Sylt

One great Sylt tradition are the small beach bistros, which line up along the 40-kilometre coastline like pearls on a string. On wind-protected terraces, you can enjoy the view of the water – at the right time with a sunset cinema and sundowner drink – and everyday life becomes a distant memory. “Sunset Beach”, for example, offers tarte flambée, matjes with fried potatoes and salad, “Onkel Johnny’s” has burgers and fries on the menu, and the legendary surfer hot spot “Buhne 16” also offers simple, delicious dishes that are needed for an enjoyable time at the beach.

Especially on cold days, all the hot drinks that people in the far north like to liven up with a shot of high-proof alcohol are very much at home. From “Pharisee” to “Tote Tante” to tea punch: The North Frisians make life cosy in autumn and winter. In the many cafés and bakeries on the island that invite you to warm up and arrive, there is a wealth of top-quality teas and coffee blends that go perfectly with local specialities such as “Friesentorte” or “Frisian cake” – a dream wrapped in puff pastry. Coffee culture of the highest order, known among gourmets, is celebrated by the Sylt Coffee Roasters in Rantum and the Braderup Coffee Workshop, which achieved a proud 5th place in the German Brewers Cup.

As a former star chef, Alexandro Pape knows what matters when it comes to enjoyment and taste. His “Fleur de Sylt” – now known well beyond the island’s borders – is a mild-flavoured, mineral-rich sea salt that is also available in such sounding variations as “Wild Berries” and “Flower Blend”. Pape lets 3,500 litres of seawater flow daily through a 500-metre pipeline into an indoor saline, where the salt is dissolved out and gently dried. From the water that falls off during salt production and the best Sylt deep fresh water, he brews his WATT beer and makes unique pasta specialities according to the recipes of his Sardinian great-grandfather.