Vevay – Vegan at the heart of the financial district

Me and my wife currently honor a couple of New Year resolutions. Two are related to our eating and drinking habits. For one, January will be our dry month – meaning no alcohol for the first 31 days of 2018. The other one is to adjust our eating habits towards more vegetable, less fat and sweets. At least for January, I am therefore trying a bit of a diet by reducing my meat intake, albeit not canceling it for good of course. This however does not mean one cannot eat well and go out dining. Also in Frankfurt, there are plenty of good healthy food options and the vegetarian/vegan trend did not go unnoticed in our city – even though it might not be as hyped as in Berlin.

One great place to eat and stay in our January diet is Vevay. This is a contemporary vegan/vegetarian restaurant right at the heart of Frankfurt’s financial district. It is located directly at Willy-Brandt-Platz in downtown, administratively still belonging to the Altstadt. I have to admit that I never really noticed it despite its prominent location and me passing by there many times. It is a small place, but has two floors. It seems popular and thus crowded. One is definitely advised to reserve beforehand. We went spontaneously though and were lucky to get a seat, not upstairs, but fair enough.

The interior is modern and has been decorated with a great attention to detail. The menu is written with chalk on a blackboard and offers innovative dishes – salads, noodles, falafel burgers – featuring classic ingredients of the healthy lifestyle cuisine: beet roots, hummus, avocado, lentils and so on. They also have a few breakfast options, but I am sure their main business is during lunch time as the blue-collar people descent from the bank towers surrounding nearby Taunusanlage. Vevay has smoothies and coffee – to take-away – as well.

We chose to go for a quinoa wild rice dish and the Vevay platter. The first was rice – refined with plenty of small vegetable cuts – below some delicious pieces of avocado, sweat potato, beet root and parsnip. The other was an assortment of salads and lentils with a falafel ball, hummus, guacamole and couscous. So overall, it was a wild mix of everything healthy and trendy. But it worked well and was delicious. Importantly, each ingredient was prepared with great care. For example, the lentils were not overcooked, the falafel not too fatty, the rice refined with nice extra ingredients. To sum up, it was a tasty visit that left not only my stomach satisfied but also my mind, because I know that I respected my diet while still enjoying eating.

Style: Casual eatery/Dinner

Cuisine: International

Location: Altstadt

Website: http://www.vevay.net/

Happy New Year – My favorite reviewed restaurants in 2017

The year 2018 just started and I thought I take this opportunity to look back on the previous year and all the places I have visited and wrote about here on this blog. It was another fantastic culinary time in Frankfurt. I tremendously enjoyed discovering new places, revisiting old ones, devouring lots of good food and having a glass of wine or two together with my wife, my friends and my family. I hope this new year will be interesting as well and that Frankfurt’s food scene may continue to expand in order to give me plenty of material to write about and reasons to eat more.

I visited and covered so many different places that it is hard to really compare them and stack them in a list. However, I hereby attempt to recall my 10 favorite Frankfurt restaurants visited in 2017 (and wrote about it). It of course shall not be a statement of that one place is actually better than the other, they are all fantastic.

Let me start with Nr. 10, who just made the list. For me, this is Takumi (link). This great Japanese Ramen place in the middle of Westend was a surprising discovery. The quality of their Ramen, one of my favorite foods in the world, is so high that they really add some value to the already large Japanese food family in Frankfurt. Nr. 9 also belongs to the Japanese cuisine and is taken by Bento Boutique (link). This tiny restaurant in the Bahnhofsviertel served probably the best and prettiest sushi I had in 2017. Surprisingly, these two top Japanese restaurants had to give way to a pizza place for Nr. 8. This is odd because I am not a huge pizza eater. But Super Bro’s (link) was for me anyway a great discovery. Likely the place where everyone living in Frankfurt has had their most authentic Italian pizza experience, including me. And for Nr. 7 – my god, I just realize it now that I write the text – is another Italian place: the steak house Vaivai (link). This is a more upmarket address for a fine Italian experience, not necessarily better than the previous one, just different.

Next, on Nr. 6 we find EatDOORI (link). The Indian street food place on Kaiserstraße charms everyone and brings a new concept to the city. It is innovative, cool, atmospheric, good food. Definitely, it is a great addition to Frankfurt’s culinary world and I yet have to find an Indian I like better. Nr. 5 is taken by Chalet 18 (link), which is an upscale French bistro in Bockenheim, where me and my wife had a fantastic time for last year’s Valentines day. The small place is hidden in a side street and serves absolute top-notch food creations. Most importantly though, we just had a really great time. Another place, I have frequently a good time in, is Langosch am Main (link), which therefore takes Nr. 4. I think, I brought already multiple visitors there, friends and family. Me and my wife, we both love it even though, or because, it is just very down-to-earth. The food has an innovative style without being fancy. In the end, it is also just a homey place to have a beer.

Now come the top 3 and they all deserved it very much. Let’s start with the one on Nr. 3: Ginnheimer Wirtshaus (link). This cozy tavern, a bit further outside but not too much, must be one of the restaurants I have visited the most since I live in Frankfurt – each year, a couple of times at least. My favorite beer garden is not only great during summer, the inside is also very much inviting. The highlight is clearly the Frankfurter Schnitzel, so much, that I cannot remember to ever have ordered anything else?

Nr. 2 is a super star in Frankfurt’s gastro scene and I have to say that I agree and understand why it is so hyped. For me, La Cevi (link) was one of the great visits I made in Frankfurt in 2017. It might be that my judgement got clouded by the outstanding Pisco Sour served. But I just had a great time (and it was only three, or maybe four drinks). Their food is great. Sure, the Peruvian Ceviche is the super trendy food right now, but they really pull it off. The fish dishes are greatly decorated and the different variations seem innovative.

Finally, it is time to disclose Nr. 1. This was for me The Legacy Bar & Grill (link), where me and my wife celebrated our anniversary dinner together. The experience was much better than I even hoped for. The service was so sweet to us and made it one of the best days of the year. Having had a kick-off drink at the bar, we could go to one of the cozy tables. We ordered some outstanding meat served with nice sides. Obviously, we had good wine and finally also had a massive dessert. This hidden gem of a restaurant seems to be off the beaten path for many Frankfurters. It is a not on the main streets of the Bahnhofsviertel, but in fact is one of it’s fines additions.

Aniis – Trendy Café in Frankfurt’s ‘East End’

Already in my last post, I wrote about the growing food scene in Frankfurt’s eastern neighborhood of Ostend. Now, I also visited a great café in the area. This neighborhood is definitely becoming one interesting area. It is not only the European Central Bank that drives the development of Ostend, it is also the opening up of parts of the port to residential and small business construction. It is also well connected to the city center which is actually only a short stroll away. It is set to further gain from the transformation of Ostbahnhof, which so far is only a low frequency train station, more important for freight than for passenger transport. Plans to build a new S-Bahn from the city center towards the east along the northern bank of the river will make this train station a major hub of Frankfurt. It will be one of the few places in the city, where tram, subway, S-Bahn and regional trains are closely linked. Around the train station, there is already a small local center with restaurants, shops and cafés forming. Café Aniis is one of those establishments.

I recently visited the café with my wife on a snowy Sunday in December. We were lucky to get a place since I have seen it often very full. It is also not so spacious, but at the same time it is quite popular with the locals. Once being inside, I understood why. It is decorated in a cool, hip way and the details, from the cute cactus on the table to the large picture on the wall, are super charming. The coffee is served in elegant cups and the barista casts a perfect flower picture into the milk foam. However, I was most surprised by the great food served. The menu has a few light items, great for breakfast, lunch and to accompany the afternoon-coffee or tea. We ordered a vegetarian plate Eastern Mediterranean-style, with hummus, falafel, beans, couscous, some awesome eggplant mash and other small stuff. This was fantastic and better than most restaurants do such a plate. It was even enough food for the two of us. Overall, I was quite enchanted and Aniis now ranks high on my top-list of Frankfurt’s cafés.

Style: Café

Cuisine: Coffee and breakfast

Location: Ostend

Website: http://www.aniis.de/

Dicke Wutz – American Barbecue at Osthafen

I recently managed to discover new places at Frankfurt’s eastern fringes. The city’s neighborhood Ostend – as the name in German suggests – is to the East of the city center and also feels more or less like the end of the city towards this direction even though the administrative boundaries are going further, but few locals venture beyond the huge amalgamation of highways, harbor industry and rail tracks creating a barrier here. In a way, the Ostend neighborhood is incredibly different in its various parts. Where it is bordering Bornheim and Nordend there is the nice area, around the river side, close to the European Central Bank’s main tower, it is booming and developing quickly in to an upscale residential neighborhood. The Osthafen, Frankfurt’s main port with its many industrial facilities is also part of it, just like the stretch along Hanauer Landsraße leading out of the city. It is here, where many offices are residing and new apartments getting constructed as the area became more attractive recently and low-key industries and car dealers move out of the area.

There is an area around Osthafen that has been opened up for new construction and abandoned old industry is finding a new use. Some really hip offices can now be found in places where many corners still show a rough appearance. At the same time, the area is developing its culinary scene. One can already observe that Hanauer Landstraße boosts more and more restaurants, especially close to Ostbahnhof. I am sure the neighborhood becomes livelier in the next years as population will increase due to the construction of so many new housing blocks. The restaurant I visited with my friends recently is exactly located in one those cool old industry areas. It is an amazing location, where a whole industrial block is now used by different small businesses and the said gastronomy. It is also already quite a bit outside of the city. At least, I have never walked down Hanauer Landstraße that far. The restaurant is not directly visible from the street. It is a bit hidden, but therefore has a charming yard, which can be used as a stylish beer garden during summer. This time of the year, however, we sat inside.

Dicke Wutz is an American barbecue and prides itself to bring some Southern-style BBQ to Frankfurt with the grill even being imported from overseas. Hence, the main thing to eat here are the meats. They have some American classics like Burgers and also Philly Cheesesteak, which we ordered as well. The specialty is their pulled pork though. I ordered a meat platter so that I could try different meats. Besides pulled pork, this had chicken, a beef brisket, grilled corn and pickles and a small salat on the side. The pulled pork was by far the best and went well with the great barbecue sauce. The other meat and especially the sides where quite pale in comparison. Overall, I am afraid I had higher expectations. There is still a lot of room of improvement to really recreate the great BBQ experience of the American South. I expected some burned ends, some grilled beef with a great salt crust, some greasy ribs. To get close to this ideal, it is also important to deliver on the side dishes. For example, this place looks ideal to have some Mac and Cheese, something not very common to find in Germany. But I am sure it would be well received.

On a positive note, I have to mention the great beer menu. There is an extended list of craft beer, which goes very well with the meaty dishes. To sum up, Dicke Wutz brings solid American food to the table with the pulled pork being the highlight. I also loved its location in a trendy building with a great rusty looking interior.

Style: Casual eatery/Dinner

Cuisine: American/International/BBQ

Location: Ostend

Website: http://dicke-wutz.business.site/

Bento Boutique – Awesome sushi on Weserstraße

There is no shortage of Japanese sushi places in Frankfurt. It is hugely popular and restaurants can be found in all central parts of the city. Among them are some of what are considered to be the best restaurants in all of Frankfurt. For example, Iwase close to Konstablerwache or Moriki in the ground floor of the Deutsche Bank towers are both well-known and offer some of the finest sushi in the city. There is however a restaurant in the Bahnhofsviertel that would also be a contester for the title of best sushi in town. Bento Boutique, in an extremely small place, just off Kaiserstraße, serves some absolutely great dishes.

I have already visited a few times and was always very happy with the service, the quality of food and the great arrangement of the plates. I usually order a mixed set of nigiri and rolls as well as edamame (salted green peas) on the side. One can however also put together their own mixes. The menu boosts a large variety of sushi, some really innovative. Besides the usual salmon and tuna versions, there is also eel, mackerel or caviar. There are all kinds of interesting combinations, for example with avocado, egg, tofu, but also cream cheese, chili-mayo sauce and reddish. They come accompanied with the traditional sides of pickled ginger and (a huge pot of) wasabi.

The place is really tiny and has only a few seats to sit. Actually, the ground floor is basically only the checkout counter, where busy people order their take-out sushi during their lunch breaks. A few tables can be found on the upper floor though. You either have be lucky or reserve in advance. The design is carefully thought through and has a classical Japanese touch. The owners and staff know that presentation of sushi is key and make sure already when you arrive that the chopsticks are arranged correctly. The plates are just outright beautiful, the food nicely decorated and presented. To sum up, this is one of my favorite sushi restaurants. I know however, that it has plenty of equally good competition in the city.

Style: Casual eatery/Dinner

Cuisine: Japanese

Location: Bahnhofsviertel

Website: http://bento.boutique/

Hummus Küch’ – All about hummus in Frankfurt’s South-of-the-river neighborhood

Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt’s densely populated neighborhood south of the river Main, exhibits a vibrant restaurant and bar scene and is therefore a lively and popular area to live in. Its culinary center is around Schweitzer Platz and along Schweitzer Straße. One should look however also beyond this main street to find some interesting food places. My favorite side street is Textorstraße, which is close to Südbahnhof. It is a street lined with beautiful turn-of-the century architecture buildings and boosts some interesting food and drink options like the hip burger place Good Fellas, a popular wine bar called Walhofs and a restaurant inside a renovated former train depot. A recent addition in this environment is Hummus Küch’, which brings Israeli enthusiasm about hummus to Frankfurt.

Hummus is a popular dip/spread from the Eastern Mediterranean (the Levant area) made usually from chickpeas. It is already hugely popular in Germany and can be bought ready-to-eat in all supermarkets. Hummus Küch’ is establishing a concept in Frankfurt that is new in the city however. Its dishes are all based on hummus. It can be accompanied with falafel, eggplant mouse, oil or poached eggs. The concept is very simple and at the same time different and interesting. It is trendy because not only is it innovative, but it is also mostly vegan. The owners are from Israel and their Tel-Aviv-style concept is of great appeal to Frankfurters as well. People can casually meet and chat over wiping some hummus off the plate with the flatbread.

The place is very casual and actually not really a restaurant, but more a (healthy) fast-food joint. I quite enjoyed the concept and I think it is a food option that enriches Frankfurt’s scene. For low prices, one gets a huge plate of hummus and a flatbread for wiping – enough for a good meal. I ordered a plate with falafel and my wife got eggplant mash and oil with hummus. Both was really delicious. The hummus is nicely refined with spices and is not too fatty. These are two characteristics making the difference between good hummus and bad hummus. Similarly, the falafel was not fatty at all. However, I actually most liked the eggplant mash. Overall, it was a fun experience and I recommend it for a casual meet and wipe.

Style: Casual eatery

Cuisine: Mediterranean/Israeli

Location: Sachsenhausen

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Hummus-K%C3%BCch-820719028079239/

Café Kunstverein – A laid-back breakfast experience in Frankfurt’s Altstadt

My parents recently visited me in Frankfurt and I thought it would nice to have Sunday breakfast somewhere in the city center. As in many urban centers around the world, Sunday brunch is particularly popular. There are a couple of great options in Frankfurt, however, the places are rather limited compared to the large and constant growing demand. Consequently, it is quite difficult to get a place and one needs to reserve well in advance. An alternative to the brunch-craze is to visit a café that has à-la-carte breakfast. I even prefer this to a brunch, if the brunch ends up being organizational difficult.

I decided to visit the cozy café of the Frankfurter Kunstverein (‘art association’). It is an art café that offers to be a meeting point for the creative class. It is its own little institution, where local prominence meets just like the average Frankfurter. At the same time, it is very unpretentious. It is in a notable pretty building in the middle of the Altstadt, Frankfurt’s historic center. It is notable especially when the Kunstverein offers a platform for artists to attach pieces of art on its building, which is frequently the case. The building has great large windows on the ground floor which give way to the view on the surrounding Altstadt and the passersby exploring it. Because of its location, it is great to go with visitors. It is just around the corner of the Römer, the heart of the Altstadt. Next to it grows the new Old Town, where Frankfurt reconstructs a large chunk of its pretty Altstadt that was lost in the bombings of World War 2. Once the charming little streets connecting the Römer with the Cathedral are finished, the Café Kunstverein will sit in a prominent location at the entrance to this new area.

Sunday morning seems to be a nice time to visit. It is not crowded at all, in fact, it has a very relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. That was excellent for a slow breakfast. We ordered a couple of different versions of eggs benedict, which came in a beautiful presentation. The perfectly poached egg was served on a crunchy bun. Most importantly, it was nicely garnished with plenty of vegetables and some herbs. My dad ordered a more classical continental European breakfast. He got a basket of bread and an again beautifully arranged plate of cold meats, cheese and vegetables as well as a few fruits. The food was very fresh and the coffee was good as well. Overall, this is an excellent option for a Sunday breakfast that I will definitely do again.

Style: Café

Cuisine: Coffee and breakfast

Location: Altstadt

Website: http://cafe.fkv.de/index.php?article_id=138&clang=0