You can hear all sorts of things in the Elbphilharmonie but growling bellies are not normally among them. Fortunately, there are plenty of outstanding eateries in the area. Here’s a list of our top ten favourites:
1. Neni
Neni is like a holiday for the palate. They have a bit of everything, but always combined in surprising ways and served in a modern style. Neni calls it soul food, but you’ll also find slow, fast and vegan fare here too. The clientele, chatting away without a care in the world, is correspondingly diverse. Just the way it should be in a port city!
2. Surfkitchen
Hang loose – it’s all pretty laid back in the Surfkitchen. You sit at long wooden tables and the walls are decorated with surfboards. The menu is an international mixture of salads, snacks, pizza and burgers – and you’ll also find a Thai curry and an Italian pasta dish on there too. When the weather is fine, you can sit on the terrace and enjoy a view at the water. They play chilled-out lounge music in the evenings, perfect for relaxing after work.
3. Boilerman Bar
A classy, traditional bar – perfect for a stiff drink when the Hamburg breeze is blowing. Sink into a leather armchair and enjoy one of the many simple highballs on the menu. Connoisseurs will love the respectable selection of whiskeys and bourbon. You can also end the evening with something non-alcoholic if you wish – the virgin drinks are amazing.
4. Restaurant and bar at »The Westin Hamburg«
»The Westin Hamburg« Hotel offers diners two establishments ‒ North German dining in the »Fang & Feld« restaurant and the »BLICK Bar« with a panoramic view over the river Elbe.
»The Westin Hamburg« Hotel’s restaurant and bar are accessible via a dedicated entrance from the main entrance area of the Elbphilharmonie or the Elbphilharmonie Plaza.
5. Carls
HafenCity is a multicultural place, as befitting a harbour. In this setting, Carls Brasserie represents the French savoir vivre. Directly opposite the Elbphilharmonie, you can bite into scrumptious tartines and wash them down with a cool Chardonnay. Perfect for anyone who wants to drop by for a quick bite before an event.
6. Chefs Warehouse
Chefs Warehouse invites you to enjoy an exclusive culinary escape from the everyday: exciting international dishes are served in the unique setting of the historic Speicherstadt brick buildings. The finest ingredients, creativity and attention to detail are the hallmarks of this concept, which originated in Cape Town, South Africa. And as we all know, you eat with your eyes first, so not only do the food and drinks look like little works of art, but there are also changing paintings by the artist collective Travelling Art Gallery on the walls.
7. Oberhafenkantine
The Oberhafenkantine is tiny and stands askew. It has more than a few storm tides and changes of ownership behind it, and has long achieved cult status as a result. On the menu is down-to-earth food that will satisfy any hunger: white Hamburg sausages, meatballs and jacket potatoes, as well as cucumber soup or rump steak. All at affordable prices and in wonderfully quaint surroundings.
8. Badshah HafenCity
Badshah has its roots in the St. Georg district of Hamburg, where it has been serving fantastic Indian home-style cooking since 2004. The branch on Sandtorkai, which opened in 2026, continues this tradition: authentic family recipes featuring carefully balanced spice blends and a cosy atmosphere invite you on a culinary journey to India.
9. maiGlückchen
maiGlückchen is tucked away directly opposite the Magellan Terraces. The cute name (a play on the German words for happiness and lily of the valley) is misleading because the Asian restaurant is anything but cutesy. maiGlückchen is the place to go for great Chinese food that makes you happy.
10. Sala Thai
Looking for a short trip to Thailand? The authentic Sala Thai right on the Marco Polo Terraces is a good address for fans of Far Eastern cuisine. The cosily furnished restaurant with a view of the water serves a wide variety of Thai specialities such as soups, saté skewers and aromatic curries.
