Tourist information - Dusseldorf
Dusseldorf, the regional capital of Nordrhein-Westfalia is a lively metropolis brimming with culture, media, shopping, fairs, and service industries. It is a city befitting of the 21st century. The gastronomic choice here is as diverse as the international character of its visitors. Whether you are after local specialities like Düsseldorf pork ribs in mustard sauce or scrumptious Oriental dishes, be it Sushi or Peking duck, or even light Mediterranean snacks – your desires are sure to be satisfied.
If this is your first time in Düsseldorf, make sure you pay a visit to one of the breweries or traditional taverns. These are concentrated in a narrow area of the Old Town, which forms the nerve centre of the city. Particularly recommended are Im Füchschen, Zum Uerige, En de Canon, and Zum Schiffchen. Locals and visitors wallow in a typical Rhineland ambience as they sit cosily by the wooden tables or stand at the counter chatting and sipping their dark, aromatic 'Altbier' – a top fermented brew from Düsseldorf – while they wait for the blue-frocked "Köbesse" (waitresses) to serve hearty regional food. Even if you have a good command of High German, you may well have problems understanding the menu. The 'Halve Hahn', for example, has nothing to do with chicken (as the name might suggest); it is in fact a portion of cheese studded with caraway seeds and served on a piece of dark rye bread. This speciality comes from the Harz mountains. 'Ähzezupp' denotes a thick, creamy pea soup, while 'Flönz mit Ölk' is a blood sausage made of freshly slaughtered meat served with onions. If you feel uneasy about any of these options, a visit to the Köbes should reassure you. The austere charm of this beer cellar can be off-putting to the uninitiated, but the waiters will be more than glad to serve you the nifty little beer which this establishment takes its name from – unless, of course, you make the faux pas of ordering a 'Kölsch' (Cologne’s best-known lager). For, ever since the Battle of Worringen (1288), the two rival communities have held chauvinistic and contemptuous attitudes towards one another.
During the winter months, the Rhinelander takes to large plates of mussels in onion sauce to warm up. The traditional Benders Marie is the city's oldest mussel restaurant and boasts twenty different ways of preparing them. In recent years, a younger generation of cooks has experimented with mixing traditional local dishes with international influences. The tasty result has been dubbed 'neudeutsch' (neo-German), and fine examples of this phenomenon can be found at Hecker or Flachskamm. A gem of Mediterranean fish cuisine is La Bouillabaisse. Marmoud Marnoui, the owner of this restaurant, has cooked his way into the hearts of Düsseldorfers with his imaginative scaled fish dishes. You can, of course, also get fish from the Rhine in its original state, namely raw – in the form of sushi. Düsseldorf's restaurant scene benefits greatly from the city's large Japanese community. Authentically prepared Japanese specialities in varying price ranges can be had all over Düsseldorf. (Fai Sushi, Kikaku, Ohno-Ja, Nippon-Kan and Edo) are just some of the notable examples. But Japan's neighbours also have their culinary representatives here, including Thailand (Baan Thai), China (Peking Enten Haus) and Korea (Seoul, Shilla).
If your finances are well heeled, try one of the city's prestigious and accordingly pricey gourmet establishments. Star chef Jean-Claude Bourgeuil (Im Schiffchen, Aalschocker) has delighted even the most critical gastronomes over the years with his culinary creations. Other legendary chefs include Peter Nöthel (Hummerstübchen), Günther Scherrer (Victorian), Ingo Köthschneider (Canonicus), Guy de Vries (Himmel und Erde), Thomas Wilden (Thomas) and Franz-Josef Schorn (Schorn).
Mediterranean specialities offer a more affordable means of quenching your hunger. Unfussy Portugese food is available from Luso, tapas from La Copa or Las Tapas, and tasty Italian classics at unbeatably low prices from Casa Luigi or Osteria Terracotta.
Or perhaps you have a soft spot for Lebanese Meze? In that case, Libanon Restaurantis your best bet. This opulent levantine establishment has become one of city's most popular gastronomic destinations. The Indian subcontinent is also well represented, with aromatic and spicy tandoori dishes and other delicacies on offer at Tandoori and Chanakya.
Should you still be undecided at this stage, here are a couple of final tips: authentic African cuisine is served at Okra; traditional French sit-down meals at Robert´s Bistro, and US-style fastfood atState Side.