Hamburg, opening hours: Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m.
