With a cuisine as varied and impressive as the city itself, Frankfurt is one of Germany’s most popular culinary destinations. Offering way more than the simple sausage and kartoffelsalat combinations generally associated with German restaurants, Frankfurt is home to an outstanding array of both traditional and contemporary. Check out our updated list of this city’s ten best cultural restaurants below.
Part of the Stadelsches Kunstinstitut art museum which is home to one of the most important collections of artworks in Germany, Holbein’s is an ideal destination for an elaborate lunch or dinner after a stroll around the galleries. The floor-to-ceiling windows and impressive architecture lend the restaurant a sophisticated feel, which is only enhanced by the exquisitely presented dishes. Heavily influenced by Asian cuisines, the menu consists of a variety of tasty Thai curries, aromatic salmon dishes and delicate sushi starters. On warm days the outdoor veranda is a beautiful spot on the river to enjoy a bottle of fine wine or a cocktail as the sun goes down.
Main Tower Restaurant & Bar | Courtesy Main Tower Restaurant & Bar
A floor or two above the rest, Main Tower Restaurant and Bar resides an impressive 187 metres over the city of Frankfurt, making it the go-to restaurant for perfectly romantic sunset dinners for two. Advance reservations are almost compulsory to avoid being caught out with the elevator surcharge for walk-in guests. The menu changes seasonally but always includes a sophisticated selection of gourmet dishes and fine, regional wines. From the autumn menu choose an amuse bouche of scallops and pancetta; a starter of goose liver, chestnut and apple; an entrée of Muscovy duck, asparagus and wasabi; and a dessert of ginger bread with rum.
Blending ancient and modern Greek cooking techniques, Ariston serves up a medley of delicious, hearty dishes perfect for enjoying on winter days. Starters on offer include creamy crayfish soup and baby calamari; whilst a couple of main courses to look out for are the grilled calf livers with buttery mash and the shoulder of lamb with Greek rice. For the perfect pudding it’s a toss up between the panna cotta and the chocolate soufflé. Like the menu, the décor is a blending of old and new, mixing high ceilings with wood panelling and boisterous black columns to create a cosy and welcoming atmosphere.
For those looking for some truly traditional Frankfurt dishes, there’s no need to look any further that Atschel. The platters of simple home-style cooking here include the city’s namesake frankfurter sausages, pickled pork knuckle, boiled ox-breast and schnitzel all served with a good dollop of sauerkraut and a hunk of bread. The only thing missing is a glass of cool apple wine and, of course, they’ve got that in abundance too. A cute little tavern, the wooden floors, long communal tables and art nouveau balloon lamps are everything one would expect from such a place and that little bit more. Great all year round, the tavern is incredibly cosy in the winter and the outdoor garden terrace is a real treat in the summer.
A lively lunch spot, Ebert’s Suppenstube specialises in warming bowls of nutritious soups served with traditional bread and bratwursts. The potato soup is by far the most popular variety and is best enjoyed at one of the tables in the heated outdoor area – a great spot for people-watching. Service is quick and accommodating making Ebert’s a popular eatery for busy locals, so don’t expect to have a long lingering lunch here – it’s not that type of restaurant. Costing between four and six euros for a bowl of soup and helping of bread, lunch at Ebert’s is great value for money. Try the traditional goulash too.
Mexican Herbs and Spices | Courtesy of El Pacifico
Arguably the best Mexican in Frankfurt (or at the very least the most authentic), El Pacifico boasts a wonderfully varied menu of traditional dishes from a number of different regions in Mexico. Try the tostadas or the enchiladas to experience incredible flavour combinations, spiced up as much or as little as you like. Tortilla chips and salsa are a must to pick at while waiting for the main courses to be cooked; even the chips themselves are made fresh in-house. And to wash it all down? An ice-cold margarita, of course. Although you may not immediately think to dine at a Mexican restaurant when in Frankfurt, El Pacifico will come as a true delight once you are ready for a break from frankfurters and eager to embark on a culinary journey to Central America.
A wonder to the eye and the senses, Im Herzen Afrikas asks visitors to leave all of their woes on the doorstep as they pass through into an African wonder. Cushions scatter the floor and low sofas allow diners to wiggle their toes in the carpet of sand as they tuck into delicious dishes. A family-run restaurant, Im Herzen Afrikas puts a great importance on making sure all of the diners are completely relaxed and calm just as if they were on a sandy African beach rather than in a busy European city. For a unique and enjoyable experience, book an inside table to admire the furnishings and decorations crafted from wooden tree trunks whilst enjoying fine, home-cooked fare.
With a name meaning Body and Soul in English, Leib und Seele cooks up a variety of hearty, filling dishes inspired by an abundance of international cuisines. Breakfast is an array of egg-based dishes, breads and jams, salami platters, fruit salads and croissants catering to every nationality of tourist as well as the regular local patrons. Each day, there is a different lunch special; Tuesdays, for example, it’s chilli con carne and Fridays it’s chicken fricassee with basmati rice. The dinner menu continues the international yet familiar theme with dishes including mushroom schnitzel, roasted salmon fillet and baked potatoes with various fillings. Leib und Seele is undeniably the perfect choice for families where everyone fancies something different.
Hotel Restaurant, Restaurant, French, European, Vegetarian
Situated within the smallest Kempinski Hotel in the world, Restaurant Villa Rothschild boasts two Michelin stars making it one of the top 40 restaurants in the entire country. The restaurant’s renowned chef, Christian Eckhardt, specialises in light haute cuisine perfected using classic French cooking techniques with just the right amount of creative flair and intuition. Both hotel guests and visitors are welcome to dine in the pretty restaurant space of this five-star boutique hotel for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Expect gourmet dishes such as duck foie gras, venison with pumpkin, Atlantic cod and mustard cream.
A beautifully romantic Italian and grill restaurant in the heart of Frankfurt, Vai Vai is lit solely by candles and ceiling lanterns creating the most warming and intimate of ambiences. Come here for a delightful meal with a loved one and enjoy an array of fine antipasti, pasta dishes and succulent rare meat platters. The 28-day dry-aged Fiorentina steak truly does melt on the tongue and pairs strangely well with a risotto verde to share or a plate of black tagliatelle with prawns for a slightly more hearty and unusual combination. After dinner guests are welcome to enjoy a digestif at the sophisticated full bar – you won’t go wrong with a tipple of amaro or amaretto.
