Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [465]
Pulse ( 1388 6802; www.pulse-frankfurt.de/page, in German; Bleichstrasse 38a; Konstablerwache; mains €11.50-14.50; 10am-1am Sun-Thu, 10am-4am Fri & Sat) A laid-back restaurant, bar and nightclub rolled into one. This place is officially gay but ends up very mixed, especially on weekends. The cuisine is seasonal and international. It has a wonderful warm-season patio out back.
For self-catering:
Food market (www.erzeugermarkt-konstablerwache.de, in German; Konstablerwache; Konstablerwache; 10am-8pm Thu, 8am-5pm Sat)
Galeria Gourmet supermarket (Zeil 116-126; Hauptwache; 9.30am-8pm Mon-Wed, 9.30am-9pm Thu-Sat) Under the Galeria Kaufhaus department store, two floors below street level.
SACHSENHAUSEN
Frankfurt’s biggest food-and-drink district is Alt-Sachsenhausen (Old Sachsenhausen; Lokalbahnhof), along pub- and eatery-packed side streets such as Grosse Rittergasse, Kleine Rittergasse, Klappergasse and Wallstrasse. People do imbibe to excess but the area is fairly safe and everyone-friendly (gays, lesbians, heteros, students, naked men with Walkmans, baked sun-studio worshippers).
The Frau Rauscher Brunnen (Klappergasse; Lokalbahnhof) is a bulky, bitchy-looking Hausfrau who periodically spews a stream of water about 10m onto the footpath. When the street’s busy – and the fountain, temporarily removed at press time, is back in place – you often see pedestrians get drenched. The idea is based on a popular Frankfurt song about apple wine (see the boxed text, opposite).
Safran ( 617 194; Klappergasse 8; Lokalbahnhof; mains €8.90-13.90; 6.30-11.30pm Mon-Sat, 12.30-10.30pm Sun; ) A low-key Persian restaurant where the flavours are refined, the vegie options excellent, the service solicitous and the homemade green hot sauce positively lip-smacking.
Lobster ( 612 920; Wallstrasse 21; Lokal-bahnhof; mains €15-20; 6pm-1am Mon-Sat, hot dishes until 10.30pm) This cosy, friendly Weinbistrot serves up mouth-watering meat and fish dishes that are ‘a little bit French’. Offerings are listed on chalkboards.
O’Dwyers Pub ( 9623 3738; Klappergasse 19; Lokalbahnhof; 5pm-1am, until 3am Fri & Sat) Though not particularly Irish in ambience, this Irish-owned place features on the drinking topography because it’s loud and lively – even hellish sometimes. Monday is quiz night (at 9.30pm), and there’s karaoke at 10.30pm (or when the footy’s done) on Wednesday.
For self-catering:
Aldi Süd supermarket (Darmstadter Landstrasse 12; Lokalbahnhof; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat)
Alnatura supermarket (Schweizerstrasse 80; Schweizerplatz; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat) Sells upmarket organic and environmentally sustainable products.
Food market (Diesterwegplatz; Südbahnhof; 8am-6pm Tue & Fri) In front of the Südbahnhof.
BOCKENHEIM
Many university faculties have moved to the Westend but Bockenheim, especially Leipziger Strasse ( Bockenheimer Warte or Leipziger Strasse), retains a string of inexpensive ethnic take-aways in what was, and to some extent still is, Frankfurt’s student stomping ground.
Bastos ( 7072 0004; www.bastos.de, in German; Gräfstrasse 45; Bockenheimer Warte; mains €6.90-9.50; 9am-1am or later Sun-Thu, 9am-3am Fri & Sat) This contemporarily styled restaurant, cafe and night-owl drinking spot does good salads, pasta and mains, including vegie.
Pielok ( 776 468; www.restaurant-pielok.de, in German; Jordanstrasse 3; Bockenheimer Warte; mains €8.20-15.30; 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30-10.30pm Mon-Fri & during trade fairs Sun, 5.30-10.30pm Sat; ) Without claiming to be special, this place – run by the same family since 1945 – somehow is: loyal regulars, students and workers tread a path here for bürgerlich German fare at reasonable prices. Has a lovely grape-shaded back Sommergarten.
Orfeo’s Erben ( 7076 9100; www.orfeos.de, in German; Hamburger Allee 45; Westbahnhof; mains €11-19.50; cafe noon-3pm & 6pm-midnight, closed Sun Jun-Aug) An arthouse cinema Click here, bar and restaurant with wood-slab tables and backlit beers. Dishes