Elite Traveler January-February 2018

EXPLORE HAMBURG GUIDE TO HAMBURG

If you do one thing … Designed by Herzog & de Meuron architects, the city’s new concert hall Elbphilharmonie makes an impact with its structure of 1,100 curved windows that reflect the water and sky. Constructed on top of the former brick warehouse Kaispeicher A, this landmark transformed the waterfront and Hamburg’s skyline. Behind its bold facade, the interior is just as striking and features an innovative design that makes it one of the most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world. The 2,100-seat Grand Concert Hall, one of three auditoriums inside, provides the most breathtaking orchestral performances. elbphilharmonie.de

Germany’s second largest city has long proved its appeal with its abundant greenery and waterside setting, but more recently Hamburg has received international attention too. In part owing to Unesco designating its Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus districts as World Heritage sites, Hamburg is being celebrated for its remarkably rich history in trade and for its instrumental role in popular music. Not only was Hamburg home to such pioneers as the 17th-century composer Telemann, it was also the setting for Europe’s first opera house and where the Beatles began their journey to success. But beyond these signature traits, Hamburg is a city that’s rapidly evolving; as the historic warehouses of the waterfront juxtapose with its avant-garde new concert hall, the city is seeing an influx of bold new restaurants and stylish boutiques, enriching the visitor experience while elevating Hamburg’s place on the world stage.

by Lauren Jade Hill

TOP RESTAURANTS

Trüffelschwein On the picturesque Mühlenkamp shopping street of the city’s Winterhude quarter, Trüffelschwein sits amid a collection of high-end boutiques and cafés. The one- Michelin-starred restaurant fits in comfortably here, with accomplished fine-dining plates and a superb selection of German wines. In an intimate dining space, chef-founder Kirill Kinfelt creates French-international fusion plates, which are served in tasting menus of between five and nine courses. trueffelschwein-restaurant.de

The Table Kevin Fehling Laying claim to three Michelin stars, The Table Kevin Fehling is unsurprisingly one of Hamburg’s most-talked-about restaurants. While taking pride in culinary craftsmanship and quality of ingredients, Fehling gives classic dishes a modern reinterpretation where international influences shine. The interiors reflect the same modern flair as the cuisine, with a curved cherry-wood bar for communal dining facing the open kitchen and a particularly striking sculptural ceiling design. thetable-hamburg.de

Haebel This contemporary dining spot in the hip neighborhood of St. Pauli is the eponymous restaurant of cookbook author and presenter chef Fabio Haebel. What began as a bistro and the chef’s test kitchen — formerly named Tartie St. Pauli — is now a celebrated restaurant of refined Nordic- French cuisine. The tiny dining space is warm and inviting, with modern decor and an open kitchen. The menu here changes weekly to represent seasonal ingredients at their best. fabiohaebel.de

Photos Maxim Schultz, Kai Abresch, JannWilken, Gerrit Meier, Christian Spahrbier