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City Guide - Frankfurt - Food and Drink | ||
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Food and Drink Local specialities include the world-famous Frankfurter Würstchen (frankfurters) and lesser-known delicacies such as Grüne Sosse - a melange of mayonnaise and herbs; Rippchen mit Kraut (pork chops with sauerkraut); Frankfurter Platte (fried sausage, smoked bacon, pickled pork chops and more); and the bizarrely named Handkäs mit Musik - literally 'handcheese with music', which turns out to be a pungent mixture of curd cheese, raw onion and vinegar. Fish dishes provide popular and delicious alternatives. The local drink in Frankfurt is not beer, but Äppelwoi (apple wine), which is served in a clay pitcher called a Bembel. Local (grape) wine from the Rheingau vineyard is also worth trying. The high expectations of the international business community have ensured that Frankfurt's top restaurants are up to scratch but also mean that eating out is a pricey business. Reservations are essential at most restaurants, particularly during trade fairs. Despite Frankfurt's international standing, some establishments still do not take credit cards, so visitors should check before running up a large bill. Service is usually included in the bill, but good service may also be rewarded by a cash tip directly to the waiter. Good areas for eating include the restaurants lining Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse - known locally as Fressgass (Feeding Alley), and the plethora of traditional apple wine taverns and trendy establishments in Sachsenhausen. Restaurants Traditional German fare is on the menu at Adolf Wagner, Schweizer Strasse 71 in Sachsenhausen (tel: (069) 612 565). This is one of the most atmospheric and popular taverns in town and is always heaving with people digging into vast portions of pork hocks, boiled beef, potato and sauerkraut, and quaffing excellent Äppelwoi (three courses will cost about DM30). If Wagner is full there are numerous alternatives nearby: Zum Gemalten Haus, Schweizer Strasse 67 (tel: (069) 614 559), and Zum Eichkatzerl, Dreieichstrasse 29 (tel: (069) 617 480), both offer hearty food and drink and an authentic homely atmosphere for about DM30 for three courses. When you've had your fill of Grüne Sosse, the city's top restaurants offer gourmet cuisine and superb service. Brückenkeller, Schutzenstrasse 6 (tel: (069) 284 238), is the popular and deserving holder of two Michelin stars. Excellent seasonal German cuisine (three courses for DM80-100) and a huge range of quality wine are impeccably served in the atmospheric setting of this sixteenth-century vaulted cellar. For delicious French cuisine head to Bistrot 77, Ziegelhuttenweg 1-3 (tel: (069) 614 040). Hugely popular, this high-quality bistro uses produce fresh from France accompanied by the Mosbach family's Alsatian wine. Fish dishes are a speciality. Three courses cost DM55-80, but the new brasserie at the front of the restaurant offers an excellent cut-price alternative. Advance booking is essential. There are more French delights to tempt you at Gargantua, Liebigstrasse 47 (tel: (069) 720 718), where creative main courses (DM40-50) and extravagant desserts (DM20) are served to an appreciative business clientele in subdued surroundings. Reserve a table and rub shoulders with stock market traders as they relax at Erno's Bistro, Liebigstrasse 15 (tel: (069) 721 997), in the Westend. Rustic decor is a cover for a sophisticated and ever-changing menu of international cuisine, supplemented by an impressive wine list. The fixed-price menu is good value at DM65. Another business lunch favourite is Meyer's, Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse 54 (tel: (069) 9139 7070). Enjoy light meals in the restaurant for about DM65 or grab tasty specials from the delicatessen on site. The trendy, lively and cosmopolitan Schirn Café (tel: (069) 291 732) at the Schirn Museum on Römerberg 6a, is a great place to savour contemporary food (including Spanish and oriental dishes for DM50-60), live music and a buzzing atmosphere. Indulging the international trend for quality Japanese cuisine, Sushimoto on the fifth floor of the Zeilgalerie (tel: (069) 280 485) serves good sushi and other dishes. Enjoy fine Italian food in charming rustic surroundings at La Trattoria, Fürstenberg Strasse 179 (tel: (069) 552 130). Specialities include guinea fowl with Masala sauce and Moscato grapes, and homemade ravioli with pumpkin filling. The daily four-course dinner menu costs DM89. Vast and lively, Living in the European Central Bank building on Willy-Brandt-Platz (tel: (069) 242 9370) offers trendy eurocrats and visiting businesspeople three floors of great dining, including a large summer garden. The business lunch costs from DM21. For light and stylish modern German food (DM44 for a three-course lunch), try Die Leiter, Kaiserhofstrasse 11 (tel: (069) 292 121). Join locals and shoppers for good-value, tasty fish lunches (DM29) at Fisch Franke, Domstrasse 9-11 (tel: (069) 296 261). The restaurant closes at 2030. Cafés Excellent Milchkaffee (milky coffee) is served at Café Karin, Grosser Hirschgraben 28, and, in summer, you can enjoy people-watching from the terrace. If you're suffering from cultural overload on the Museumsufer make for the delightful and relaxing cafés at the Deutsches Filmmuseum, Schaumainkai 41, and the Museum für Kunsthandwerk, Schaumainkai 15. In Sachsenhausen, mingle with the city's trendiest coffee drinkers in the black and glass surroundings of Café Bar, Schweizer Strasse 14, and for a taste of days gone by, enjoy coffee and cakes at Café Laumer, Bockenheimer Landstrasse 67, in the Westend. Laumer also serves substantial breakfasts and light lunches. |