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Dusseldorf

Where to Stay

1. Breidenbacher Hof Düsseldorf

2 Michelin Keys· Small Luxury Hotels

Perched on the Königsallee canal, this storied address once welcomed Russian czars and now reveals medieval city walls excavated beneath its foundations. The Lobby Lounge channels grand-siècle elegance through coffered ceilings and silk brocade, while rooms feature spacious Italian marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs. Below, a spa offers an indoor pool, Finnish saunas, and steam bath—urban refuge for travelers seeking history layered with contemporary polish.

2. Steigenberger Icon Parkhotel Düsseldorf

1 Michelin Key

Düsseldorf's grande dame presides over the Königsallee with 130 rooms that pair Belle Époque bones with crisp contemporary interiors. Jones Brasserie draws a local crowd to its terrace facing Daniel Libeskind's sculptural Kö-Bogen, while a subterranean spa featuring hammam and sauna provides respite from retail expeditions. Pet-friendly policies and an unbeatable address suit style-conscious travelers who prefer heritage with polish.

3. The Wellem

1 Michelin Key

A century-old courthouse anchors this 102-room property, its columned façade giving way to a lobby of sweeping stone staircases. Inside, the judicial gravitas yields to art-filled studios and suites with a distinctly boutique sensibility—each equipped with full kitchens and private laundry facilities. On-site dining options and a garden courtyard reward those who prefer to stay close, while pet-friendly policies accommodate four-legged companions.

4. Living Hotel De Medici

Dubbed the 'Little Louvre on the Rhine,' this art-filled property displays an extensive collection throughout its lofty public spaces, with a lobby evoking a Florentine palazzo. The 170 rooms span traditional hotel accommodation and apartments, making it particularly suited to families and groups. An Egyptian-themed spa adds an unexpected flourish, while pet-friendly policies welcome four-legged travelers.

5. Hotel Ko59

A soaring 40-meter atrium floods Hotel Kö59 with light, setting a dramatic tone for this 287-room address on Königsallee's prime shopping stretch. Rooms play with bold textiles and glamorous vanities against floor-to-ceiling glass, while downstairs the Golden Bar channels retro sophistication as evening falls. An indoor pool, sauna, and jacuzzi round out the wellness offering for style-conscious urban travelers.

6. Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf

A striking glass-and-steel presence on Media Harbour, this 303-room property channels Düsseldorf's forward-thinking architectural spirit. Bathrooms come equipped with walk-in rain showers and standalone tubs, while the Rive spa offers hammam, sauna, and jacuzzi alongside a Technogym fitness center with harbour views. The ground-floor restaurant and bar pull a strong local crowd, lending the lobby an urban energy that business travelers and design enthusiasts appreciate.

Where to Eat

1. 1876 Daniel Dal-Ben

★ Michelin

Chef-patron Daniel Dal-Ben earned his Michelin star through bold cultural synthesis—Italian, French, and Japanese influences converge in dishes like his signature cannelloni with smoked eel and Caprese foam. The intimate dining room near the zoo rewards those who linger: tasting menus stretch into surprise courses, anchored by the beloved Cicchetti 1876 starter. Attentive service matches the kitchen's precision.

2. Agata's

★ Michelin

Agata Reul's one-starred table inside the Living Hotel delivers fusion cuisine through six to eight inventive courses, with a vegetarian sequence for those inclined. Seasonal ingredients meet international technique in dishes that reward attention. The dining room pairs modern lines with earthy tones and botanical accents, while Reul's front-of-house team guides diners through an extensive wine list particularly strong in German Rieslings.

3. Anthony's Kitchen

★ Michelin

Ghanaian-born chef Anthony Sarpong has earned a Michelin star for his West African cuisine laced with global influences, served in a sleek Meerbusch space that doubles as a cookery school. Signature dishes like plantain gnocchi in foamed palm soup with ginger, lemongrass, and paprika tapioca crisps reveal his deft balance of sweet, fruity, and spiced notes. Two tasting menus—'The Expedition' and vegetarian 'Green Journey'—arrive via an open kitchen where chefs occasionally deliver courses themselves.

4. Im Schiffchen

★ Michelin

Jean-Claude Bourgueil has presided over this Baroque brick townhouse on Kaiserswerther Markt since 1977, earning his status as Düsseldorf's most enduring fine dining figure. His one-starred kitchen delivers creative French cooking built on impeccable ingredients—lobster, seasonal game, Wagyu beef—served in a ground-floor dining room with tasteful maritime accents. An impressive cellar and polished service complete the picture.

5. Jae

★ Michelin

Chef Jörg Wissmann's half-Korean heritage and tenure at Vendôme and Nagaya converge in this one-starred dining room where French technique meets Asian soul. Signature sauces—beurre blanc enriched with fermented doenjang—reveal the kitchen's inventive spirit. The bright, minimalist space draws on Far Eastern and Scandinavian aesthetics, with counter seats offering direct views into the precise choreography of the open kitchen.

6. LA VIE by thomas bühner

★ Michelin

Thomas Bühner, a towering figure in German gastronomy, brings his refined French cooking with Asian inflections to Düsseldorf's METRO Campus. The Michelin-starred kitchen offers twin evening menus—omnivore and vegan—built around impeccable regional produce, with his signature cod in saffron broth a recurring highlight. Kitzig Design Studios' warm interiors frame an open kitchen visible through expansive windows, turning each service into quiet theater.

7. Nagaya

★ Michelin

Yoshizumi Nagaya's one-starred table reflects a dual culinary heritage: classical Japanese technique absorbed under Toshiro Kandagawa in Osaka, tempered by the avant-garde sensibility of Takada Hasho in Gifu. The result is precise, inventive cooking where Wagyu beef and pristine sashimi share the stage with a considered sake list. Modern, upscale interiors and polished service complete a dining room built for special occasions.

8. Setzkasten

★ Michelin

Beneath The Crown, one of Europe's largest food markets, a Michelin-starred restaurant occupies an unlikely basement setting. Chef Egor Hopp crafts Thai contemporary cuisine with unexpected touches from his Kazakh heritage—Smetana sauce and raschenka cream weaving through refined, pared-down compositions. The six-course evening menu rewards adventurous palates, while the chef's table offers front-row immersion in the kitchen's precise choreography.

9. Yoshi by Nagaya

★ Michelin

Yoshizumi Nagaya's second Düsseldorf address draws a predominantly Japanese clientele to the city's Little Tokyo district—a telling endorsement. The evening omakase unfolds with exacting precision, each course driven by ingredient purity and inflected with subtle European touches. A minimalist dining room mirrors the kitchen's restraint, while an extensive sake selection punctuates the procession of meticulously composed plates.

10. Zwanzig23 by Lukas Jakobi

★ Michelin· Green Star ●

Lukas Jakobi's one-starred Bilk address runs on conviction: 80% regional sourcing, house-made fermented sauces and kombuchas, and a signature dish—'Taste the Waste'—that turns kitchen remnants into refined plates. Guests choose between vegan and omnivore tasting menus of six or nine courses, served at counter seats facing the open kitchen. A Green Star confirms the sustainability credentials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best area to stay in Düsseldorf?

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Königsallee and the adjacent Stadtmitte offer the highest concentration of upscale hotels with direct access to shopping and the Altstadt. Oberkassel, across the Rhine, suits travellers preferring a quieter residential neighbourhood with excellent transport links and river views back toward the old town.

Why does Düsseldorf have so many Japanese restaurants?

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The city hosts Europe's largest Japanese community outside London, established when trading companies set up European headquarters here in the 1950s. Immermannstraße and surrounding blocks developed into a genuine Japanese quarter with supermarkets, bookshops, and restaurants catering to both residents and curious visitors.

What is Altbier and where should I try it?

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Altbier is Düsseldorf's indigenous copper-coloured ale, top-fermented then cold-conditioned for a clean, slightly bitter finish. The traditional way to drink it is at a brewery tap room — Uerige, Füchschen, Schumacher, and Schlüssel each produce their own version, served in small 200ml glasses by waiters who replace empties until you place a coaster over your glass.