Frankfurt Food & Apfelwein Tours
Frankfurt’s drink is not beer but Apfelwein, the tart apple wine poured from blue-grey Bembel jugs into ribbed glasses in the taverns of Sachsenhausen, and its table runs to the famous green sauce, Handkäse cheese and Frankfurter sausages — with the Rhine’s Riesling an easy trip away. Compare the top-rated Frankfurt experiences below, then read our notes.
Top-rated food and Apfelwein experiences in Frankfurt
Market, cooking and old-town tastings
Why Frankfurt for food? Because behind the banking skyline is a stubbornly traditional food city with its own drink, its own dishes and its own tavern quarter — plus the Rhine and Rheingau wine country on the doorstep.
Formats: food tours of the old town and the Kleinmarkthalle with tastings; Apfelwein tavern crawls in Sachsenhausen; German cooking classes; Rhine wine day trips from the city (see that page).
What to taste: Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi), Grüne Soße (green sauce), Handkäse mit Musik, Frankfurter Würstchen, Rippchen, and the Frankfurter Kranz cake.
Apfelwein and Sachsenhausen
Frankfurt’s own drink is Apfelwein — locally Ebbelwoi — a tart, still, cider-like apple wine served from a glazed Bembel jug into a Geripptes, a diamond-ribbed glass that catches the light and the grip. You drink it in the old apple-wine taverns of Sachsenhausen, across the river, often cut with water (sauer gespritzt) or lemonade (süss). It is an acquired taste that quickly becomes the point of a night out here.
The green sauce and the table
The city’s signature dish is Grüne Soße, a cold sauce of seven fresh herbs served over potatoes and boiled eggs — Goethe’s favourite, and celebrated with its own festival. Alongside it: Handkäse mit Musik, a pungent cheese marinated with onions (the “music” is the aftermath), Frankfurter Würstchen sausages, Rippchen (cured pork) with sauerkraut, and the ring-shaped Frankfurter Kranz cake. The Kleinmarkthalle is the covered market where a food tour begins.
How to do it, and the wine
Food and Apfelwein tours run through the old town and Sachsenhausen, two to three hours with tastings. Frankfurt is also the gateway to the Rhine and Rheingau Riesling, under an hour away and the classic day trip. See the Germany hub for the rest of the country.
Frequently asked questions
What is Frankfurt’s traditional drink?
Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi), a tart apple wine served from a Bembel jug into a ribbed glass in the taverns of Sachsenhausen — not beer.
What is Grüne Soße?
Frankfurt’s green sauce: a cold blend of seven fresh herbs served over potatoes and eggs, a local institution with its own festival.
Can I visit the Rhine wine country from Frankfurt?
Yes; the Rheingau and Middle Rhine are under an hour away and the classic day trip — see our Rhine Valley wine tours.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.