Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [467]
Harvey’s ( 4800 4878; www.harveys-ffm.de; Bornheimer Landstrasse 64; Merianplatz; mains €11.90-15.80; 10am-1am Mon-Thu, 10am-2am Fri & Sat, 10am-midnight Sun) Stylishly kitschy, with old-time chandeliers and bare-brick walls, this is a gay-friendly place that is modern but cosy, romantic but also great for dining on German favourites with old friends. Has warm-season outdoor seating.
Wein-Dünker ( 451 993; Berger Strasse 265; Bornheim Mitte; wine per glass from €2.10; noon-2am or 3am Mon-Sat, 6pm-2am or 3am Sun) This musty little wine cellar, down to the right as you enter the courtyard, is not retro, it’s real. Descend, rub your eyes and try some of Germany’s finest. Food isn’t served but you can bring your own and picnic atop an upturned barrel. A good place to meet real Frankfurters.
For self-catering:
Food market (Berger Strasse 177; Bornheim Mitte; 8am-6.30pm Wed, 8am-4pm Sat)
Food market (Friedbergerplatz; Musterschule; 10am-8pm Fri) Yuppies drop by in the late afternoon to chat each other up over a glass of wine.
Rewe supermarket (Berger Strasse 161; Bornheim Mitte; 8am-10pm Mon-Sat)
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Entertainment
Frankfurt is a cultural magnet for the whole Rhine-Main region and this is reflected in the variety, verve and velocity of its concerts, clubs and cabarets. Oddly, Thursday is a big night out for workers who commute to Frankfurt for the week and go ‘home’ on Friday with drooping eyelids, scuffed dance shoes and wretched hangovers.
The best information source on what’s on is the biweekly Journal Frankfurt (€1.80), available at newsstands and kiosks, with comprehensive listings, including a section for lesbians and gays, in German. Prinz (http://frankfurt.prinz.de), Strandgut (www.strandgut.de) and student-oriented Frizz (www.frizz-frankfurt.de) are German-language listings magazines available throughout the city.
Several dance clubs have summertime beach clubs along the Main River.
CABARET
Tigerpalast ( 920 0220; www.tigerpalast.com; Heiligkreuz-gasse 16-20, Innenstadt; Konstablerwache; adult Tue-Thu & Sun €53.25, Fri & Sat €58.75, child under 12yr half-price; shows 7pm & 10pm Tue-Thu, 7.30pm & 10.30pm Fri & Sat, 5pm & 9pm Sun, closed late Jun-late Aug) One of Frankfurt’s top venues for cabaret, music hall and Varieté theatre, with programs that often include acrobats and circus and magic performances.
Mouson (Künstlerhaus Mousonturm; 4058 9520; www.mousonturm.de, in German; Waldschmidtstrasse 4, Bornheim; Merianplatz) This rambling former soap factory serves as a forum for younger artists and hosts contemporary dance, theatre (sometimes in English) and cabaret, as well as concerts by up-and-coming bands.
CINEMAS
Films in the original language (ie non-dubbed) are denoted by ‘OV’ (original version) or ‘OmU’ (Original mit Untertiteln, ie subtitled). Look for posters in U-Bahn stations; if the description is in English, so is the movie. Listings can be found in the free weekly Kino Journal Frankfurt (www.kinojournal-frankfurt.de, in German), available at the tourist office (Click here), and at www.kinoservice.de (in German).
Turmpalast ( 01805-118 811; www.cinestar.de, in German; Bleichstrasse 57, Innenstadt; Eschenheimer Tor) A seven-screen venue with first-run films in English, Turkish and Hindi.
Kino im Deutschen Filmmuseum ( 961 220 220; www.deutschesfilmmuseum.de, in German; Schaumainkai 41, Sachsenhausen; Schweizerplatz) Art cinema attached to the Deutsches Filmmuseum.
Kino Mal Seh’n ( 597 0845; www.malsehnkino.de, in German; Adlerflychtstrasse 6, Nordend; Musterschule; 6pm, 8pm & 10pm) An 80-seat arthouse cinema with offbeat OV movies and an engaging wine bar.
Orfeo’s Erben ( 7076 9100; www.orfeos.de, in German; Hamburger Allee 45, Bockenheim;