Where to eat and stay in Hamburg

As Germany’s principle port city and an international center of maritime trade, Hamburg has been drawing visitors from across the globe for centuries. But more recently, it has also become a major tourist city with the world’s largest warehouse district and countless attractions. The city is packed with outstanding restaurants, ranging from unpretentious neighborhood bistros to Michelin-starred eateries. You'll also find boltholes for every budget, ranging from designer grand hotels to cozy boutiques. Discover your perfect Hamburg stay with Hertz.

New and old classics

Hamburg’s culinary scene has been on fire in recent years. The city is known for its traditional German fare, which you can grab on the go, whether it’s currywurst or a mackerel sandwich.

Fischerehaifen Restaurant

For all the evolution in Hamburg cuisine, however, some classics still rule the roost. Fischerehaifen has been open since 1981, serving the great and the good in a beautiful waterside location. If the weather is playing ball, try to get a table on the balcony for unsurpassed Elbe River views. The seafood is exemplary here and includes Lobster Thermidor, oysters, and turbot with horseradish cream.

Rive Fish & Faible

Close by, Rive Fish & Faible offers gorgeous vistas and a wider menu than Fischerehaifen. You can get delicious wiener schnitzel or delights such as a mouthwatering crab ceviche and ox tartare surf and turf. Reserve a table for a charming dinner among friends or enjoy a romantic evening for two as the sun sets on the Elbe.

Gastwerk Hotel Hamburg

Gastwerk was perhaps the first design-led hotel in Hamburg. An old gasworks built in the ubiquitous red brick of the city, it opened in 2000 and changed the game for local hotels, combining grit with glamor, comfort with cool. There’s a New York loft-life approach to much of the hotel, with plush fixtures and fittings. Visit the spa and Mangold restaurant and feel cocooned in warm feelings and comforting food.

Lakeside Luxury 

Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten

There’s a refined feel at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, which boasts a killer location. With more than 150 rooms, it does the European grand hotel thing beautifully, while being right on the shore of the Inner Alster Lake’s western side. Here, you’re only a short way from the opera house, while boutique stores and classy restaurants surround you.

Once inside, you won’t want to leave. The dramatic lobby gives you a good indication of the levels of luxury here, and the rooms – with modern fittings like Nespresso machines and docking stations – don’t disappoint. Opt for a lake view room or choose a suite with a balcony and hot tub.

Haerlin

Indulge each one of your senses at the Fairmont Hotel’s flagship restaurant, Haerlin, which has two Michelin stars. Bag a lavish banquette and luxuriate in the Chinese silk and porcelain decorations. Of course, it’s the food you’re here for – and the shifting, seasonal menu is inventive, generous and beautifully presented. Whether it’s white asparagus mousse with shrimp, crab tartare, or veal fillet, this is one culinary experience you won’t forget. Playful and surprising, and with 600 wines on offer, it’s worth pushing the boat out.

Gluten-Free Hamburg

Germany doesn’t necessarily lend itself to gluten-free dining for celiac visitors. Happily, Hamburg’s restauranteurs continue to get better and better at preparing gluten-free dishes.

Rudolph’s

One of the very best is Rudolph’s on Poggenmuhle. Spill out onto the patio for pizza made without gluten, with great pasta, fish and meat options, too. Constantly experimenting with new flavors and recipes, Rudolph’s has been baking and cooking gluten-free Italian dishes for 10 years.

Isabella Glutenfreie Patisserie

Visit gluten-free heaven at Isabella Glutenfreie Patisserie, sandwiched between Planten un Blomen state park and the opera house. Step inside the old building and sample impeccable gluten-free treats in a cozy atmosphere. Celiac baker and café owner Isabella started her path to gluten-free patisserie making in Dusseldorf before expanding the family business to Hamburg, Aachen, Stuttgart and Cologne.

Maritime Design

25hours Hotel Hamburg HafenCity

Another of the city’s more interesting hotels, visit the 25hours hotel in the HafenCity area. Again, the location is great, a short stroll from the main tourist attractions, and the design is sensitive and intimate. Stylishly built using shipping containers, the hotel blurs the lines between inside and outside while paying homage to the area’s industrial, maritime history. Rooms are cozy, well organized and available with beautiful port views.

Heimat Kitchen + Bar

You don’t need to travel far from your 25hours hotel room to experience inspiring cuisine. Heimat Kitchen + Bar is a popular city meeting place within the hotel, known for dishing up fresh and exciting cuisine from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. If you’re visiting with friends or on business, try their signature herzstück menu – a set menu that fills the table and makes for perfect sharing platters. 

Embrace the Curves

The Fontenay 

For real luxury and memorable architecture, reserve a room at one of Hamburg’s best hotels, The Fontenay. It embraces nature, surrounded by greenery and sitting on the lip of Lake Alster. Inside it’s all curves and clever use of space. Ascend to the rooftop for a real treat – an infinity pool, spa, and sun terrace with unbeatable views. The only straight lines in the whole place are between guest rooms.

Parkview Restaurant 

As you’d expect, The Fontenay hotel also doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food. Parkview has a summer terrace and well-handled menu of international classics. Hearty German classics such as meatballs and boiled beef are taken to new levels. 

Lakeside 

Recently awarded a Michelin Star, Lakeside is the more interesting restaurant at The Fontenay, offering scenic views of Hamburg from above. The menu artfully obscures the creativity on display, listing the likes of ‘turbot-artichokes-verjus-mushrooms’ that, when it arrives, are a sensation of texture and flavors. It’s the perfect place to end your trip in Hamburg, especially if you have a room reservation.

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