The HafenCity through the eyes of a growling stomach

Hopefully the district will gradually gain more and more variety

For an international worker in the HafenCity, there are always some intercultural wonders which strike you for the first time when you start thinking about a certain topic.

Of course, in an ever more globalised world – and the HafenCity is one of those places where you’re  always aware of it – life in different countries is becoming more and more standardised. The world language is English and most companies’ external communication has become standardised by its terms, codes and rules of behaviour. Inner city areas around the globe are beginning to follow suit and are looking more and more the same with all the leading major brands, stores and their monumental glass buildings, following a more or less identical prototype.

But one part of life where intercultural gaps and different styles are usually apparent on a day to day basis, is food. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen every corner of the district that often and haven’t delved quite so deeply beneath the surface, but you would have thought that the intercultural richness of the HafenCity district would show its own sumptuous variety on a more visible level.

However, even the district’s clear advantage of being one of the major ports in Europe with (at least) the conceivable existence of every imaginable style of food nearby, doesn’t seem to help to provide such an exotic supply of mouthwatering treats.

Admittedly, the building of a complete food district takes more time than you would think. Due to the fact that the district has a long history as a purely work oriented area, the food industry still seems to cater more for business needs than for food lovers. Furthermore, the daytime tourists are mainly in the area to be wowed by the palette of inspirational sights and impressive architectural creations, rather than the tasty range of exotic nibbles. At the moment, there does seem to be a broader range of tasty eateries catering for the night-time visitor, rather than the daytime worker.
Hopefully the district will gradually gain more and more variety, especially as the after- work period is becoming an ever more popular part of the daily routine of the inhabitants of the HafenCity.

I, for one, would certainly be very keen on a range of international cuisine to match the multicultural flavour of the HafenCity, and always keep my eyes & nostrils open for new experiences.
And to all the existing hard working restaurants and bistros nearby that fell under my general grumbles in this text, I apologise from the bottom of my stomach!