MainNizza – Spring at Nice at the Main

Spring has finally arrived in Frankfurt, which is one of Germany’s warmest big cities. The sunny season regularly arrives a bit earlier in Frankfurt than in the rest of the country and because of its large green spaces, flowers and blossoming trees can be seen all around. Naturally, the Main-Ufer (river side) is one of the most pleasant areas to be in Frankfurt during spring. Walking from Willy-Brandt-Platz straight to the Main, there is a small section of the river side called Nizza-Ufer, as in the city of Nice in France. Here the waterside facing south creates a micro-climate that is reminiscent of southern Europe (maybe a slight exaggeration of sun-longing locals). A cluster of plantings of various flowers and cherry trees make this little area especially pretty in early spring.

Building on the Provence-flair of this setting, a restaurant called MainNizza is economizing on its fantastic location right in the middle of little Nice on the Main. Indeed, it is one of the few food places that is situated right at the Main river side and is correspondingly popular during the sunny season. It features a large terrace facing south towards the river. We were lucky to get a spot, even though not directly in the first row. This is definitely a great place to enjoy a small drink and let the first sun rays vitalize you.

The service was attentive and friendly despite being quite visibly very busy. The food menu offers down-to-earth German and international style cuisine with a touch from the Mediterranean regions. We find salads, fish, lamb and schnitzel on the menu as well as vegetarian options like gnocchi. We decided to go for the schnitzel with Frankfurter green sauce, the classic refreshing dressing made from regional herbs that is ideal for warmer days. We shared our schnitzel among us two and the portion was in fact so large that I was very glad we only ordered one. The schnitzel was well done with a crunchy crust. As topping, we received not only the green sauce but also a cranberry jam. I did not care so much for the jam, partly because the green sauce was just fantastic and way better. Overall, it was a very enjoying spring lunch on a terrace where one can immerse in a southern France flair for a short while.

Style: Casual eatery/Dinner

Cuisine: German/Mediterranean

Location: Innenstadt

Website: http://mainnizza.de/