Düsseldorf (population 620,000), the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, is Germany’s financial and fashion centre, home to one of Europe’s largest trade fair venues and a large Japanese expat community. It is also, for those who know it, a serious food and drinking city — particularly famous for Altbier (amber ale) and for having arguably the best collection of restaurants in Germany outside Munich.
The Altbier Tradition
Altbier (old beer) is the indigenous beer style of Düsseldorf — an amber-coloured, top-fermented ale brewed to the historical method that predates lager. It is copper-coloured, moderately bitter, relatively dry, and significantly different in character from Bavarian lager or Cologne Kölsch. The major Altbier breweries: Uerige, Schlüssel, Schumacher, and Füchschen — all operate traditional Hausbrauereien (brewery taprooms) in the Altstadt (old town). The culture: Düsseldorf Altbier is served in small 200ml glasses (similar to Cologne’s Kölsch tradition) and delivered by Köbes (servers) who carry trays of glasses through the pub, refilling without being asked — you stop them by placing a coaster on your glass. The Uerige: the most famous Altbier venue — a series of connected rooms, dark wood, dim light, and crowded on any evening. The taproom beer is unfiltered and significantly fresher and more complex than the bottled version. The Sticke (Uerige’s seasonal special): twice a year (January and October), Uerige releases Sticke (“secret” in Düsseldorf dialect) — a stronger, more intensely flavoured dark Altbier. The release days bring long queues and are an event in the Düsseldorf social calendar.
The Altstadt and Japanese Quarter
The Altstadt (“old town”) is Düsseldorf’s main entertainment district — a roughly 1km² area of pedestrianised streets and lanes between the Rhine and the modern city. It contains the highest concentration of bars per square metre in Europe (by some counts), which locals describe as “die längste Theke der Welt” (the longest bar in the world). The Carlsplatz market: the city’s central covered market, one block from the Altstadt — excellent produce, fine cheeses (local and imported), and Düsseldorf’s excellent fish and charcuterie. The Japanese community (Japanviertel): Düsseldorf has the largest Japanese expat community in continental Europe (approximately 8,000 Japanese residents) — centred on the Immermannstraße and surrounding streets in the city’s north. The area has outstanding Japanese grocery shops (Mitsukoshi, Daishin) and some of the most authentic Japanese restaurants outside Japan. For Japanese ramen in Germany, Düsseldorf is unquestionably the best city. The Japanese cuisine available includes both izakaya-style dining and high-end kaiseki.
The Rest of Düsseldorf’s Food Scene
Rheinischer Sauerbraten: the Rhineland version of Sauerbraten (marinated pot roast) — the local variant is distinctive in using raisins and Lebkuchen (gingerbread) in the sauce, creating a sweet-sour depth that is characteristic of Rhineland cooking. Typically served with Rotkohl (red cabbage) and Kartoffelklöße (potato dumplings). Zwiebelfleisch (onion meat): a Düsseldorf specialty — sliced beef in a sweet onion sauce, eaten with rye bread. Served in the Altstadt Kneipen (pubs). The Düsseldorf Senf (mustard): the city has a distinctive local mustard tradition — sharper and more pungent than Bavarian sweet mustard, used liberally with the Sauerbraten and served with cheese. Manufacturers include Löwensenf (the most famous) and smaller artisan producers. Retail and food: Düsseldorf’s Königsallee (the Ko) is one of the most exclusive shopping streets in Germany — international luxury brands. The covered Kaufhof food hall and the Galeria food department have excellent selections of local and international specialities.
