'Italianeschi specialita'. Try walking the streets of Frankfurt and count how many times you come across this sign, which in German means 'Italian speciality', on the door of any establishment. Then head to the central market, Kleinmarkthalle (Hasengasse, 5-7), and you will see how the fruits, vegetables, sausages and cheeses from the country of the boot take over the showcases and windows of the main stalls, to the point that if you go upstairs you will find a whole section of shops dedicated to limoncello .
Is there more Italian cuisine than home cooking in Germany's fifth largest city? Do the Frankfurters, inhabitants of the financial capital of Europe, deny their culinary tradition? At first glance it seems so, although in recent times they are also trying to raise the bar for culinary offerings.
The old cider houses that you will find in the Sachsenhausen neighborhood (remember that Frankfurt is the city of Apwelwein) are no longer the only foodie destination in the city, but there are more and more interesting restaurants and venues. And if not, take a look at this route, where you will find everything from fine dining restaurants to the best fast food stalls.
In the heart of the Palmen Garden, the city's botanical garden, you will find Lafleur, a restaurant that has earned two Michelin stars for its vegan haute cuisine, something that is striking considering that Frankfurt is the capital of sausage in Germany. In the kitchen you will find Andrea Krolik, a chef originally from a small town near Leipzig, who in recent years has gained international recognition for his vindication, from start to finish, of use cooking. The space, with large windows and a well-kept circular room, has a fantastic cellar that houses some of the best wines in the world, such as La Fleur, the famous and exclusive Bordeaux from which the restaurant takes its name as it is the owner's favourite.
You will have to choose between two tasting menus: the 'Gran Produits', the most popular and where you will find scallops, Icelandic cod, Norwegian Norway lobster and pigeon and lamb meat, or the vegetables menu, much more interesting. This begins with various snacks and continues with dishes that include marinated mushroom raviolo or spicy carrot in kimchi broth with carrot cream, spring onions, Bruchenbrüken chickpeas and a crispy macadamia nut. We believe that the presentation of the dishes can be improved in Krolik's tasty kitchen; even so, it is interesting to try his proposal, which has intensity, depth and complexity.
The energetic Ilse Schreiber and the legendary tiny sausage stand bearing her last name in the Kleinmarkthalle are already a Frankfurt institution. After escaping from the Nazis in Upper Silesia and forcibly emigrating to northwest Germany, this woman never imagined that she would end up married to the son of one of the city's most beloved butchers. The Schreiber family opened this stall in the Kleinmarkthalle (Central Market) in 1955. Since then, she has served it every morning from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. with special sympathy. In it she will find, in addition to Ilse's smile, possibly one of the best Frankfurter sausages served in a high-quality bun along with the city's famous green sauce.
If you are looking for signature cuisine, head to Lohninger, the restaurant named after one of Frankfurt's most popular chefs. Although he is of Austrian origin, Mario Lohninger has been in the city's gastronomic scene for years, after rising to fame in 2006 by getting a Michelin star for Silk, the restaurant that for 13 years hosted the mythical Cocoon Club of the well-known Frankfurt DJ Sven Väth .
At Lohninger, this chef, who trained in restaurants such as Guy Savoy in Paris or Wolfgang Puck in California, does not opt for haute cuisine as he had always done, but for a bistro concept in which he offers dishes that combine the flavors of his childhood with those learned in some of the countries in which he has worked, hence the letter is divided into two sections: "Die Heimat" (homeland) and "Die Welt" (the world). One of his star recipes is the breaded fillet, as well as some Austrian classics like the Wiener Schnitzel, which is also delicious. The atmosphere in this restaurant located on the banks of the River Main, in an old classical-style building with beautiful high ceilings, is relaxed and quite informal.
If you like art, visit the Museum für Moderne Kunst, which is currently hosting an interesting temporary exhibition by American artist Cameron Rowland. Once you have finished seeing the exhibition, stop by Mehlwassersalz, the museum's cafeteria, and recharge your batteries with one of the vegan cakes on offer in this designer space, decorated in pink tones and with a 'hipster' atmosphere, to which Many of the city's young artists come to meet. Breads made with sourdough, brioches, tartlets, cakes, banana bread... Everything they prepare in this cafeteria is homemade and with 0 kilometer products.
Since Frankfurt is the financial capital of Europe, a restaurant could not be missing where you can uncork good bottles. This is Erno's Bistro, a Michelin star since 1979 and one of the best Burgundy wine cellars we've seen in a long time. Specifically, they have some 700 French wine references on the menu, among which are some special treasures, personally selected by the sommelier and owner of the establishment, Eric Huber. Chef Valery Mathis is in charge of the kitchen, who before taking the reins of Erno's Bistro had worked in the kitchens of renowned French restaurants such as the three-star Troigros, Chibois or L'Auberge de l'Ill. Don't expect to find authentic German cuisine or any nod to it here.
On the left bank of the River Main you will find this tiny cocktail bar, as its name indicates, which recently managed to find a place on the 'Discovery' list of The World's 50 Best Bars. Opened in 2015, it is part of the vegan fine-dining restaurant Swen Swans, which is located a few floors up in the same building. In fact, before it became a cocktail bar, it was the space where the chef received his guests with an aperitif, a tradition that they continue to maintain, although The Tiny Cup now has a life of its own. Your experience will change depending on whether you visit in winter or summer. In the hottest season, when it is busiest and liveliest, customers crowd the tables outside and cocktails that cover the classic spritz and negroni are served, in addition to natural wines. With the drop in temperatures, on the other hand, they focus more on classic cocktails, using a space on the first floor of the building to shelter their clients.
One of the most successful venues in the Bahnhofsviertel, the fashionable district of Frankfurt, is Bar Shuka. As you know, Germany is one of the countries with the most immigration from the Middle East, which has contributed to its spicy and spicy cuisines being the favorites of many Germans. In this establishment, located on the ground floor of the ultra-modern 25 Hours Hotel, you will find freshly baked pita bread, grilled Jerusalem kebabs, Francoforte green sauce made with Mediterranean herbs, mountain zaatar and other delicacies that the James brothers and David Ardinast call it 'New Israeli Cuisine', even though they only use local ingredients.
End your tour of Frankfurt with a drink at NFT SKybar, the bar located on the 47th floor of the skyscraper that houses the Hotel nhow Frankfurt. In it you will find a good atmosphere, as well as impressive panoramic views of the city.
