Jimmy Elsass

Casual · bohemian · Flammkuchen · cozy · dinner

Jimmy Elsass is a delicious, cozy, casual dinner locality in Hamburg. Their specialty is Flammkuchen (also known as the French tarte flambée), which is a very thin and crusty dough topped with cream sauce and further ingredients.

They have a large selection of different Flammkuchen using ingredients like dates, sauerkraut, goat cheese, capers, smoked salmon, artichokes, Black Forest ham, or cranberries. Of course you can find the classic Flammkuchen, topped with bacon, onions, and parsley, but also a vegan option, one for children with Emmentaler cheese and salami, and seasonal creations.

My personal favorites are Rucola—with arugula, sunflower seeds, and Grana Padano—and Chorizo, with chorizo sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeños, Grana Padano, and fresh parsley. As an appetizer I most prefer the Feldsalat: lamb’s lettuce with mushrooms, red onions, and warm goat cheese with honey and rosemary. They also offer a few more salads, and pretzel with ram sausage or a spiced Bavarian cheese (Obatzda).

Of course you can also get dessert. Either the sweet Flammkuchen with stewed apples, almonds, and cinnamon—or, if you’d like something smaller than what you already had, the warm Schokoküchlein is truly luscious. It’s filled with rich, creamy chocolate ganache that flows from the center and is accompanied by velvety vanilla sauce.

A place with character

Their atmosphere is cozy and casual. On warm days, choose one of the outside seating arrangements to enjoy the ambience of the neighborhood. The interior is definitely worth checking out, though. It completely reflects the restaurant’s style: an entryway with velvet-covered benches and small vintage coffee tables, huge grape-shaped dimly lit lamps, and candles distributed everywhere else.

Each table is covered by a big blank sheet of paper and a cup of colored pencils—great to doodle, sketch, or visually assist you in one of those deep conversations you might be having. The menu itself is in an old-fashioned photo album. Anybody can put in their scraps, so you might be lucky to find some coins from Asia or a bus ticket from Australia.

Don’t come in a rush because your order usually takes quite a while. But it’s worth going for sure! They fill up fast in the course of the evening and are usually completely full by 19:30. Make sure to come in time, because reservations are only possible starting at eight people.