Restaurant Haerlin

Rating: 19
Author: Gault&Millau

Neuer Jungfernstieg 14, 20354 Hamburg, Germany

19/20
Exceptional Restaurant

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1 PHOTOS

Chef: Christoph Rüffer
Cooking: French | Gastronomic | German
Services: Access for people with disabilities | Accommodation | Electric charging station | Private Parking
Style: Bar | Elegant | Romantic

Gault&Millau's review 2025

Part of the magic of the Haerlin is the impression that nothing ever changes here: the grand hotel atmosphere in the dining room with a view of the Inner Alster, the perfectly shaped service in suit or dress. And, of course, the kitchen team around Christoph Rüffer and his sous chef Tobias Günther, a proven duo for almost twenty years. But of course, no restaurant stays at the top for so long without constantly changing. This was most visible at the reception. The first bites are now served in the kitchen below the restaurant on request, together with a glass of champagne donated by the house (the menu price was of course raised accordingly beforehand). A good idea, because the makeshift bar table at the pass pleasantly loosens up the perfectionism that is common here. And because the modest Rüffer prefers to chat with the guests here rather than up in the hall. The gourmet restaurant of the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is in many ways as classic as you would expect in this house: French-oriented with premium products on practically every plate. However, no one here even finds how well they shop here. With some fish, the sheer thickness of the fillets reveals that this must be rare wild caught. From the Schneverdinger venison in the main course, you only learn in passing that Christoph Rüffer was already there when it was shot. The complete renunciation of "sales" underlines the dedication with which they work here. The house now even dispenses with harmless puns such as "aroma treatment". The menu now only bears the name of the season, in our case: late summer menu. And this late summer has a lot to offer. To stay with the venison for now – we got it barded, which was surprising at first given the quality of the meat, but then made sense. Because the accompanying cherries (marinated in balsamic vinegar) and the pistachio cream (smoked) had also been aromatically enriched by the kitchen – just strong enough that the original taste remained clearly recognizable. The fact that warm dishes follow cold dishes is trivial in itself. But the first course of the menu – excellent crab with verbena, lime broth and watermelon balls in dashi – actually tasted as fresh and clear as the ice cube in a cocktail. And the grilled sea bass as the last fish course led straight to Provence – with a broth of bouchot mussels and melted pepper pieces as well as the congenial seasoning with saffron and dill. The salty breeze provided a dumpling of caviar. You can hardly depict more facets of a summer. This cuisine never comes up trumps. It seeks (and invariably finds) a quiet harmony. It also allows itself little jokes such as the "iced Alster water" as a pre-dessert, which consists of a number of components, but actually tastes as it is called. But behind it you can feel Rüffer's perseverance. He is not a type for signature dishes, but tirelessly asks himself what can be improved. For example, the bread cart was recently abolished. À la minute from the in-house bakery, it is even fresher. Instead, a butter cart is now rolling, on which the service whips the Alsatian butter with citrus or herbal essences according to the wishes of the guest. Bizarre? A little, but this joy of experimentation in the conservative guise of Haerlin contributes a lot to his success. In addition, it is always fun to see the highly trained service around Marius Jürke at work.