30 Best Restaurants in Frankfurt, Germany

With sepia-toned murals of merrymaking above the dark-wood wainscotting, this classic Apfelwein restaurant succeeds in being simultaneously touristy and traditional, and a genuine favorite of local residents. The kitchen produces the same hearty German dishes as other nearby taverns, only better. Apfelwein (hard cider) is served in large quantities in the noisy, crowded dining room with many large, communal tables. Reservations are recommended on weekends. Warning: there's no beer here, but there's enough Apfelwein and regional wines to keep everybody happy. The family also operates a hotel upstairs.

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.

This tiny, unpretentious place in a quiet Westend neighborhood seems an unlikely candidate for the best restaurant in Germany, yet that's how top international reviewers describe it.  Fresh seafood, the specialty, is often flown in from France, as are the wines (the wine list boasts 600 choices). It's closed weekends, during the Christmas and Easter seasons, and during much of summer—in other words, when its patrons, well-heeled business executives, are not likely to be in town. Reservations essential.

Many say the M Steakhouse serves the best steak in Germany, all of it imported Nebraska prime beef. Prices are in line with the quality of meat, and the sides complement the dishes perfectly, but if you're looking for non-meat options, you won't find them here. A set of steps leads down into the restaurant's beautifully lit outdoor patio, a perfect setting for a private romantic dinner. The main dining room inside is warm, welcoming, and intimate. The same restaurant group operates Surf 'n Turf a few blocks away, with similar prices and ambience, and seafood dishes in addition to the steaks.

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.

Come to this Bornheim favorite for the delicious selection of tapas, paella, and other Spanish specialties. The dark interior has wooden tables brightened by fresh-cut flowers and candles, making it a good spot for an intimate dinner. In summer you can dine outside, German style, at long tables.

There aren't many classic Apfelwein locales left, but this is one of them. It's just as it has been since the end of the 19th century: walls covered with giant paintings darkened with age, giant stoneware pitchers called Bembels, glasses that are ribbed to give greasy hands traction, long tables that can seat 12 people, schmaltzy music, hearty food with daily specials, and, as is traditional, no beer. Try this one if you want to truly capture the spirit of Old Sachsenhausen.

This sunny establishment is a feature of Frankfurt's Ökohaus, which was built according to environmental principles (solar panels, catching rainwater, etc.). The menu is mainly vegetarian and vegan, with such dishes as a vegetable platter with feta cheese or curry soup with grated coconut and banana. Meat, fish, and poultry dishes include Persian BBQ and kabobs.

The walls of this historic restaurant (founded in 1879) are adorned with vintage drawings of apples and Brembel pottery pitchers for the Apfelwein served here in abundance, along with traditional German specialties such as crispy pork knuckle with sauerkraut and local favorites such as eggs and potatoes with Grüne Sôs (cold herbed sauce). The menu is on chalkboards, and the tables are communal.

The ambience of an old-time Viennese café pervades this popular spot, where there's a lovely garden in summer—as well as some of the city's best freshly baked pastries and cakes year-round, best teamed with a Kaffee mit Schlag (coffee with whipped cream). It closes early, by 7 pm.

This sleek establishment at the Palmengarten is accessible either from the botanical garden or from the street, offering fresh-baked pastries throughout the day and a limited prix-fixe lunch menu that changes daily. It closes at 7 pm. The Palmengarten also has the Linden Terrace for snacks in season, and the elegant and pricey Restaurant Lafleur for dinner.

The restaurant on the ground floor of the Städel art museum changes from a casual bistro at lunch to an elegant restaurant open until midnight. Lunch features pastas and panini, or a three-course prix-fixe business lunch. The dinner menu changes every two months to take advantage of seasonal items such as chanterelles, but always includes German favorites such as schnitzel and a few international favorites. The café is open between lunch and dinner for coffee and pastries.  The same company operates café locations at the Frankfurt airport.

This friendly Apfelwein restaurant offers typical decor, with traditional wood paneling and coat hooks on the wall. It's popular with locals, who come for regional favorites, including dishes with the ubiquitous Frankfurter green sauce, but also a rarity: beer. Save room for appelkranzen, battered and fried apple rings dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with ice cream.

Some of Frankfurt's best Mexican cuisine is found in this festive little place. Warm and colorful, this restaurant serves a variety of fruity margaritas and is well known for its extensive selection of tequilas and mezcals, along with regional wines and beers. The dimly lighted dining room is fairly small; reservations are recommended on weekends.

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 recommended, even at lunch, and everything can be wrapped up to go. Many rave about the chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce.

Frankfurt's Westhafen (West Harbor), once busy and commercial, has been transformed into an upscale neighborhood of apartments, a yacht club, and waterfront restaurants. One of the most chic is Frankfurter Botschaft, with a glass facade and a big terrace overlooking the Main River. The city's elite descend here for business lunches or a cocktail on the terrace at sunset.

This restaurant is regarded by many as the best burger spot in Frankfurt, famous for its beef ground 100% in-house, homemade sauces and toppings (including mayo and BBQ), relish, and guacamole. You can also get American-style french fries and chicken nuggets, German-style cucumber salad, and garlic knots. The atmosphere is decided casual, and it's usually crowded. There's kids’ menu, too.

This family-owned and -operated restaurant in a historic building serves Italian favorites such as pasta and individual pizza alongside some traditional German favorites. Despite the white tablecloths, starched napkins, and elegent presentations, there is a casual, friendly vibe, perhaps because it's been here since the 1980s and there are lot of returning regulars. Save room for one of the excellent homemade desserts, such as tiramisu.

The atmosphere is right out of One Thousand and One Nights at this restaurant near the train station, with belly dancers perform every Saturday night and urge patrons to join in. The Middle Eastern menu is largely vegetarian and heavy on garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Save room for dessert, either baklava, flaky pastry layered with honey and nuts, or amar eilden, apricot pudding dotted with raisins. Those who are so inclined can retire to the lounge and smoke flavored tobacco from a water pipe.

This small restaurant and wine bistro is a favorite of both locals and visitors. The menu, dramatically different from those of its neighbors, focuses mostly on seafood, including lobster. The fish and shellfish are prepared in a variety of styles, but the strongest influence is French, as is also the case with the lamb Provençale, one of the nonseafood specialties. For dessert, try the vanilla ice cream with warm raspberry sauce. There's an extensive choice of regional wines by the glass. Reservations are strongly recommended on weekends.

On the 53rd floor of the skyscraper that houses the Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, this popular cocktail bar and high-end restaurant captures unbeatable views through 25-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, from where you can take in all of \"Mainhattan.\" The cuisine is part global and part regional and is served at dinner as a chef's-choice prix-fixe menu ranging from four to seven courses (wine extra). Lunch is an open menu with no minimum, as is the lounge for drinks and bar snacks, which opens at 9 pm. Both the restaurant and the Tower Lounge are open until midnight. Reservations are recommended to avoid the elevator line.

This modern restaurant with an open-kitchen design is named for the Viennese architect Margarete Scütte-Lihotzky, who created the style in the 1920s. There are three-course prix-fixe menus both for lunch and dinner, or you can order à la carte from an eclectic and creative menu including homemade soups, risotto, and meats with the ubiquitous Frankfurter green herb sauce.

Breakfast is the main attraction at this café near the Römerberg and Dom. The dining room is large, and in the warmer months there are also tables on a garden patio. The kitchen serves until 11 pm. Reservations are accepted for dinner only, and not for the terrace.

At this friendly spot, diners share long wooden tables beneath traditional clothing mounted on the walls. The house specialty is a raw steak brought to the table with a heated rock tablet (Stein is the German word for stone) where you do your own cooking. The house beef broth is the perfect antidote to cold weather. By the way, if you order a beer, specify a Kleines, or small glass; if not, you'll automatically get a liter.

This staple among businesspeople and steak connoisseurs (and with a menu similar to M Steakhouse, which has the same owners) is in a residential area near the Grüneburgpark. The restaurant feels intimate and warm, with dark leather, wood paneling, and small tables scattered throughout the main dining room. The beef is imported from Nebraska, and each cut of meat is presented to guests before taking their orders. The waitstaff are knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly, making this as great a place for a romantic dinner for two as for a casual business lunch.

Hailed as a sort of pan-Asian supper club, this large restaurant with Asian decor has a bar scene that's just as good a reason to visit as its exceptional menu of both Japanese and Chinese dishes including excellent sushi. Beef lovers will find plenty to choose from, including sliced hangar steak with Japanese barbecue sauce, and a Geisha Room for private romantic dinners for two, featuring Japanese vodka.

There are few inner-city restaurants that brew their own beer, so Zu Den Twelve Apostles is one of the pleasant exceptions. Enjoy homemade pilsners in the dimly lighted, cavernous cellar, and sample traditional regional favorites along with Balkan dishes.

Named for the huge Rad (wagon wheel) that serves as a centerpiece, this is one of the few Apfelwein taverns in Frankfurt that still makes its own apple wine, which it's been doing since 1806. It's located in the villagelike district of Seckbach, on the northeastern edge of the city. Outside tables are shaded by chestnut trees in an extensive courtyard. The typically Hessian cuisine, with giant portions, includes such dishes as Ochsenbrust (brisket of beef) with the ubiquitous herb sauce. Reservations recommended on weekends. Cash only.