Hamburg: Oberhafen Kantine

Hamburg doesn’t fall short when it comes to posh fusion restaurants and swanky rooftop bars, but you’ll find that kind of places in any big city. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. During my short visit in Hamburg, I therefore wanted to explore the local hearty heavy cuisine instead.

Oberhafen Kantine is a cafeteria-style eatery. The place opened back in 1925 and survived World War II without any damage, but multiple flooding incidents through the years affected the condition of the building to such an extent that it was shut down in 1997 due to safety issues.

It reopened again in 2006 and today the old, crooked (so crooked you might get seasick) building with the traditional menu is quite an attraction for both locals and visiting foodies. The location is a bit off tucked away under a bridge in a quiet corner of the harbor district so Oberhafen isn’t a place you just stumble upon.

It was Michael, an old friend of mine, who told me about Oberhafen Kantine. Michael is an airline pilot, and he often travels to Hamburg. He has a great taste in food and quirky little spots, so I immediately knew thatI had to visit that place.

I had the Hamburger Rundstück (8.50 EUR) and a Birnen Bohnen und Speck Salat (8.50 EUR) on the side. The Hamburger Rundstück or Rundstück Warm, which it is also called, is a gravy-covered sandwich with beef or pork. In Denmark, we also have “Rundstykker,” which are bread rolls quite similar to the bread part of the German Rundstück, but in Denmark, we eat Rundstykker for breakfast with jam and butter. I don’t think anyone would dream of drenching it in gravy:)

Birnen, Bohnen und Speck (pears, beans and bacon) is another traditional dish usually served hot together with potatoes. My salad was a lighter take on the dish, and it was good, but I think I prefer the original version.

Oberhafen Kantine used to be a place where hungry dock workers and seamen would go and have a solid meal and still today, I think it would take a hungry seaman or two to finish the food. I didn’t even finish half of my Rundstück, and I was too full to even think about dessert.

My Hamburg Blog

// This is not a sponsored post. My trip to hamburg was sponsored by Hamburg Tourism, but visiting Oberhafen Kantine was my own idea and I paid for the meal myself. //

Oberhafen Kantine, Stockmeyerstraße 39, 20457 Hamburg