The Schanze

The Schanze in the summer is as crowded as Hamburg's central station between 7:30 and 8am weekdays.

The 'hoods of Hamburg are as diverse as the city's sausage selection. Our temporary apartment was in an area that neighbors the happenin' hood of Sternschanze. Just a few nights in The Schanze and we quickly invented a motto for it: "There's always something happening The Schanze." It's tried and true--we've never been let down by a visit to this unrefined and current quarter.

I have had a LOT of good food in Hamburg. A LOT. If I was to take the time to analyze and determine which neighborhood I have had the most food in, I'm willing to bet the long, mundane, and unnecessary search would result in a landslide winner: The Schanze.

Reggie and I discovered Oma's early on. When we lived closer to it we visited it at least once a week and if Oma's all-star dinners weren't as heavy a bag full of German bread, we'd frequent this delicious depot more frequently.

Of all the things happening in The Schanze, this is one of the best. Spinach and gorgonzola sauce over grilled chicken with pan-fried potatoes and a wee salad couldn't taste better if J Alexander had made it himself. Now that I have wisened up I order the sauce on the side to ward off a heart attack. All this scrumptiousness, including the Roseschorle (Rose wine with sparkling water), totals a measly 9€ ($12). Reggie's go-to grub at Oma's looks almost just like this but with a to-die-for black pepper cream sauce with black peppercorns. I think I can actually hear you smacking your lips.

If we smile nicely will you bring us our huge helpings of happiness faster? Please?

As much as we crave Oma's, Reg and I know that branching out to other local eateries is healthy. Except, of course, when you order--and eat an entire--flammkuchen at the oh-so-amazing Hatari.



Arugula and parmesan: the best combination since Saturday and Sunday--and delicious to boot!



Hatari leaves little to be desired. I go for the most scrumptious veggie burger and salad a veggie burger-lover ever did see and Reg goes for the organic burger with a mound of perfect fries. Mmm...mmm...mmm!

Cute, huh? Come visit us and we'll take you there.

Or, we'd gladly take you to the another of our favorite delicious Schanzen diners: Olympisches Feuer.

Here we are greeted by a waiter that knows us, English menus (which we no longer need...hooray), and the best gyros and greek salad in Hamburg. And, on some nights, only elbow room due to the many, many, many furied futbol fans gaping at any flat screen within gaping-distance. Olympisches Feuer is in The Schanze which borders Sankt Pauli--the district that houses FC Sankt Pauli, the Saint Pauli soccer team. Needless to say, Reg and I saw a few pumped up FC Sankt Pauli tees last time we got our gyros-fix.



Delicious food aside, The Shanze offers outstandingly edgy boutique shopping. 

'Narrow' is in the definition of 'Schanzen boutique.'

Look at this color, people! Hard to believe, isn't it? I thought so myself. Leave it to The Schanze to live outside the box.







Shabby chic is in in The Schanze these days, making vintage re-salers like me happy as a Hamburger in a bakery.

Like restaurants, many shops offer clothing and jewelry at modest prices. Certainly, there are always exceptions:

Don't let Lille's grafitti covered face fool you--she won't let a pair of jeans go for under
80€ ($110+). Apparently in this part of The Schanze neither vandalism nor highway robbery are frowned upon.

In Love is another hip shop boasting too-high prices (and black, brown, gray, and a splash of navy).

If the odd combination of graffitti-tattoed yet majorly over-priced boutiques exhausts you, you can stop for a cup of coffee at this cutie-pie cafe:  

Tucked away in this brick hideaway is a perfectly Parisian cafe, stocked with enough midday cakes to feed all of Hamburg.

For free entertainment, strolling Schanzen streets offers a dynamic experience:



Pretty and old next to not-so-pretty and and newer.



There are many galleries in The Schanze, but this is the first outdoor one I have come across.

Decorated with litter and graffitti and completely unrefined, Sternschanze never fails to provide a memorable meal and interesting scenery.