Best restaurants and what to eat
Germany
Frankfurt’s cuisine sits at the crossroads of Hessian rusticity and big-city refinement. The city is especially known for tangy dairy dishes, apple-based specialties, hearty sausages, and simple but deeply flavorful rye breads and desserts.
A bright, herb-packed cold sauce made with seven spring herbs, sour cream, and often yogurt or mayonnaise. Fresh, tangy, and green-forward, it is the signature accompaniment to boiled potatoes and eggs in the Frankfurt area.
Thin, lightly smoked pork sausages with a delicate snap and gentle seasoning. Traditionally poached rather than boiled hard, they are prized for their clean, savory flavor and are commonly served with bread, mustard, and potato salad.
A pungent sour-milk cheese from Hesse with a firm, compact texture and a sharp lactic tang. In Frankfurt it is often served with onions, vinegar, oil, and caraway, making it a classic beer hall and tavern snack.
A festive butter-cream cake ring layered with sponge, jam, and rich frosting, traditionally finished with brittle-coated edges. Buttery, celebratory, and elegant, it is one of the city’s most famous sweets.
Small almond and marzipan confections linked to Frankfurt’s patrician Bethmann family. Crisp at the edges and marzipan-soft inside, they are especially associated with Christmas but remain a beloved local specialty year-round.
A traditional cured and gently cooked pork loin dish with a savory, ham-like depth. Usually paired with sauerkraut or mashed potatoes, it reflects Frankfurt’s hearty tavern cooking.
Frankfurt’s emblematic apple wine, dry to off-dry, refreshing, and distinctly tart. Traditionally served in a Bembel earthenware pitcher and a ribbed glass, it is central to local tavern culture.
The local Hessian dialect name for apple wine, often made in a lean, brisk, and food-friendly style. It is usually enjoyed cool with hearty regional dishes and convivial tavern fare.
Fresh apple juice pressed from regional fruit, bright and crisp with a natural orchard sweetness. It is especially common in the Frankfurt apple-growing region and often drunk seasonally.
A colloquial Frankfurt term for local apple wine, reflecting the city’s affectionate tavern slang. Served in plain glasses or traditional pitchers, it is an everyday drink as much as a regional emblem.
A protected local identity for the city’s classic fermented apple beverage. Crisp, tannic, and refreshingly dry, it is the natural partner to sausages, cheese, and sour, savory snacks.
Apple wine mixed with sparkling water for a lighter, more refreshing drink. Popular in casual settings, it keeps the apple character while softening the acidity and alcohol.
The iconic Frankfurt dish of sour cheese dressed with onions, vinegar, oil, and caraway. Pungent, creamy, and sharp, it is a beloved tavern plate served with bread and often Apfelwein.
Boiled eggs served with the city’s famous green herb sauce, creating a cool, tangy, and aromatic plate. Simple but highly regional, it showcases Frankfurt’s spring herb tradition.
Cured pork loin cooked until tender and served with sauerkraut and mustardy sides. It is hearty, savory, and emblematic of traditional Frankfurt home cooking.
A local schnitzel variation often paired with Grüne Soße rather than only lemon. Crisp, meaty, and balanced by the herb sauce’s acidity, it reflects the city’s taste for rich food brightened by greens.
Potato salad in a vinegary, brothy Frankfurt style, lighter than mayonnaise-based versions. Tangy and savory, it is a classic side for sausages and pork dishes.
Pork ribs or loin served with cabbage or sauerkraut, a sturdy dish rooted in Hessian tavern fare. Rich, acidic, and deeply satisfying, it pairs naturally with apple wine.
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