Hungry for Hamburg
Jane Anderson caught up with Berliner Bahnhof founders Joerg Meyer and Rainer Wendt to hear about Hamburg’s vibrant food ‘n’ drinks scene
When asked about the restaurant and bar scene in Hamburg right now, Joerg Meyer and Rainer Wendt’s immediate reactions are in unison,
WE LOVE IT!
“Currently there is a boost in very cool urban hospitality in Hamburg,” enthuses Joerg. “We love the local Thai food bar and restaurant Jing Jing, the cozy but super creative Bā Nomu, the stunning views from the rooftop Puzzle Bar, or the Nordic-style, five-star wine bistros like XO Seafoodbar. What we love most is the breaking up of that classic separation between bar and restaurant. Plates become smaller, and drinks more important.”
Joerg and Rainer have recently put all their food and drink know-how into creating the Berliner Bahnhof restaurant and bar, located in the Deichtorhallen Hamburg, one of the leading modern art museums in Europe.
Rainer has his own very successful restaurant in Hamburg, the Café Paris. And right opposite Joerg has his bar, Le Lion. Together they put their creative and entrepreneurial skills into creating the concept behind 25hours Hotel Das Tour restaurant and bar concept The Paris Club in Düsseldorf.
“At Berliner Bahnhof we combine the enjoyment of modern art with the appreciation of good food and drinks. Besides that, we want to establish a modern gastronomy in one of the most upcoming districts of Hamburg.”
The concept is based on the large coffee houses, bars and restaurants of southern Europe. The kind of gastronomy where you stop by for an espresso in the morning, come for lunch at noon and enjoy cocktails and wine in the evening with a bite to eat.
Joerg adds, “For us it is exactly the right time to create gastronomic places again. The pandemic has left its mark with lockdowns, working from home, and keeping your distance. People are hungry for encounters and a good time again.”
And we already have a lot of fans for our popular spaghetti bolognese served with pancetta and green pepper. Yet even if the consumption of meat is very tasty, we all have to find a way of reducing the production of meat,” says Joerg.
“We currently have five vegetarian and seven vegan dishes on our menu. Our signature dish is the vegan tartare with seaweed caviar and small baked potatoes.”
There’s a wide range of international wines by the glass and a large selection of cocktails. A must try is the ‘Berlini’, a variation of the Bellini with pear purée, Chinotto Nero and Crémant. Book your spot at the bar now!
Caring for plate and planet
Berliner Bahnhof practices the sustainability standards that are common today: no disposable tableware, no superfluous packaging and energy efficiency. The restaurant also has a choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
