Written by Brent Foster from Robin and the Tourguides, Hamburg’s Nr.1 rated tour company via Tripadvisor.
When visiting a city I always love visiting nice restaurants to discover the local food and what the culinary of the city has to offer. It is always a treat to let yourself be served and shown some amazing new cuisine that hopefully will be as unforgettable as the trip itself.
The best way to discover some great restaurants is, of course, to go on a tour and ask the guide for their recommendations. That is why, if possible, we would recommend taking a few tours with unique and honest guides with Robin and the Tourguides.
In Hamburg, it is literally impossible to visit all the restaurants while on holidays, but we want to recommend some great places to experience some wonderful dishes that are moderately priced ($$-$$$). Here are the top 5 restaurants to visit while in Hamburg.
When many people think of German food, schnitzel, wurst, potatoes and sauerkraut comes to mind. However, this is most definitely not typical Hamburg cuisine as Hamburg is so close to the North Sea. If you want to try something local, then expect a lot of fish!
The Alt Helgoländer Fischerstube restaurant is located directly at the fish market and serves an amazing variety of traditional fish dishes with a beautiful view of the ports. Some traditional dishes include: rosefish fillet, cod, fried plaice, graved salmon, pike-perch, Halibut, sole, pickled or salted herring fillets among others.
One famous dish though is called Labskaus. It is with a mashed corn beef or fish, with vegetables, mashed potatoes, red beats served with a fried egg on top and pickled herring on the side. It is an old sailors dish. Back a long time ago sailors tended to get scurvy due to the lack of vitamins out at sea. This led to their teeth falling out so they couldn’t chew their food. So everything had to be ground up for the sailors. It doesn’t look appetizing but if you can get over the looks it is a harty, vitamin rich, healthy and tasty meal.
For more information visit: https://althelgolaenderfischerstube.de/en/the-restaurant/
If you are rather looking for a great schnitzel, then the Freudenhaus is the place to go… and go hungry because the portions are gigantic here! Located in the middle of St.Pauli so it is a great place to visit for supper before enjoying a night out on the town with its clubs, theaters, discos, and bars. Also to be noted, is that Freudenhaus has some of the best wines in St.Pauli, but be sure to check the prices first to make sure they are in your price range.
Schnitzel is basically a breaded pork steak fillet that is fried. So if you come from the states, don’t expect a hot dog or any silliness like that. You will get the real deal here. It is usually served with fried potatoes and a salad.
Next door is also their nice bar, so if you are looking for some long drinks or cocktails afterwards, which is very convenient.
For more information visit: www.stpauli-freudenhaus.de/
Many people ask us about good restaurants for vegans. There are many but one that sure does come to mind is Katzentempel. This feline tempel has actual cats roaming through the restaurant that can be cuddled, played with and pet.
The concept of the restaurant is also very nice as it is vegan but they don’t advertise it as a vegan restaurant. They just happen to use vegan ingredients to create some wonderful meals. Also don’t expect tofu sausages or imitation eggs to be on their menu. They do not try to emulate products from animals, rather create delicious dishes with ingredients that are at a vegan’s disposal.
This cafe/restaurant is also a relaxing and quiet place to catch up on some online errands as the owners make sure it isn't too hectic for the cats health and well being there. It is also located in the infamous alternativ district of the Schanzenviertel (Schanzen quarters), which offers a great variety of local mom and pop shops in the area.
For more information visit: https://katzentempel.de/standorte/hamburg/Â
Located right next to the historic meat warehouses in the Karolinviertel (Carolin quarters) is Erikas Eck. This is the place to go to if looking for traditional meat dishes. With over 40 years of experience their customers have grown to know what quality is at Erikas Eck.
Whether it should be a small meal or hearty one, Erikas Eck has the perfect choice for everyone. The prices are modest for the quality and the service is authentic… direct but respectful if you behave.
This is also a great stop after a late night on the town if you are hungry. They are almost always open due historically to the late shifts the butchers had during the meatpacking times with the exception of a short break during the afternoon.
One of their dishes is their gigantic curry wurst. A large sausage from pork served with a sweet ketchup with curry on top and chips. A traditional sausage that the people of Hamburg have grown to love. Also, their selection of schnitzel will not disappoint you either.
For more information visit: www.erikas-eck.de/
“Nothing brings people together better than good food” is the motto of this wonderful restaurant, Basil and Mars. Located on the idyllic outer Alster lake it has a wonderful view of the beautiful scenery of Hamburg and compliments it with some wonderful dishes as well.
This is a restaurant with a bit more international flare for Hamburg with dishes ranging from sushi, steaks, beef tartare, Burger, fish, pasta and Pokè bowls. A varied selection with always a twist of its Hamburg roots and guaranteed fresh ingredients as well as style.
It has an inviting atmosphere that you will enjoy and a casual dress code which makes it perfect for a nice stroll around the Alster lake and parks afterwards if desired.
For more information visit: https://basilundmars.com/
There are plenty of authentic and good restaurants to choose from and hopefully this blog has wet your palate for your visit to the city. We, here from Robin and the Tourguides, wish our guests many great meals while traveling. Stay safe, eat well and enjoy your stay here!
Thank you for reading the article. For more travel tips from our local guides around the world check the blog section of our website! Have you read our article about the Five Safe Things to do in Hamburg During the Corona-Pandemic yet? We release unique travel recommendations every week. If you like this article or have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below!
