The best restaurants Hamburg

Timetable

Gourmet restaurants are open in the evening and sometimes at noon. Traditional restaurants rarely have a closing time in the afternoon so that you can eat at any time of the day.

Budget & Tips

For a main course, the average price is 12 €. A pint of beer is often around 4 or 5 €. In the city bakeries, you can often find rolls with cheese and/or cold cuts, which are practical for eating on the run and at a lower cost.

What costs extra

Water is always extra. It is frowned upon to ask for a pitcher of water in restaurants, and sometimes you may even be refused. It is customary in Germany to buy a bottle of mineral water (still or sparkling).

Remember that restaurants sometimes refuse credit cards. Carry cash and remember that it is customary to leave a tip of about 10% of the price, rounding off the total. Not tipping can be interpreted as dissatisfaction with the service. When the waiter comes to bring you the bill, you can round up the amount and announce a higher price. For example, if the bill is €11.80, you can say "auf 13" when you pay, meaning that the waiter should give you change for €13 and keep the difference for himself. If you have €13, you can say "stimmt so".

The local way

Since you are in a harbor city, you will find a lot of fish dishes. If you want to eat on the run, you can have a Fischbrötchen, a bread roll filled with fish. Herring lovers will turn to the Bismarck-Brötchen .
Hamburg and Berlin are in conflict over Currywurst, the famous sausage served in a curry sauce. Both cities claim ownership of it.

Among the beers you will find in the restaurants, several are local: Astra, Ratsherrn, etc.

To be avoided

It is best to avoid asking for a pitcher of tap water, as this is not well received in the restaurant business.

Smokers

In Germany, smoking legislation depends on the different Länder. But as a general rule, restaurants are non-smoking. You will have to go outside to light your cigarette, cigar or pipe.