Was in Frankfurt today for some travel related stuff and also a little business on the side. With this thread in mind I decided to explore the main station surroundings a little bit more.

Will include names and contact information later.

To stay a bit on topic first, there is a typical quality German butcher shop in the underground shopping mall at Frankfurt main station.

On the Mainzer Landstrasse a few minutes from the station and close to the Commerzbank trading center is a great little soup bar. The place is run by several young ladies and features both German and international organic soup choices, salads, sandwiches and soft drinks. Tasty organic bread on the side. My late Chili con Carne breakfast had a nice, chewy taste although I had to ask for tabasco to spice it up a bit.

Then after finishing the travel stuff it was time to head to the Ostbahnhof and on to Gref-Voelsing. They are deservedly famous for their Rindswurst and that was what I ordered too to go with mustard and a roll. More substantial fare is also available to be had both in the premises and for take away.

It's only a ten minute trip from the main station and well worth it, sharing your table with tout Frankfurt devouring the delicious meals.

Then it was time for the brief business part and once that was over, there were a few hours left before my deeply discounted ICE train was departing.

Decided to stroll along the Kronprinzenstrasse, an obviously less sleazy street in the Bahnhofsviertel and found several interesting food shops and restaurants. Only place where I've seen a cluster of Pakistani food offerings in Germany, for example.

But the highlight was when I stumbled upon a wonderful old fashioned gourmet shop halfway down the Kronprinzenstrasse (on the left hand side when coming from the station) Oysters, fish soup, various French and German delicacies with reasonable prices...Including a great selection of unpasteurized cheese. ^

Still had time to head to Bockenheimer Warte where I first encountered the Golden Arches and Ronald Mc...as a kid.

But my one and only MickeyDee was gone and replaced by some smart student coffeeshop. I consoled myself at the opposite side of the road at Dr.Flotte.

Now, this was something different: An amazing oasis of the best Germany has to offer combined with Frankfurt traditional liberal values and openness.

These fantastic people have everything a patron could possibly need: Good Ebbelwoi, Andechs Weizen, Binding lager, Gref-Voelsing wurst, schnitzel etc. And you have to experience the atmosphere to believe it. Jeffrey Bernard would have come here if resident in Frankfurt.

I still made my train.