This throbbing metropolis on the Main is known more for its temples of glass and steel, and as a financial center, than for its food. Even a short visit can show another side of the place, though, and provide a traveler with tasty memories to take home. Tom and I spent a long weekend in Frankfurt last month–here are six recommendations for having as enjoyable a time as we did!
1. Experience Frankfurt’s traditional
The Sachsenhausen neighborhood is known for its “Epelwoi pubs” (apple wine restaurants), and whether around a long plank table indoors or the garden, these are great places to sample the hearty foods of Hessen.
2. Sample the unexpected and trending
Tom and I like to experience the current food habits of the locals wherever we go. In Frankfurt, for the past few years, new types of restaurants have been cropping up around town, offering a range of foodie experiences. We visited three within easy walking distance of the Frankfurt Main (railway) Station.
3. Learn all about Frankfurt apple wine
Apple wine is THE traditional beverage of this part of Germany, and it comes in varieties to suit individual tastes for sweetness. Artisanal apple wine makers tout the specific varieties of apples that go into their wines, much as vintners do the grapes for traditional wines. At larger producers, taste is controlled by using a cuvée process, similar to that used to make champagne. To see the process of making apple wine, we visited Familienkelterei Possmann, which has been in the business since the 19th century.
4. Satisfy your sweet tooth
Tea rooms dot Frankfurt’s Old Town, and are great places to escape the cold of a frosty day, or just have a mid-morning or afternoon sweets break. Some, such as Bitter & Zart Chocolaterie, around the corner from the Römer and steps from the Schirnhalle Gallery, offer handmade chocolates from an adjacent shop.
5. Pay homage to the food gods at Kleinmarkthalle
Die Kleinmarkthalle is a must-see for any food traveler visiting Frankfurt! This specialty market–officially celebrating its 60th birthday in May 2014–seduces locals and travelers alike with cheese, sausages, baked goods and vegetables from farms in the region ( The first Kleinmarkthalle in Germany opened here 135 years ago, not far from the present location, and was rebuilt after the Second World War). Vendors are generous with explanations and samples–we enjoyed a refreshing glass of Turkish tea–and the presentation of all those fresh goodies is exquisite.
6. Take a food tour in Frankfurt
We were exceptionally fortunate to have not one, but two knowledgeable guides to the Frankfurt food scene: Mikael Horstmann, a specialist in ‘table culture’, and long-time Frankfurt resident, food-and-travel blogger Karin Stienemeier, who we had met online. With their help, we toured and tasted much more–and more ‘soulfully’– than we might have on our own!
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A big thanks to Frankfurt Tourism for hosting our visit, organizing a day of foodie adventuring with Mikael Horstmann. And thank you Mika for sharing your local knowledge and enthusiasm for all things culinary!
Thank you Anita and Tom, it was a pleasure showing our favorite places.
Anita, I’ve stopped through Frankfurt and FRA airport hundreds of times, and I’ve yet to try the Grüne Soße or the “Ebbelwoi”. It’s bordering on tragedy (or travesty). 😉 However, the next time you’re in Frankfurt and if it’s in the summer, may I recommend the “Imbissboot” (snack boat) parked on the river Main. They have Döner, but their fresh fried fish sandwiches and homemade lemonade are perfect to have while sitting on the meadows by the river Main. (And yes, I wrote about that, too …) Thanks for writing about the foodie things in Frankfurt!
I saw the Imbissboot, but did not stop…now I know what to do next time I’m rambling along the Rheinufer. Thanks for the suggestion!
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