Haerlin is a modern french restaurant in Neustadt, Hamburg.
Christoph Rueffer's three-Michelin-star Haerlin at the Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg cooks classical Hanseatic and modern French on the Alster.
Signature dishes: Langoustine course, Seasonal tasting
Must order: The seven- or nine-course tasting; the langoustine course is the signature.
Tip: Jacket required for men. Ask for an Alster-side window at booking.
Address: Neuer Jungfernstieg 9, 20354 Hamburg
Old Commercial Room opposite the Michel in Hamburg has cooked Hanseatic harbour food since 1795 and is the city's canonical Labskaus address.
Signature: Original Hamburger Labskaus, Pannfisch
Order: The Original Hamburger Labskaus with fried egg, herring, beetroot and gherkin.
Tip: Open daily; lunch tables more available than dinner. Cash welcome but cards accepted.
Thomas Imbusch's two-Michelin-star room on Brandshofer Deich in Hamburg cooks carte-blanche around an open stove between 100C and 200C, sourced regionally.
Signature: Carte-blanche tasting, Open-stove cooking
Order: The full tasting; everything is regional.
Tip: Third floor of a warehouse, lift on the right. Sister room Glorie downstairs runs a la carte.
The Henssler family's Hamburg sushi room on Grosse Elbstrasse runs a 20-metre open kitchen above the Fischmarkt since 2001, called Cuisine Pacifique. Werner Henssler now leads with sons Toni (head chef) and Rocky after Steffen Henssler exited the business end of 2024.
Signature: California sushi rolls, Teriyaki Faroe salmon
Order: The California-style maki and the teriyaki Faroe salmon.
Tip: Walk-up counter seats open at 18:00; arrive before to skip the wait.
Tim Maelzer and Patrick Ruether's Bullerei in Hamburg's Sternschanze has cooked grilled meats, pasta and modern German in the old slaughterhouse since 2009.
Signature: Steak from the grill, Pasta on Mondays
Order: The dry-aged rib-eye and the seasonal handmade pasta.
Tip: Daily 12:00 to 23:00. Tables on the courtyard fill first in summer.
Old Commercial Room opposite the Michel in Hamburg has cooked Hanseatic harbour food since 1795 and is the city's canonical Labskaus address.
Signature: Original Hamburger Labskaus, Pannfisch
Order: The Original Hamburger Labskaus with fried egg, herring, beetroot and gherkin.
Tip: Open daily; lunch tables more available than dinner. Cash welcome but cards accepted.
Elisabeth Fuengers and Steffen Hellmann's Nil on Neuer Pferdemarkt in Hamburg's St Pauli has run a modern German bistro over three floors since 1989.
Signature: Monthly set menu, Seasonal a la carte
Order: The monthly four-course set menu; the daily fish course rotates.
Tip: Walk-ins possible early; bookings open online 30 days ahead for the busier weekend slots.
Cox on Lange Reihe in Hamburg's St Georg has run a steady bistro menu of modern German classics across a tight room for over two decades, lunch and dinner.
Signature: Bistro classics, Seasonal mains
Order: The daily lunch special; the steak frites at dinner.
Tip: Lunch tables move quickly between 12:30 and 13:30; book ahead for dinner Friday and Saturday.
