Frankfurt is Germany’s financial centre and a major international hub, which gives it a more cosmopolitan food scene than most German cities its size. It also has its own proud regional cuisine that most visitors overlook.
Ebbelwoi (Apple Wine)
Frankfurt’s defining drink is Ebbelwoi (Apfelwein — apple wine), a dry, slightly carbonated fermented apple juice with a tart flavour that pairs well with hearty Frankfurt food. It is served in a distinctive blue-patterned ceramic jug (Bembel) with water added by the drinker. The Sachsenhausen neighbourhood south of the Main river is the traditional Ebbelwoi district, with several Äpfelweinwirtschaft (apple wine taverns) that have operated for generations. Dauth-Schneider and Adolf Wagner are classic addresses.
Grüne Soße
Frankfurt’s most famous local dish is Grüne Soße (Green Sauce) — a cold herb sauce made from exactly seven herbs (borage, chervil, cress, parsley, burnet, sorrel, and chives) traditionally served with hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. It is a spring/summer dish (the herbs are in season from April to October) and deeply regional — you will not find it outside Frankfurt and the surrounding Hessen region. Goethe, who was born in Frankfurt, reportedly loved it.
International Dining
Frankfurt’s large banking and finance community has supported high-end international dining at a level unusual for a city of 750,000. The Bahnhofsviertel (train station quarter) has an unexpectedly diverse food scene including several excellent Turkish, Persian, and Southeast Asian restaurants that serve the neighbourhood’s mixed community rather than tourists.
Kleinmarkthalle
The Kleinmarkthalle indoor market in the city centre is Frankfurt’s best food shopping. Three floors: vegetables and fruit at street level, cheese and charcuterie on the mezzanine, meat and fish at the top. Several stalls offer freshly prepared food for eating on-site — a good option for lunch.
