Frankfurt Food
Taste Frankfurt through fresh herb sauce, traditional cheese, pork and sausages, Apfelwein, cakes, international restaurants and energetic markets.
FOOD CULTURE
A Taste of the City
Frankfurt’s food scene combines hearty Hessian traditions with a much broader international range than many visitors may expect. In Sachsenhausen, informal Apfelwein taverns serve regional staples such as Grüne Soße, Handkäse mit Musik and Frankfurter sausages. Around the Hauptbahnhof and throughout the Bahnhofsviertel, Turkish, Persian, Middle Eastern and Afghan restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores and markets reflect the city’s diverse population. At the other end of the spectrum, the restaurant at the MAIN TOWER offers a more refined dining experience with views across Frankfurt’s skyline. This variety suits a city that is both an international business center and strongly connected to its Hessian roots, making it easy to move between regional cooking, global flavors and special-occasion dining.
Food counters and international dishes in Kleinmarkthalle
Over many visits to Frankfurt, some of my best food experiences have come from mixing traditional specialties with the city’s international choices. I return to Kleinmarkthalle for coffee or lunch, including its small Italian and seafood counters, and I also had a very good Italian meal at Medici. For coffee and cake, I love Kaffeehaus Goldene Waage, especially its Frankfurter Kranz and beautiful historic setting. In winter, eating Kartoffelpuffer and Fischbrötchen while exploring the Christmas markets around the Römer and Zeil is part of the experience. Together, these meals show how Frankfurt’s food culture ranges from markets and casual dishes to polished restaurants, while its traditional foods remain the foundation.
TRADITIONAL FOODS
Local Specialties to Try
Frankfurt’s traditional cooking is hearty and practical, with potatoes, pork, cheese, fresh herbs and apples appearing in many local dishes. Grüne Soße, Frankfurter Würstchen, Frankfurter Kranz and Bethmännchen are among the specialties most closely associated with the city.
The nine selections below introduce these local flavors, from tangy Handkäse and fresh herb sauce to sausages, marzipan and buttercream cake. Apfelwein is the traditional drink alongside many savory dishes, particularly in Sachsenhausen’s taverns. At markets and seasonal events, you will also find wider German favorites such as Kartoffelpuffer and Fischbrötchen.
Handkäse mit Musik
A small, pungent sour-milk cheese marinated with onions, vinegar, oil and caraway. Handkäse mit Musik is commonly served with bread in Apfelwein taverns and has a tangy flavor that becomes stronger as the cheese ripens.
Handkäse mit Musik with chopped onions, caraway and vinegar dressing
Haddekuche
This firm, diamond-shaped Frankfurt gingerbread is flavored with warm spices and marked with a crosshatched pattern. Its dialect name means “hard cake,” and it was traditionally eaten with Apfelwein in Sachsenhausen taverns.
Diamond-shaped Haddekuche gingerbread with a crosshatched surface
Frankfurter Rippchen
Frankfurter Rippchen are cured pork chops gently heated and traditionally served with sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and mustard. Salty, tender and substantial, they are a classic main course in Frankfurt’s Apfelwein taverns.
Frankfurter Rippchen served with sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and mustard
Frankfurter Würstchen
These thin pork sausages are lightly smoked, heated in hot water and usually served in pairs with mustard, bread or potato salad. Their delicate casing and smoky flavor distinguish Frankfurter Würstchen from ordinary hot dogs.
Pair of Frankfurter Würstchen served with bread and mustard
Frankfurter Rindswurst
Frankfurter Rindswurst became a local specialty through Gref-Völsing, founded in 1894. This robust beef sausage has a firmer texture and deeper flavor than Frankfurter Würstchen and is commonly served with mustard and bread.
Frankfurter Rindswurst served with bread and mustard
Grüne Soße
My favorite Frankfurt specialty is a cool, creamy sauce made with seven fresh herbs: borage, chervil, cress, parsley, salad burnet, sorrel and chives. It is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and eggs or alongside meat.
Frankfurt Grüne Soße with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs
Apfelwein
Frankfurt’s tart, dry apple wine is traditionally poured from a stoneware Bembel into a ribbed Geripptes glass. It is central to the atmosphere and shared tables of Sachsenhausen’s taverns.
Bembel of Frankfurt Apfelwein beside a traditional Geripptes glass
Bethmännchen
Bethmännchen are small baked marzipan sweets decorated with three almond halves. Named after Frankfurt’s Bethmann family, they are especially associated with Advent and the Christmas season and make a rich but compact treat.
Bethmännchen marzipan pastries decorated with three almond halves
Frankfurter Kranz
Frankfurter Kranz is a ring-shaped sponge cake filled with buttercream and redcurrant jam, coated with crunchy hazelnut or almond brittle and topped with cherries. It is rich, festive and best enjoyed in a traditional café.
Slice of Frankfurter Kranz with buttercream, nut brittle and cherries