Where to eat in Hamburg
Hamburg eats from the sea and the harbor: fish rolls, labskaus, eel soup and a good deal of Portuguese and Turkish food. It is a sober, direct city. Eat a fish roll at the harbor, have lunch at a market, and book dinner on weekends.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Portuguese quarter near the harbor, the Sternschanze for variety, and the Fischmarkt on Sunday.
- Order this
- A Fischbrötchen, labskaus and Franzbrötchen for breakfast.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12, dinner from 6pm. The Fischmarkt starts at 5am on Sundays.
- Book or walk in
- Book Friday and Saturday dinner. Street food needs nothing.
- Tipping
- Round up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent.
What to eat in Hamburg
- FischbrötchenA bread roll with herring, smoked salmon or fried fish, sold at the harbor.
- LabskausA sailors' dish of corned beef, potato and beetroot, topped with a fried egg.
- FranzbrötchenA cinnamon pastry from the bakeries, the city's breakfast.
- Hamburger AalsuppeA sweet and sour soup, traditionally with eel.
- Rote GrützeA red berry pudding with cream, the classic northern dessert.
- Portuguese foodGrilled fish and custard tarts in the Portuguese quarter.
Where to eat in Hamburg, by neighborhood
Harbour and Landungsbrücken
Fish rolls and views. Quick, though prices are higher near the piers.
Portuguese quarter
A cluster of Portuguese restaurants near the harbor, with grilled fish and wine.
Sternschanze and Schanzenviertel
Cafes, bars and many types of food. A good evening district.
Altstadt
Traditional restaurants, bakeries and quick lunches near the Rathaus.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Brodersen
€€€Fish restaurant · Rotherbaum
OrderHamburger Pannfisch or Helgoländer Fischtopf
A modern fish restaurant serving northern classics.
- Book
- Book for dinner
- Closed
- Sunday and Monday
Confirmed open: restaurant-brodersen-hamburg.de
-
Daniel Wischer
€Fish restaurant · Altstadt
OrderFischbrötchen with matjes or backfisch
A fish business founded in 1924, with a restaurant by the Rathaus.
- Book
- Walk in
- Closed
- Sunday
Confirmed open: danielwischer.de
-
Fleetschlösschen
€€Fish restaurant · Speicherstadt
OrderFish soup and fish rolls
A Daniel Wischer fish restaurant at Brooktorkai, open daily.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: danielwischer.de
-
Henssler & Henssler
€€€Fish and sushi restaurant · Altona
OrderSushi and tempura
Steffen Henssler's restaurant in a former fish hall on the Elbe.
- Book
- Book ahead
- Closed
- Sunday
Confirmed open: gusto-online.de
Food markets in Hamburg
- Fischmarkt Hamburg-AltonaA Sunday morning fish market, trading since 1703, with fish rolls, produce and a market hall.Sunday only, 5am to 9.30am from April to October, 7am in winterSource: hamburg-travel.com
- IsemarktA market of about 200 traders under the U-Bahn viaduct, nearly a kilometer long.Tuesday and Friday, 8.30am to 2pmSource: hamburg-tourism.de
How Hamburg eats
- Meal timesLunch from 12 and dinner from 6pm.
- FishFish is eaten fresh and plain. Ask for the day's catch.
- TippingRound up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent.
- CashMost places take cards, though small stalls prefer cash.
Signs of a place to walk past
A harbor restaurant with only tourists at the tables.
A menu in six languages with photographs.
Fish rolls that sit in a display for hours.
Eating in Hamburg: questions people ask
What food is Hamburg known for?
Fischbrötchen, labskaus, Franzbrötchen and eel soup. The harbor shapes the menu.
Where should I eat in Hamburg?
The Portuguese quarter for dinner, the Fischmarkt for Sunday breakfast and the Sternschanze for variety.
Is Hamburg cheap to eat in?
Fish rolls are cheap. Sit-down fish restaurants cost more.
Do I need to book in Hamburg?
On weekends, yes, for popular restaurants. Otherwise walk in.