Fish, naturally
In a port city, fish is everywhere. The most famous snack is the Fischbrötchen, a bread roll filled with pickled herring, smoked mackerel, fried fish or shrimp, often served with onions and remoulade. You will find stands at the Landungsbrücken piers, around the fish market and throughout the city. It is quick, cheap and very much part of the Hamburg experience.
For a sit-down meal, many restaurants near the harbour serve fresh plaice, often pan-fried with bacon and potatoes, and seasonal dishes featuring North Sea shrimp.
Labskaus and other northern classics
Labskaus is a traditional sailor's dish of mashed potato, corned beef and beetroot, typically topped with a fried egg and served with pickled herring and gherkin. It looks unusual but has loyal fans, and trying it at least once is something of a rite of passage.
Other local specialities include Hamburger Aalsuppe, a sweet-and-sour soup with a long history, and Rote Grütze, a red berry pudding served with vanilla sauce or cream.
Sweet treats and coffee
The Franzbrötchen is Hamburg's signature pastry: a flattened, buttery swirl of dough with cinnamon and sugar, a little like a cinnamon roll but crisper. Bakeries all over the city sell them, and many now offer variations with chocolate, poppy seeds or fruit.
Hamburg has long been a centre of the coffee trade, and the Speicherstadt once stored huge quantities of beans. Today the city has a thriving specialty coffee scene, with roasteries in the old warehouses and cafes in districts such as Ottensen and Sternschanze.
Where to go out
St Pauli, around the Reeperbahn, is Hamburg's best-known nightlife district, packed with bars, music venues and clubs. The city's music history runs deep here, and small venues still host live bands most nights of the week.
For a calmer evening, the Schanze and Ottensen neighbourhoods have relaxed bars and international restaurants. In summer, beach bars pop up along the Elbe, where you can watch huge container ships glide past with a drink in hand.
Hamburg also has a strong craft beer scene, with small breweries and taprooms scattered across the western districts. And if you are visiting in winter, look out for warming dishes such as kale with sausages, a northern German favourite in the colder months.
Good to know
- Try a Fischbrötchen at the piers for an inexpensive lunch.
- Buy Franzbrötchen early in the day when they are freshest.
- Book popular harbour-view restaurants ahead at weekends.