While many great restaurants in Hannover showcase the best of North German cuisine, others take inspiration from Europe to the Far East to create innovative tasting menus. Steakhouses, fusion cuisine diners and international restaurants are all abundant in the Lower Saxony capital, with some hidden away on side streets and others situated inside historic government buildings.

Whether you want to taste regional cuisine with local ingredients at a Michelin-starred eatery or dig into bites from beyond the national border in a Venetian-style hall, one of Hannover’s great restaurants promises to deliver a unique gastronomic experience. Read on to learn more about where to eat in Hannover and what to try.

  • 1

    Votum

    A Michelin-starred restaurant inside a historic Parliament building

    Votum
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    The Michelin-starred Votum is a fine-dining German and European restaurant situated inside the Parliament of Lower Saxony. Here, you can enjoy a set menu of delights while relaxing in the glass-walled dining area or on the terrace that overlooks the Leine River. You can also order food upgrades and pairings of either wine or non-alcoholic alternatives.

    Notable dishes at Votum include creative takes on foie gras, leeks with oyster emulsion, and solyanka (a sour soup of Russian origin). A 6-course set menu is available and you can order upgrades that include crayfish, hollandaise sauce and upmarket cold cuts.

    Location: Hannah-Arendt-Platz 1, 30159 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Tuesday–Saturday from 6.30 pm to 10 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 30302412

    Map
  • 2

    Beckers Restaurant und Weinbar

    Modern German fish and meat delicacies in an elegant bistro

    Beckers Restaurant und Weinbar
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Luxury

    Beckers Restaurant und Weinbar is an elegant bistro and wine bar in Hannover that serves modern German cuisine with French influences. In the dining room, tables are raised on galleries in a space in front of the long bar. The menu features a wide range of wines, draft beers, and seasonal dishes with daily specials.

    Though dish options change frequently, meat and fish delicacies such as turbot, scallops, lamb and quail regularly make their way onto the set menu. A la carte menu highlights include the classic bouillabaisse or the veal Weiner schnitzel. You can also dig into high-quality beef and steaks from the U.S..

    Location: Bödekerstrasse 43, 30161 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Tuesday–Friday from noon to 2.30 pm and 5 pm to 11 pm, Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +49 (0)511 3364006

    Map
  • 3

    Al-dar

    Broiled meats, vegan delicacies and shisha

    Al-dar
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    Al-dar is an upmarket Syrian restaurant in Hannover with a traditionally decorated dining room and courtyard. Exquisite menu options include a range of meat broils, mezes bites and a range of shisha flavors. There’s also an extensive list of delicious vegan delicacies. We highly recommend treating yourself to a serving of Syrian tea.

    As one of Hannover’s top-rated restaurants, Al-dar is in high demand with both locals and visitors alike, making it a good idea to reserve a table in advance. The restaurant opens from 5 pm to 10 pm throughout the week, but it serves delicious food from noon to midnight during weekends.

    Location: Königstrasse 3, 30175 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Monday–Friday from 5 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from noon to midnight

    Phone: +49 (0)511 8984994

    Map
  • 4

    Beef and Reef

    A chic and contemporary seafood diner and steakhouse

    Beef and Reef
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    At Beef and Reef, you can feast on fish, steaks and seafood delights that prove German cuisine is about much more than schnitzels and sausages. This chic contemporary restaurant also serves mouthwatering desserts, an impressive selection of wines, and gins from the world over. You can either grab a table in the dining room or on the cozy terrace.

    Beef and Reef is busiest at around 7 and 8 pm, making it best to arrive close to opening at 5 pm if you want to avoid waiting for a table. You can walk to Beef and Reef in under 10 minutes from the Geibelstrasse subway station.

    Location: Oesterleystrasse 1, 30171 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Daily from 5 pm to 11 pm

    Phone: +49 (0)511 54356738

    Map
  • 5

    XII Apostel - Apostelhalle Hannover

    Authentic Italian cuisine in a Venetian-style hall

    XII Apostel - Apostelhalle Hannover
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    Since 2005, XII Apostel - Apostelhalle Hannover has served locally lauded Italian cuisine inside a Venetian-style hall with hand-painted frescoes on the ceiling. Authentic Italian pizzas are cooked in an open oven, while other menu highlights include salami and steaks. There’s also a wide selection of fine wines.

    More than a simple diner, the XII Apostel is a true gastronomic experience. Expect to spend between 1.5 and 3 hours at this concept restaurant. Without a reservation, you might need to wait around 15 minutes to be seated.

    Location: Pelikanpl. 2/4, 30177 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm, Sunday from 3 pm to 11 pm, Monday from 6 pm to 11 pm (closed on Tuesdays)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 2288640

    Map
  • 6

    Jante

    Modern European fine dining with a Scandanavian-inspired interior

    Jante
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    Jante serves a set menu of complex yet gimmick-free and pleasantly light modern European fare in Hannover. The restaurant is housed inside a semi-circular building with floor-to-ceiling windows. Dish variations of artichoke, duck, veal, ribs, and veggies are made using fresh and seasonal ingredients. The food coupled with a sleek Scandanavian interior has helped Jante earn a Michelin star.

    When making a reservation at Jante, you can order the rotating standard, vegan or vegetarian set menu, and upgrades are available. We also recommend choosing the wine pairings from its sommelier. If you’re not a fan of wine, you can ask for your meal to be paired with unusual sodas.

    Location: Marienstrasse 116, 30171 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Wednesday–Saturday from 6 pm to 10 pm (closed Sunday–Tuesday)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 54555606

    Map
  • 7

    Restaurant Handwerk

    A casual fine diner with a North German-inspired menu

    Restaurant Handwerk
    • Food
    • Group
    • Luxury

    Restaurant Handwerk is Hannover’s premier spot for casual fine dining, drawing on the traditions of North Germany with Far Eastern influences. Its set menu of seasonal dishes reflects the dining room’s minimalist design. You can also see the Michelin-starred chef and his team preparing innovative cuisine in the open kitchen.

    While meal options depend on the season, dishes such as Vierländer Platte tomatoes with Belper Knolle cheese and cod with raspberry and almond often feature on the menu. If the weather allows, you can enjoy your food with wine pairings on the terrace in the front garden.

    Location: Altenbekener Damm 17, 30173 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Wednesday–Sunday from 6 pm to 10 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 26267588

    Map
  • 8

    Gondel Restaurant & Bar im Georgspalast

    Modern takes on regional classics in a historic diner

    Gondel Restaurant & Bar im Georgspalast
    • Couples
    • Food
    • History
    • Luxury

    At Gondel Restaurant & Bar im Georgspalast, you can order reinterpretations of German classics inside a diner with over 100 years of history. The seasonal menu places a focus on fresh and healthy ingredients, and the onsite Gondola Bar is the perfect place to sip a gin or Hanoverian cocktail after dinner.

    The Gondel Restaurant is popular with visitors to the nearby GOP Theater, meaning it’s usually worth reserving a table in advance. You’ll find the restaurant just around the corner from the Kröpcke subway station, less than 60 meters away.

    Location: Georgstrasse 36, 30159 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Thursday from 4.30 pm to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday from 4.30 pm to midnight, Sunday from 5 pm to 9 pm (closed Monday–Wednesday)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 30186767

    Map
  • 9

    Basil Restaurant Hannover

    Global fusion cuisine in a former stable

    Basil Restaurant Hannover
    • Couples
    • Food
    • History
    • Luxury

    Basil Restaurant Hannover serves global fusion cuisine that draws on influences from Eurasia and the Pacific Rim. The restaurant is situated in a restored former stable once used by the Prussian military. The list of fine wines is almost as comprehensive as the food menu. You can either dine inside under the high arched ceiling or in the cobblestone courtyard.

    Basil Restaurant Hannover is open every day except for Sunday from 6 pm to midnight, with Wednesday usually being the quietest day. You’ll find Basil on the northeast corner of Vahrenwalder Park, just a short walk from the Dragonerstrasse transit station.

    Location: Dragonerstrasse 30, 30163 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 6 pm to midnight (closed on Sundays)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 622636

    Map
  • 10

    Weinstube Leonardo

    A traditional Italian diner with a good old-fashioned atmosphere

    Weinstube Leonardo
    • Food
    • Luxury

    Weinstube Leonardo is a traditional Italian restaurant in a cozy venue that’s tucked away on a narrow side street and dates back to 1880. On its menu, you’ll see a variety of delicious meat, seafood and pasta dishes. There’s also a long list of fine wines.

    As there are only a handful of tables inside Weinstube Leonardo, you might want to call ahead before visiting, especially if you want to dine here on a Friday or Saturday evening. If you’re a seafood fan, we highly recommend the broiled octopus to start followed by a main course of seabass.

    Location: Sophienstrasse 6, 30159 Hannover, Germany

    Open: Tuesday–Friday from noon to 2.30 pm and 6 pm to 10.30 pm, Saturday from 6 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)

    Phone: +49 (0)511 321033

    Map

    photo by Kresspahl (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified

Joshua Saunders | Contributing Writer