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Many international cuisines are represented in the financial hub of Europe. For vegetarians there's usually at least one meatless dish on a German menu, and substantial salads are popular, too (though often served with speck, or bacon). The city's most famous contribution to the world's diet is the Frankfurter Würstchen—a thin smoked pork sausage—served with bread and mustard, but not with sauerkraut like the American hot dog also called a frankfurter. Grüne Sosse is a thin cream sauce of herbs served with potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. The oddly named Handkäs mit Musik (literally, "hand cheese with music") consists of slices of cheese covered with raw onions, oil, and vinegar, served with dark bread and butter (an acquired taste for many). There is the Rippchen, or cured pork chop, served on a mound of sauerkraut, and the Schlachtplatte, an assortment of sausages and smoked meats. All are served with Frankfurt's distinctive hard cider drink, Apfelwein, by the glass or ceramic pitcher.
Smoking is prohibited inside Frankfurt's bars and restaurants, but allowed in most beer gardens.
Reminiscent of a traditional coffeehouse, this café has been offering all types of sweets and pastries, along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner since 1915. Open daily, it's on a quiet, tucked-away street that's steps from the main shopping area, Zeil. In warm weather, there's a lovely outdoor garden.
Housed in a former wine cellar that dates from 1893 in one of the alleys off Fressgass, Vinum specializes in regional wines, by the glass or bottle to accompany a regional prix-fixe menu. The burnished brickwork and low lighting adds to the charm. The wine-themed decor includes such items as glass bowls filled with wine corks.
This modern restaurant, bar, and lounge near many of the city's largest banks makes it a natural for business lunches, but it also attracts many young professionals for after-work socializing and dinner. The moderately priced menu of contemporary dishes includes nearly two dozen varieties of pizza.
The menu is typical of Old Sachsenhausen—apple wine and sauerkraut are served—but the interior is bright and modern and the Frankfurt specialties are a cut above the rest. As proprietor Kay Exenberger puts it, "We're nearly as fast as a fast-food restaurant, but as gemütlich (quaint) as an apple wine locale must be". It's so popular that reservations are a good idea, even at lunch, and everything can be wrapped up to go. Many rave about the chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce.
This eclectic vegetarian and vegan spot, a rarity in Frankfurt, serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks made only with organic ingredients. Centrally located a few blocks from the Dom, the café has low lighting and rough-hewn wood tables; the rock 'n' roll and Motown tunes are played here at a volume low enough not to discourage quiet conversation.
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