Frankfurt

Heimat (update), Frankfurt, 3/17/25

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building – Berliner Str. 70, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Heimat is a medium-sized place that we ate at in April 2014 and liked so much we tried to go back, but after several trips through Frankfurt, this was the first time we’ve been able to get a reservation.  It is a semi-circle shape with bench seating running along the outside wall opposite closely set bare wood tables and windows to the outside filling that exterior wall.  There are a half dozen seats at the bar where you stop for a glass or wait for your table to open, but reservations are made for a two-hour window and people cleared promptly.  There is patio seating depending on the weather.  Dimmed lighting, a wood ceiling with music in the background set the ambiance for this fabulous little gem of a restaurant.  Menus are small and there are tons of wines by the glass at reasonable prices.  Owner Oliver Donnecker was still there and was willing to let us share a number of the menu options and course it out with generous wine pairings, especially as the following reservation for our table was cancelled and so we could have more than the 2-hour window.  It was hands-down my favorite restaurant during our 2014 visit and it has not lost a beat.  This is a must go when you are in Frankfurt but get your reservation ahead of time. Continue reading →

Bidlabu Bistro, Frankfurt, 3/11/24

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exterior – Kleine Bockenheimer Str. 14, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Bidlabu Bistro was in the middle of downtown hidden down a back alley.  It’s a fairly small place packed with small wooden tables.  When weather permits there is patio dining.  They offer only a tasting menu with meat or vegetarian and optional wine pairings.  There are 2 seatings and you are told when you make your reservation that you just have the table for 2 hours.  Bathrooms are downstairs and women are marked with cats and men with dogs – Frankie approved.  The kitchen is run by André Rickert and Patrick Löhl.  Service was friendly and the tasting did not lag.  Portion control was also good.  They have received one Michelin Star. Continue reading →

Restaurant Francais, Frankfurt, 9/29/18

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entrance from hotel lobby
entrance from the hotel lobby

Restaurant Francais is the one Michelin star restaurant in the Steignberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel.  It has 2 good sized rooms, one that directly opens to the hotel lobby and the other that looks out on the patio and then the street.  Both are elegantly appointed with parquet floor, lots of orchids, a rose colored under cloth that matches the upholstry of the seating topped with a white cloth and napkin, candlelight on each table, lowered lighting and soft background music.  They offer a 5 or 7 course tasting menu or any of the items can be purchased a la carte.  Wine pairings are available.  The menu doesn’t specify what you get in the tastings, you simply pick the courses you want to include.   We opted for a 7 course menu that skipped one of the savory courses but included both cheese and dessert.  The server was nice enough to bring us a sampling of the course we excluded so we could sample everything.  Service is helpful and friendly and pacing and portion control of the tasting was excellent.   Continue reading →

Ariston, Frankfurt, 9/29/18

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building
building

Ariston is a large Greek place that has been in Frankfurt for 6 years.  It was a combination of large tables for community seating or large parties as well as smaller ones.  At lunch a large lunch menu was offered in addition to the full evening menu.  There was a 3 course lunch option but we chose to order from the dinner menu.  The walls are full of decorations as well as windows to the street on 2 sides (the building is on a corner).  Service was extremely friendly and helpful.  It’s not a fancy place – it feels like you’re in someone’s home – it’s that welcoming.  If you need a break from German food I highly recommend it.   Continue reading →

Restaurant Lafleur, Frankfurt, 9/28/18

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building
building

Restaurant Lafleur is a 2 star Michelin place located in the southern edge of the Palmengarten.  It is a medium sized place with about 14 tables, a combination of rounded booths and free standing tables, all with white tableclothes on top of floor length beige ones.  There was some background music but the noise level was good even though the tables were fairly closely spaced on a wood floor.  A lowered ceiling probably helped.  Windows to the outside lined one wall and a semi-circle of them made up the end of the space.  Some modern art was on the walls and a few interesting sculptures were in the deep windowsills.  They offered an a la carte menu as well as two tasting options of various numbers of courses.  In 2014 the chef offered a totally vegan tasting menu, the first Michelin starred chef to offer one.  We chose the 7 course Degustation Menu.  Service was helpful, fun and friendly but the food was mixed in quality.  Pacing of the meal started nicely but then slowed to a crawl and stayed really slow.   Continue reading →

Gustav Restaurant, Frankfurt, 9/28/18

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view to the street
view to the street

Gustav is a medium sized place with small tables moderately spaced and gray walls covered with modern art.  It is on the corner of a building so 2 sides have windows to the street.  They have been there 5 years and have one Michelin star.  Service was friendly and efficient.  At lunch they offered a 2, 3 or 4 course menu with a couple choices on 2 of the courses and it changes every two weeks.  We chose the 4 course option.  Service was efficient and friendly.   Continue reading →

Villa Merton, Frankfurt, 4/25/14

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Entrance to Villa Merton
Entrance to Villa Merton

A moderate sized portion of a former town mansion that is now a private club. Luckily you don’t need to be a member of the club to get a reservation for this 2 star Michelin restaurant. They presented us with a menu of two different tasting options however it is basically priced with how many courses you want and you can pick and choose between the menus and craft your own meal. We also chose to take their wine pairings with the meal which turned out to be a wonderful success.

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Heimat, Frankfurt, 4/24/14

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Exterior
Exterior

This little restaurant was quite a find – the best meal we had in Frankfurt! They use local and seasonal ingredients to produce a really quality product. (We were in luck to visit during asparagus season). The interior is small but when weather permits the patio just about doubles their size. Everyone working there was extremely helpful and friendly.

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Erno’s Bistro, Frankfurt, 4/25/14

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exterior
exterior

A small bistro serving French style food in Germany, Erno’s was a tasty and comfortable place to have lunch. The lunch menu allows you to try a special set of choices at a much more reasonable price point, with all the elegance you’d receive in the evening. Everything was good but nothing left a mark on my memory as outstanding.

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Lohninger, Frankfurt, 4/26/14

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front entrance of Lohninger
front entrance of Lohninger

A pretty little restaurant at the end of one of the pedestrian bridges crossing over the river. The patio seemed filled more with coffee drinkers at noon but a few diners ventured inside. The staff was young and friendly (she was pushing for us to go on a city apple wine tram) which made it feel less formal than the setting would have prompted. I imagine dinner is a bit different.

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Margarete, Frankfurt, 4/ 26/14

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IMG_9136This is one hopping place! A lot of people and not enough staff makes the service a little slow but no problem as the tables are set with an interesting peppermint and lentil spread which was unique and tasty. The amuse of spinach and tomato was a lovely little flavor explosion which we followed with their asparagus soup spiked with bacon and lemon.

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