Where to eat in Frankfurt
Frankfurt eats Hessian: green sauce with boiled eggs and potatoes, sausages, and apple wine poured from a stone jug. The best food is plain and traditional, in taverns in Sachsenhausen. Go at lunch, share a table, and try the Kleinmarkthalle.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Sachsenhausen for apple wine taverns, the Kleinmarkthalle for lunch, the Bahnhofsviertel for diverse food.
- Order this
- Frankfurter Grüne Soße with boiled eggs, and apple wine in a Bembel jug.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12, dinner from 6pm. Taverns close early on some days.
- Book or walk in
- Book Friday and Saturday dinner. Taverns often take walk-ins at lunch.
- Tipping
- Round up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent.
What to eat in Frankfurt
- Grüne SoßeA cold sauce of seven herbs with eggs and boiled potatoes, the signature dish.
- ApfelweinA tart cider-like apple wine, poured from a gray Bembel jug into a ribbed glass.
- Frankfurter RippchenCured pork ribs served with sauerkraut and mustard.
- Handkäse mit MusikSour milk cheese with onions, vinegar and oil, a local pub snack.
- Frankfurter WürstchenThin pork sausages, served with mustard and bread.
- BethmannchenMarzipan balls with almonds, a Christmas treat.
Where to eat in Frankfurt, by neighborhood
Sachsenhausen
Apple wine taverns and traditional restaurants on cobbled lanes.
Altstadt and Kleinmarkthalle
A market hall and old-town restaurants close to the sights.
Bahnhofsviertel
A multicultural district with Eritrean, Turkish and Asian food.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Fichtekränzi
€€Apple wine tavern · Sachsenhausen
OrderFrankfurter platter or schnitzel with green sauce
A tavern open since 1849, with dark paneling and apple wine; it opens at 5pm.
- Book
- Walk in, book on weekends
Confirmed open: frankfurt-tipp.de
-
Zum Gemalten Haus
€€Apple wine tavern · Sachsenhausen
OrderRibs with sauerkraut and green sauce
A 1930s tavern with painted walls, aging its own apple wine in barrels.
- Book
- Walk in
- Closed
- Monday
Confirmed open: visitfrankfurt.travel
-
Apfelwein Wagner
€€Apple wine tavern · Sachsenhausen
OrderHomemade apple wine and regional dishes
Family-owned since 1931 and one of the few taverns that makes its own apple wine.
- Book
- Walk in, book on weekends
Confirmed open: apfelwein-wagner.com
-
Kleinmarkthalle
€Market hall · Altstadt
OrderFrankfurter sausages
A covered market hall with sausage counters, cheese and snacks.
- Book
- Walk in
- Closed
- Sunday
Confirmed open: kleinmarkthalle.com
Food markets in Frankfurt
- KleinmarkthalleA covered market with sausages, cheese, fruit and snacks, and a wine terrace upstairs.Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 4pmSource: kleinmarkthalle.com
How Frankfurt eats
- Meal timesLunch from 12 and dinner from 6pm. Taverns often shut early.
- Apple wineIt is tart and low in alcohol. Order a jug, not a glass.
- Sharing tablesIn a tavern you may share a table with strangers.
- TippingRound up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tourist menu with photographs of every dish.
A tavern with no locals at the tables.
Restaurants on the Zeil that serve everything.
Eating in Frankfurt: questions people ask
What food is Frankfurt known for?
Green sauce with eggs, Frankfurter sausages, Rippchen and apple wine.
Where should I eat in Frankfurt?
Sachsenhausen for apple wine taverns, and the Kleinmarkthalle for lunch.
What is apple wine?
A tart, low-alcohol drink made from apples, served from a jug into a ribbed glass.
Do I need to book in Frankfurt?
On weekends, for popular taverns, yes. At lunch you can walk in.