The 21 best restaurants in Hamburg
As befits a major port, there's a wide range of cuisine available, but for visitors, it's more fun to sample the Teutonic classics you rarely find back home. Labskaus (herring, corned beef and pickles) is Hamburg's signature dish, but there are lighter alternatives. A new generation of German chefs have reinvented old German dishes, giving the robust recipes of yesteryear a new international twist.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Hamburg. Find out more below, or for more Hamburg inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, things to do, and bars and nightlife.
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Parlament
Hamburg's palatial Rathaus is one of Germany's most impressive buildings, and its basement restaurant is particularly alluring – a cavernous bierkeller (or weinkeller, to be precise) supported by huge stone pillars, like the crypt of a medieval cathedral. Order labskaus (rollmops, beetroot, gherkins, topped off with a fried egg) or Matjesfilet (raw herring in a rich yoghurt sauce with apples, onions and fried potatoes). There's bitburger beer on tap and a good range of German wines: Riesling, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder, Sekt…
Neighbourhood: Altstadt
Nearest U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Rathaus
Website: parlament-hamburg.de
Reservations: Recommended
Price: ££
Literaturhauscafé
A private residence in the 19th century and then a dance school between the wars, this lovely belle epoque villa is now the home of Hamburg's literary institute. It's also a charming location for breakfast or brunch, especially on a bracing hike or bike ride around the Aussenalster. Order the Astrid Lindgren breakfast for two with prosecco, smoked salmon and all the trimmings. If you're only here for coffee, sample the Omas Apfelstrudel (grandma's apple pie).
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