Boasting two stars in the 2017 Michelin guide, Haerlin is a treat for the senses, for both its original and creative food, but also a very interesting wine list. Situated at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, its menu is varied, full of surprises – and while the prices reflect the quality, it's nothing but a very special treat.

Many of the best restaurants in Hamburg have a tendency to ignore their German gastronomic heritage, not so this highly regarded eatery, located in a beautiful period property dating from 1827 (once an old brewery) and set near the edge of the Elbe River. The north-Germany speciality here is the Vierländer duck for two.

Michelin star-rated, this fine-dining restaurant in Hamburg has a reputation for excellence that has reached far beyond the city limits. Décor is light and modern, and the decked terrace, with its splendid view across the harbour, is very popular in summer, however, making reservation here is essential year-round.

This waterside restaurant is at its best in summer, its outdoor dining terrace affording great views across the Alster lake. The varied but not over-long menu includes the full range of Italian/Mediterranean flavours, complemented by a suitably high quality wine list. Fixed price menus-of-the-day are also available, as a buffet breakfast at weekends.

This restaurant has been an institution in Hamburg for nearly 40 years and is generally regarded as the best seafood place in town. Demurely squeezed into a space between two warehouses by the fish market, this is a classic example of a restaurant for those in the know. Inside, the cosy layout consists of the restaurant and a separate oyster bar.

A favourite amongst Hamburg's creative and media types who love its unconventional location. Once an old shoe shop with much of the original 1950s décor maintained, this is certainly a restaurant with both an aesthetic and a culinary style all of its own. The food itself is high-end bistro fare prepared by a skilled team of chefs and served at prices that are extremely reasonable for such a sophisticated menu.

In the heart of the St. Pauli district, this is a small café serving snacks, breakfasts, lunch 'specials' including soups, pasta, pizzas and salads, on weekdays, and a variety of other snacks and sandwiches. Home made cakes are another feature of this budget eatery.

This harbour-side business concern founded in 1879 still supplies lobster and shellfish to many of Hamburg's best restaurants. However, within the establishment's bistro, opened here in 2003, you can enjoy the same delicious luxury seafood at a fraction of the cost. Some locals come to eat here on a daily basis.