hæbel

Michelin star in St Pauli is obviously an interesting proposition, not least when visiting an old neighborhood later in life. Hæbel is a small, intimate restaurant close to the street and featuring an open kitchen with New Nordic, German, French and Japanese inspirations. Menu consists in a choice between Fauna or Flora. As habit commands when visiting Michelin level places we chose Fauna. It appeared that a wine pairing option didnt exist but the wine card was quite decent for a place of this small size. However, problems began when we asked for recommendations since we did not know the menu. "Some like white, some like red, there will be fish in the beginning but if you like red you should go with red". Fair statement but it s not guidance expected at this supposed level of restaurant. Food concept is smallish servings that provide the chef a range to show off a bit while still giving a bit to both taste and chew. For us at least the food fare somewhat derailed. While the were moments of deliciousness especially in the seafood servings there were also the uninspired and a stumbling into the abyss. The absolute trough being sweetened lettuce on top of filled pasta !? Maybe there was a German reference we didnt get, and maybe some people with a certain childhood would experience a "Ratatouille moment" but we didnt get it. At 500eur for 2 incl drinks Hæbel was not a great sell, despite in the situational and inserted nostalgias

Absolutely delicious meal! Very nice balance of fish and meat dishes with creative presentation!

Over in the vibrant St. Pauli district, Hæbel is a modern bistro-style restaurant led by Chef Fabio, blending German classics with modernized Nordic and French touches. Sustainability and modern takes center stage here, earning it a MICHELIN Green Star. With two multi-course options—Fauna for omnivores and Flora for vegetarians—the dishes were a revelation. From the rich, complex goose and chicken liver to the Japanese egg foam, every bite excited the palate and the eyes. However, the cozy, cramped seating made the ambiance feel a bit too intimate. While it’s not the most refined setting, the warmth of the staff and the creative cuisine more than made up for it. 9 out of 10

Absolutely amazing food and service. The head chef was really forthcoming about the process of creating the menu and each dish. Really enjoyed the overall ambience, great music, peaceful decor. Highly recommend and more than worth the price for the fauna tasting menu.

Incredible experience and excellent food. Everyone has the same seating time and each dish is served to the whole restaurant (only 14 or so seats) at the same time. The kitchen is open so you can see everything being prepared and this is half the fun. They offer two options: flora or fauna (which is just Veggie or Meat). We opted for the vegetarian option and it was excellent. The first dish was my partners favourite dish she's ever had. There's no menu provided, but that added to the experience, in my opinion and the chef or waiter explained each dish in detail when they brought it out. We arrived at 18:30 and were the first to leave at around 22:00, but others stayed to enjoy the rest of their wines, so it's certainly an evening's worth of entertainment. I believe we had about 10 courses, and with three glasses of wine in total (water is free, which isn't common in Germany) and tip, the bill came to 225 EUR for two people. (The vegetarian menu is 95 EUR and glasses of wine are around 7-11 EUR for '100ml' but our servings were certainly closer to 200ml). Be sure to book well in advance as they have long waiting lists. The photos just simply don't do the food justice, so be sure to visit and try it out for yourself.

Flora or Fauna, that‘s the only question for you…and if you’d like to add the wine journey to your Michelin star experience. We had both and were served with in total (I guess) 11-12 courses of little specialities, delicious and interesting spoons (spoon refers to the tv show the taste). Although we had a nice evening and enjoyed good food with very polite and attentive service. But it was not exceptional and we were still hungry when we left the Hæbel. In general, it was an experience.

We dined at hæbel for the second time and enjoyed the food and the well-chosen wine pairing even more than last time. The service was very good. The only downside I would mention was the acoustic: The restaurant is relatively loud and the selection of music (a mix of 80ies hits) felt random in comparison to all the other tastefully curated details.

We had reserved the “cat-table” which gave a perfect view to the kitchen and intimate participation in the entire experience. Delicious food and delicious wine pairing.

Small, home-cooked yet gourmet feel. The benedict was perfectly cooked. The coffee was delicious. He just found himself 2 more regulars.

Home-made quiches & tarts are the order of the day here. There are not a great number of seats but we were lucky enough to be the only customers when we first arrived so that wasn't an issue. Service was pleasant & swift and prices reasonable. The quiche I opted for was noticeably salty but we put that down to the bacon that was part of it as the leeks etc. & pastry were otherwise very tasty.

Awesome food and atmosphere. Great place to chill out and have a real breakfast. Kitchen is right there and the staff is super nice, it's like you're right at home. Would definitely come back next time I'm in Hamburg.

Delicious!! I love this place! Very cozy - feels like your own kitchen. Go there for a quick French breakfast with croissant and coffee it for delicious scrambled eggs served on German bread.

The service here is excellent but a place is judged only when the food served is also good. This place is a combination of both. The taste of the tartes i had still lingers.