Koer

Rating: 16
Author: Gault&Millau

Maria-Louisen-Straße 3, 22301 Hamburg, Germany

16/20
Remarkable Restaurant

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1 PHOTOS

Chef: Paul Decker
Cooking: International | Seafood | Vegetarian
Services: Terrace
Style: Bar | Casual | Romantic | With friends

Gault&Millau's review 2025

If in Hamburg's Gutesser scene, which is not poor in new openings, the question of whether you have already been there is part of the standard conversation opening just a few months after the start of a restaurant, then something has happened. If, at the same time, the answer that you haven't managed to do so yet shatters your social status on the floor, then it's worth taking a very close look. That's what happened at the end of 2023, when head chef Paul Decker, previously sous chef at Gonnesweiler LUMI, and Joshua Stagraczynski, previously restaurant manager at bianc, launched the Koer in the area between Eppendorf and Winterhude, which has a mediocre culinary reputation. The two call the Koer style "modern market cuisine" because the kitchen is based on the current product range in the Carte Blanche menu (there is also a small menu with dishes to choose from). Decker is oriented towards the classic culinary craft, but injects surprising infusions of innovation. The excellently cooked scallop meets with a fried potato salad, which gets a freshness kick from buttermilk. He serves vendace tartare with black fermented apple, chicken skin chip and kohlrabi – what sounds like a wild ride is a harmonious plate that comes across as effortlessly as the entire menu. There is room for improvement in dessert alone. "The hype is justified" is what they say about all this in the Anglo-Saxon world. Here, two youngsters have created something that is not only crashingly contemporary, but also shows a way of what fine dining can look like in the future: high-quality but not stuffy, sophisticated, but not cerebral – with a cheerful, relaxed service. Whether it's a relaxed evening, a marriage proposal or a business dinner: everyone will be very, very happy at the Koer. And if you just want a cocktail, you are welcome at the bar.