TeeJay Sessions, “Ahoj” sherbert shindigs and a herb garden tended by kindergarten children – the local connection is what counts at 25hours Hotel HafenCity in Hamburg. Since its opening in July locals have been flocking to its relaxed restaurant HEIMAT Kitchen + Bar with its hearty breakfast buffet, lunch served until 3pm, DJ parties, live music and readings. HEIMAT, meaning “home” in German, is an attraction from early until late, serving honest dishes with honest ingredients, the majority of which come from the region’s farmers and fishmongers.

Relaxed Dining – Hamburg Style
Under the direction of Executive Chef Frank Droste HEIMAT Kitchen + Bar serves modern homemade dishes in a relaxed harbour atmosphere that is in keeping with the hotel’s modern seafaring concept. Storage racks, floor markings, stacks of Oriental rugs and an eclectic selection of maritime artifacts create an environment of unpretentious comfort. “Home is not a place but a feeling,” says restaurant manager Michael Jäger, “we serve simple dishes using local seasonal ingredients, a bit like at home.” In keeping with the theme, the menu features typical European dishes such as roasted cod, Wiener Schnitzel or Breton apple tart, as well as classic German dishes like Labskaus – a seafarer’s speciality with corned beef, potatoes and onions – and Rote Gruetze, a red berry compote.

Every good cook knows that the best recipes need the best ingredients so only seasonal, fresh produce from local sources is used. “Our most popular dish is the HEIMAT burger. For this we use beef from a nearby cattle farm which the staff has personally visited,” says General Manager Henning Weiss. Ingredients that are even closer to home are the fresh herbs from the garden which, from next spring, will be cared for by children from the nearby HafenCity kindergarten. The coffee and teas on offer are from Hamburg-based roasters Elbgold and tea specialist Samova, who host tea cocktail-making seminars called TeeJay Sessions at the hotel.

From Fizzy Treats to Funky Beats
The vibrant areas at 25hours Hotel Hafencity also act as event spaces that play host to live bands, DJs and readings from local authors. To start the weekend early on Thursdays the 25hours team hosts an “Ahoj” Sherbet Shindig with vodka shots laced with the fizzy German treat. On Fridays hungry partygoers meet at HEIMAT, where local rock bands ‘Feinkost’ and ‘Denamantau’ play in return for rehearsing in the hotel’s Gibson Music Room free of charge.

A Seafarer’s Story
HEIMAT Kitchen + Bar serves as the “galley” of 25hours Hotel Hafencity, a budget deluxe property that offers a modern take on a sailor’s club.  It is the newest property from 25hours Hotels, helmed by its passionate CEO Christoph Hoffmann. The hotel features 170 cabin-like rooms with logbooks containing seaman’s stories; an original shipping container from Hapag Lloyd transformed into a meeting room; a Vinyl Room where amateur DJs are invited to spin tunes, and a sauna on the rooftop with an outdoor terrace that offers stunning views of the HafenCity region.

HEIMAT Kitchen + Bar opening times: Daily from 12am – 12pm.
Last orders at 11pm.