Frankfurt am Main is not only a vibrant financial metropolis, but also a paradise for gourmets. The city on the Main offers a variety of excellent German restaurants serving regional specialties and traditional Frankfurt dishes. In this article, I will introduce you to the best German restaurants in Frankfurt that you should not miss on your culinary journey through the Main metropolis. Immerse yourself in the world of Frankfurt cuisine and discover the delicious creations of Hessian cuisine.
What characterizes Frankfurt cuisine?
Frankfurt cuisine is characterized by regional specialties and traditional dishes. The most famous specialties include Frankfurt Green Sauce, Frankfurt sausages, Handkäs mit Musik and Frankfurter Kranz. The dishes are often prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients and reflect the culinary diversity of the region.
Apple wine, also known as Ebbelwoi, is the traditional drink in Frankfurt and the surrounding area. Cider made from apples is served in many cider taverns and restaurants and is an integral part of Frankfurt’s cuisine.
Which are the best German restaurants in Frankfurt?
Restaurant Klosterhof
Restaurant Klosterhof in Frankfurt is a traditional restaurant that has been known for its home-style cooking since 1936. Guests can enjoy specialties such as succulent beef roulades with red cabbage and potato dumplings or the “Schlägler Chorherrenschnitzel” with bacon, apple slices, cranberries and fried potatoes in the cosy, dark wood-panelled ambience. In addition to regional apple wines and exquisite Rheingau Rieslings, beer specialties from the Benediktiner wheat beer brewery in Ettal are also served. Since the beginning of 2022, the popular restaurant has been run by brothers Maximilian and Laszlo Schneider, who impress with their high-quality regional cuisine and many ingredients from local suppliers.
Zum Bitburger
The restaurant“Zum Bitburger” is a popular restaurant in the heart of Frankfurt am Main. It is centrally located in the city center at Hochstraße 54, between the famous Fressgass and Opernplatz. The restaurant impresses with its quaint, cozy atmosphere and typical German cuisine with generous portions. The large selection of beers is particularly impressive, especially the freshly tapped Bitburger, which is praised by guests as the best beer in the city. This is accompanied by home-style dishes such as oven-fresh Leberkäs, Nuremberg sausages, cabbage rolls and roast pork. Vegetarians also get their money’s worth.
The “Zum Bitburger” is open Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. and also offers a reasonably priced lunch menu with daily changing dishes. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays and Saturdays in the summer months. The price level is normal by Frankfurt standards. With its authentic ambience, the restaurant is also ideal for private events. If you want to enjoy traditional Frankfurt hospitality and a perfectly tapped beer, “Zum Bitburger” is the place for you. However, it is advisable to make a reservation as it is often very busy.
Gerbermühle
The Gerbermühle in Frankfurt am Main is an impressive restaurant with a long tradition. Originally built in the 16th century as a flour mill, it later served as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s summer residence and eventually became a popular restaurant for day trips. Today, the restaurant enchants its guests with refined German cuisine and Frankfurt specialties such as schnitzel and green sauce. The stylish interior combines traditional elements with modern design and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. The light-flooded conservatory with panoramic views of the garden and the Frankfurt skyline is particularly impressive. The Gerbermühle thus offers the perfect setting for special occasions, celebrations or simply an enjoyable evening in unique surroundings directly on the banks of the Main.
Where is the best green sauce in Frankfurt?
Green sauce is one of Frankfurt’s best-known specialties. The cold sauce is made from seven fresh herbs and traditionally served with hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes.
Zum Lahmen Esel
The green sauce from the Lahme Esel in Frankfurt-Niederursel is an absolute highlight and is one of the best in the city. The quaint restaurant guards its own recipe like a treasure and has already won second place at the Green Sauce Festival. The fresh, mayonnaise-free sauce is classically served with eggs and potatoes or with tender boiled beef. The herbs are sourced locally, especially from Frankfurt-Oberrad, which makes the green sauce a sustainable dish. So if you don’t want to cook yourself, you can enjoy one of Frankfurt’s most delicious green sauces in a cozy atmosphere at the Lahmen Esel. It’s definitely worth the trip to the Niederursel district.
Dauth-Schneider
The traditional Frankfurt restaurant Dauth-Schneider in Klappergasse is known for its excellent green sauce. It is prepared here according to an old family recipe and tastes simply incomparable. The seven fresh herbs come from the region and give the creamy sauce its unmistakable taste. The green sauce is traditionally served with four half hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. For vegetarians and vegans, Dauth-Schneider even offers a vegan version of the Frankfurt classic with vegan schnitzel. Whether classic or vegan – the green sauce at Dauth-Schneider is a treat not to be missed during a visit to Frankfurt.
Which Frankfurt specialties should you definitely try?
In addition to the green sauce, there are many other Frankfurt specialties that you should definitely try.
Frankfurt sausages
Frankfurter sausages are a boiled sausage specialty made from pork. They are traditionally served with mustard, horseradish and bread. They taste particularly delicious in the Römer Pils Brunnen, a popular beer garden in Frankfurt city center.
Handkäs with music
Handkäs is a sour milk cheese that is served with onions, vinegar and oil. The dish is also known as “Handkäs with music”, as the onions often cause flatulence. Handkäs tastes particularly delicious in the Atschel, a traditional cider pub in Sachsenhausen.
Frankfurter Kranz
Frankfurter Kranz is a buttercream cake filled with brittle and buttercream and sprinkled with brittle. It is a popular specialty in Frankfurt’s cafés and patisseries. It tastes particularly delicious at Café Siesmayer, a traditional café in Frankfurt’s West End.
Which cider bars are particularly recommended?
Apple wine is Frankfurt’s national drink and is served in many traditional apple wine bars.
Ebbelwoi Unser
Ebbelwoi Unser is a popular cider pub in the heart of Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen. It serves apple wine from the Rothenbücher winery in Schöllkrippen, which has a hearty, delicious taste. In addition to the traditional Stöffche, there is also refreshing apple juice for those who prefer it non-alcoholic. In the cozy atmosphere of the pub, the apple wine goes perfectly with hearty specialties from Frankfurt’s cuisine. It’s no wonder that Ebbelwoi Unser is so popular with locals and tourists alike and is usually full to capacity.
Atschel
In the rustic apple wine tavern Atschel in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen, original Frankfurt apple wine and regional specialties are served in a cosy atmosphere. The cider is tapped fresh from the barrel and tastes wonderfully refreshing. In addition to the classic Schoppen, there are also various mixed cider drinks, which are not only very popular in summer. If you don’t like cider neat, you can also order it spritzed with water or lemonade. The Atschel serves traditional dishes such as Handkäs with music, ribs with cabbage or Frankfurter schnitzel with green sauce to accompany the cider.
Zum Gemalten Haus
The long-established cider tavern “Zum Gemalten Haus” in Sachsenhausen is known for its excellent cider, which still matures in large wooden barrels in the historic vaulted cellar beneath the building. The naturally cloudy, unfiltered cider is tapped fresh from the barrel and tastes refreshingly spicy. The “Sweet”, the not yet fully fermented cider, which is served in the fall directly after the harvest, is also particularly popular. The Gemalte Haus serves traditional Frankfurt home cooking such as ribs with sauerkraut, knuckle of pork or Handkäs with music to accompany the cider. In fine weather, the idyllic apple wine garden invites you to linger under old apple trees.
Frankfurter Apfelwein Botschaft
The Frankfurter Apfelwein Botschaft is an institution when it comes to Ebbelwoi. Located at the Westhafen, it sees itself as an ambassador for the national drink and aims to preserve and spread the cider culture. In addition to its own cider, which is served on site, you can taste the best ciders from the region here. This is accompanied not only by classic dishes such as Handkäs, ribs or schnitzel, but also by modern interpretations of Frankfurt cuisine. In the cozy pub with its cider-related souvenirs, you feel connected to tradition and yet can discover it in a completely new way.
Which Frankfurt breweries and beer gardens are worth a visit?
Frankfurt is not only known for its cider, but also for its breweries and beer gardens.
Binding Brewery
The Binding Brewery is one of Frankfurt’s oldest breweries and offers brewery tours and tastings. In the brewery pub you can enjoy freshly tapped beers and traditional dishes such as pork knuckle, meat loaf and bratwurst. There is also a cozy atmosphere and a beautiful beer garden.
Römer Pils Brunnen
The Römer Pils Brunnen in Frankfurt’s city center is a popular beer garden with a large selection of beers and home-style cooking. Here you can enjoy traditional dishes such as schnitzel, bratwurst and potato salad. There is also freshly tapped Pilsner and a cozy atmosphere.
Conclusion
Frankfurt am Main offers a variety of excellent German restaurants serving regional specialties and traditional Frankfurt dishes. Whether you are looking for a rustic and cozy apple wine pub, a hearty brewery or an elegant restaurant – you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for in Frankfurt.
The most important things you should know about Frankfurt cuisine:
- Frankfurt cuisine is characterized by regional specialities such as green sauce, Handkäs mit Musik and Frankfurter sausages.
- Apple wine is the traditional drink in Frankfurt and is served in many apple wine bars.
- There are many excellent German restaurants in Frankfurt, offering both traditional and fine dining.
- Some of the best German restaurants in Frankfurt include Restaurant Klosterhof, Zum Bitburger and Gerbermühle.
- The best green sauce can be found at Zum Lahmen Esel and Dauth-Schneider.
- The most popular cider restaurants include Ebbelwoi Unser, Atschel and Zum Gemalten Haus.
- The Binding brewery and the Römer Pils Brunnen are also worth a visit.
I hope this article has given you a good overview of Frankfurt cuisine and the best German restaurants in Frankfurt. Enjoy your meal and have fun discovering Frankfurt’s culinary treasures!