Hamburg has a well-established Asian food scene anchored by a large Vietnamese community concentrated in the Altona and Eimsbüttel districts. Here is what is worth finding.
Vietnamese in Altona
The streets around the Altona train station and toward Ottensen have a solid cluster of Vietnamese restaurants ranging from quick-service pho spots to sit-down family restaurants. The pho broth quality is generally high — Hamburg’s Vietnamese community is large enough to support places that take the broth seriously. Look for restaurants that are full of Vietnamese customers on weekday lunch hours.
Bánh Mì Specialists
Hamburg’s bánh mì scene punches above average for a German city. Several dedicated bánh mì shops make fresh baguettes in-house (or source from Vietnamese bakeries that do) and fill them properly — plenty of pickled daikon, fresh herbs, and protein. Prices are €4–7 per sandwich. Eimsbüttel and Altona are the best hunting grounds.
Chinese Food
China Town in Hamburg is small and concentrated around the harbour area but has been declining in size and culinary ambition. Better Chinese food is found scattered across the city — particularly some Sichuan and Yunnan restaurants in the Rotherbaum and Hoheluft areas serving the student population from the University of Hamburg.
Japanese
Hamburg has some excellent Japanese restaurants, notably in the Rotherbaum and Eppendorf areas. The Japanese community here has maintained a small but consistent sushi and ramen scene. Unlike Berlin, Hamburg’s Japanese restaurants tend to be quieter and more reservation-based.
