Café Paris

Café Paris is a French brasserie and bistro a few steps from the Rathaus, and one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in the old town. Its main hall has an Art Nouveau interior with tiled walls and painted ceilings, and the feel is closer to a grand Parisian brasserie than to a typical Hamburg restaurant. It is open from breakfast until late every day, which makes it one of the most useful addresses in the centre.

The menu covers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. The house signature is the Tartare du Chef, so well known that it is also available for delivery, and bouillabaisse is another speciality. Beyond these, a menu of brasserie classics offers the kind of dishes you would expect from a French bistro. Breakfast is a good way to experience the tiled hall and painted ceilings in daylight, while evenings have a busier, more social atmosphere.

The brasserie suits couples, friends meeting in town, solo travellers who want a reliable meal, and business lunches. It is also used for private and corporate events, with space for up to 200 people in the main hall, 85 in the Bel Étage and 60 in L'Atelier, so it is worth asking about if you are planning a group dinner.

Opening hours are long. From Monday to Thursday it is open from 9:00 to 23:00, on Fridays and Saturdays until midnight, and on Sundays from 9:30 to 22:00. The kitchen closes at 22:30, or 21:30 on Sundays, and hours change on public holidays. Reservations can be made through the restaurant's website and are a good idea for dinner and weekend brunch, when the room fills quickly. Prices are mid-range to upper mid-range for the city centre.

Being so close to the Rathaus, Café Paris works well before or after a City Hall tour, a walk along Jungfernstieg or shopping in the old town. It is equally good for a quick coffee and pastry as for a long dinner, and if you fall for the tartare, the restaurant also delivers it through a delivery app, so you can order it again at your hotel.