Where to Eat Seafood in Hamburg, Germany

Even more than where to eat seafood in Hamburg, a more pressing concern is the kind of seafood you are going to find. When delving into fish delicacies of Northern Europe, there is no shortage of unexpected encounters from a U.S. perspective. As fish eaters, we tend to be straightforwardly delicious in our tastes — lobster rolls, crabs in bay seasoning, mussels mariniere, shrimp cocktail, fish and chips. Sure, things can get much more adventurous, but in general we stick to the basics.

Not in Hamburg. In this beautiful port city of Germany, you will find quite a few delicacies, only three of which will be highlighted here: eel soup, labskaus and fischbrötchen. We will start with eel soup. Flavorful, but definitely not for everyone. This is a delicacy one can find in many parts of Hamburg and is slightly sweet.

The most unusual delicacy is probably labskaus. This is something that needs an introduction. A common dish of sailors in Northern Europe, it is primarily the consistency of a hash. This hash can be made of various ingredients, but it is almost always a mixture of beetroot, beef, pickles and herring. Some versions embed small herring and gherkin rolls into the hash, which may or may not be fried in lard. You can get a nice sample version of it for €6 at the Oberhafen Kantine.

If you want the perfect fischbrötchen, then you have to go to Brücke 10. There is no question. Located on Dock 10, there is no place more ideal for partaking in a fish sandwich — smoked or unsmoked, with or without tartar sauce — than this small floating house on the water. Some people want to live there, others will go back twice in 12 hours. Go! There is something for everyone.