Features

Inside Frankfurt (taste): International dining

31 Jul 2017 by Neha Gupta Kapoor
Lorsbacher Thal

Lorsbacher Thal

This building was once used by members of the apple wine industry who have worked and served out of here since 1803. Wanting to continue this venue’s legacy of being a successful apple wine tavern, Lorsbacher Thal took over the space in 2014. Historical family photos, art, books, magazines, games, candles and cushions lend this place a homely feel, just like what it intends to be. Accompanying your glass of apple wine is a tasty menu with “true, artisan cuisine, which has been refined with a contemporary twist”. Organic ingredients are sourced from the region and the food is freshly prepared everyday. Jürgen Henne, the chef de cuisine here doesn’t believe in flavour enhancers, mixed spices or “prefabricated” ingredients. Instead, naturally grown produce is used. The cellar has the restaurant’s “recently developed, very personal apple wine ambitions”, and about 200 labels including those from other producers. Appetisers are priced from €3.50/₹244. Open daily noon-midnight; tel: +49 6961 6459; lorsbacher-thal.de.

Lux

LUX

Located on the ground floor of Fleming’s Deluxe Hotel Frankfurt-City, it is a pleasant setting to watch life pass by in Germany’s financial hub, through Lux’s large glass front. And needless to say, sitting beside the window is definitely a favourable choice for those in the know. It is popular amongst the business executives and tourists out for retail therapy, as it lies in the midst of Frankfurt’s commercial hub and is within walking distance from shopping districts such as Zeil. Each week, there is a new menu and regular dishes are tweaked daily for change. The menu has a modest offering of curries and grills for the mains, as well as salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and desserts. Accompanying these are wines and beers. A 200gm Argentine Angus beef steak is priced at €27.50/₹1,923. Open Monday-Friday 6am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday 6:30am-11am; tel: +49 69427 2320; flemings-hotels.com.

Margarete

Margarete 

This restaurant, which is intentionally named after Viennese architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, has adopted her concept of a “Frankfurt kitchen”: dividing the home into places of work and places of relaxation. The interpretation shows in Margarete’s (the restaurant’s) kitchen that can be partially viewed from the dining area. It is here where classic and new creations are “lovingly prepared”. Lunch and dinner is served in one part of the restaurant, whereas the bar, cafe, confectionery and breakfast is served in a separate section of Margarete. The cuisine includes high-quality, market-fresh local produce. Everything is made in-house — eggs are sourced directly from farmers, noodles are prepared in the kitchen itself, and wine is sourced from the region. Apart from beef that is occasionally imported from the USA, everything else is sourced from Europe. The mains in the “Business-lunch à la carte” menu start from €16.50/₹1,154. Open daily 6pm onward, Monday-Friday noon-2:30pm, the cafe and bar open earlier at 11am; tel: +49 69130 66500; margarete-restaurant.de.

Restaurant Lafleur

Restaurant lafleur

A member of Relais and Châteaux, Lafleur prides itself on being one of the 550 plus French-style restaurants of top-quality, worldwide, in this group. Andreas Krolik, the two Michelin-star chef of this eatery describes his cuisine as “contemporary classic, combined with Mediterranean aspects of regional products.” In Germany, he is highly regarded for his expertise in creating fish and seafood dishes. February 2014 onwards, this restaurant has a six-course vegan menu amongst its other offerings, making it the first by a starred chef, at least in Europe. The cellar has a rich collection of regional and international wines from the “best wine growers in Europe”, including around 1,200 bottles of vintages from Germany, France, Italy and Spain. A “business lunch” is on offer from Wednesday to Friday. Its menus — Gourmet, Vegan and Menu du Jour — each offering three courses, start from €48/₹3,357. Open Wednesday-Friday noon-3pm, daily 6:30pm-midnight; tel: +49 69900 29100; restaurant-lafleur.de.

The Ivory Club

The Ivory Club 

This one serves a delectable menu of traditional Indian dishes and modern dishes inspired by Indian cuisine, all creations by Chef Al Bushii. His cooking was once praised by The Washington Post as “Europe’s only gourmet curry joint”. Apart from the usual chunk of Indian lamb shank or spicy tandoori chicken, consider The Dirty Dozen that is snails marinated in a hot garam masala sauce or Bhuna Curry Braised Ox Cheeks that is delicate, slightly sharp ox cheeks in coriander puree. All of these are tweaked to suit the European palate, of course. A wide selection of wines — regional and international — complement the dishes. The Ivory Club takes inspiration from colonial India, which reflects in the interiors styled after English gentlemen clubs in British India. The decor includes black and white framed photographs of the time, a large dark wood bar, peacock feathers and crowded bookshelves with literature related to that era. Appetisers are priced from €12.90/₹902. Open Monday-Friday noon-3pm, daily 6pm-midnight; tel: +49 69770 67767;  ivoryclub.mook-group.de.

Wackers Kaffe

Wacker’s Kaffee 

This brand is now managed by the fourth generation of the family whose business was established more than 100 years ago in 1914. Every day the beans are hand roasted in its mill in Frankfurt-Fechenheim. From here, they are supplied to the six Wacker coffee shops around the city, as well as to other restaurants, bars, cafes and coffee dealers. One can even request for an educational tour of the 100 sqm roasting area here and exit through a small gift shop of sorts that vends the beans. The first Wacker coffee shop opened in the city’s Kornmarkt area and continues to serve customers in the narrow 80 sqm space. The one at Mittelweg, opened decades later, is the largest of all Wacker’s Kaffee outlets — with indoor seating for 80 people and outdoor seating for 50 people. There is also Wacker’s Keg — a coffee house on two wheels. It has travelled to most parts of Frankfurt and is often spotted during festivals. A cup of cappuccino costs €3.50/₹244. Open Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm; tel: +49 6928 7810; wackers-kaffee.de. 

Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls