The best restaurants in Frankfurt, Germany

As a global hub for finance and commerce, Frankfurt is often dismissed as a boring concrete jungle inhabited by grey-suited commuters. But this bustling, multicultural city offers far more than its reputation suggests: not only does it hold a fascinating history, an impressive arts and culture landscape, and a multitude of green spaces, but it also boasts a thriving culinary scene. From traditional local specialities to diverse international dishes, and from humble street food to haute cuisine, here's an insider’s guide to the best eats in Frankfurt.

1. Daheim in der Affentorschanke 

Apfelweinwirtschaften, or apple wine taverns, are cornerstones of the city’s culinary culture and among the best German restaurants in Frankfurt: serving up stoneware jugs of sour apple wine alongside hearty local specialities. Located in Sachsenhausen, a historic district south of the River Main with a long apple wine tradition, Daheim in der Affentorschanke is a much-loved establishment with an extensive selection of apple wines and ciders – including international and non-alcoholic varieties. Enjoy a glass alongside a plate of boiled eggs with regional green sauce or cured pork chops with coarse rye bread and mustard. Every dish is well-executed with organic, local ingredients.  

2. Hoppenworth & Ploch 

Coffee roasters Hoppenworth & Ploch operate with complete transparency, ethically sourcing high-quality beans and roasting them at their Sachsenhausen roastery. Their filter coffees and espressos can be sampled at their four Frankfurt locations, as well as at numerous other spots around the city. Head to their café and neighbouring bakery concept store in the Dom Romer Quartier (New Old Town) and enjoy your caffeine hit with one of their pistachio croissant cubes. The bakery also stocks a range of natural wines as well as locally made gourmet products and merchandise.

3. Kleinmarkthalle 

This vibrant indoor market hall is a beloved institution, first constructed in 1879 and rebuilt following damage sustained during World War II. Blending a traditional market atmosphere with a remarkable bounty of international specialities, Kleinmarkthalle's  60-plus vendors sell everything from regional honey and brandies to French cheeses, Belgian chocolate and Venezuelan cornflour. For lunch, grab a chunk of fleischwurst with mustard and a crusty white bread roll from legendary hole-in-the-wall vendor Ilse Schreiber, who makes Frankfurt sausages out of pork from scratch. For a more refined option, head to KMH for French-German bistro food.

4. Seven Swans

Occupying Frankfurt's narrowest building, a seven-storey house on the River Main, Seven Swans was the first vegan restaurant in the world to receive a Michelin star. Today, it holds a Green Star for sustainability, too, with head chef Ricky Saward sourcing his organic ingredients almost exclusively from a permaculture farm just outside Frankfurt, with much of the rest foraged nearby. The elaborate seven-course tasting menu, with each dish introduced in detail by Saward and his team, is accompanied by wine or house-made non-alcoholic drink pairings. Reservations are essential as Seven Swans books up months in advance.

5. Mehlwassersalz 

Joyfully decorated in lilac, red and pink, this artisan bakery and vegetarian restaurant is located on the ground floor of Frankfurt’s Museum of Modern Art. Mehlwassersalz translates as “flourwatersalt”, nodding to the three basic ingredients of the sourdough bread made fresh daily in their open bakery. A multitude of pastries, buns and cakes are produced here too, from flaky croissants and cruffins to chocolate cookies. Highlights from their rotating lunch menu include grilled brioche with poached egg, spinach and brown butter-miso Hollandaise, and red lentil soup with sundried tomato-chilli pesto – all accompanied by thick slices of freshly baked sourdough.

6. LaFleur 

Named after the legendary Château Lafleur wine estate near Bordeaux, two-Michelin-starred LaFleur is located in a white Bauhaus-style building in Frankfurt’s sprawling botanical gardens, the Palmengarten. It's a relaxed, elegant spot with a chic interior featuring parquet flooring, custom walnut tables and fittingly leafy wallpaper. Head chef Andreas Krolik curates sophisticated multi-course lunch and dinner menus combining Mediterranean flavours with regional produce. He’s renowned for his fish and vegan dishes, so diners can anticipate the likes of roasted wolffish with champagne beurre blanc, and yellow beetroot with carrot and sea buckthorn sauce. Oenophiles will enjoy picking drinks from LaFleur’s magnificent list of over 1,200 wines.