Josef Diekmann came to Berlin as a student and by coincidence, came across the complete furnishings and furniture of an old traditional grocery store. After having carefully restored these items to their former glory, he opened a shop at Meinekestraße 7 and began selling rice and lentils by the bag. His delicatessen very soon morphed into a small bistro.

In 1985, he officially started his restaurant business at Meinekestraße 7.
In 1998, Diekmann opened his second restaurant in the Weinhaus Huth, located in the centre of the newly unified Berlin.
In 2001, Josef Diekmann acquired the Chalet Suisse in the Grunewald forest.
In 2006, Diekmann’s Oyster Bar was opened at the same time as Berlin’s new railway station.
In 2008, the oyster bar in Hamburg’s Maritime Museum was opened.