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Traditional German Restaurant · Frankfurt, Germany

Zum Backfisch Menu: Frankfurt's Traditional Backfisch Restaurant Guide (2026)

Everything you need to know about Zum Backfisch -- Frankfurt's classic institution for traditional Backfisch (battered fried fish), Frankfurter Grune Sosse, Apfelwein, and authentic Hessian tavern cuisine. Below: the complete menu with EUR prices, what to order, a guide to Frankfurt's culinary traditions, and answers to the most common questions.

Traditional BackfischFrankfurt, GermanyApfelwein (Hessian cider)Mains EUR 14-26Frankfurt institution
Jump to full menu Cheapest items
Sample · $$

Signature items

Backfisch-Teller~EUR 18
Grune Sosse mit Eiern~EUR 14
Sauerbraten~EUR 18
Handkase mit Musik~EUR 9
Apfelwein 1L Bembel~EUR 8
Jump to: What to order Frankfurt traditions Full menu About Backfisch Location FAQ
Quick answers

What you need to know about Zum Backfisch before you visit

The four most important facts about Zum Backfisch at a glance.

Signature dish
Backfisch-Teller

Battered fried fish with potato salad, remoulade and lemon -- the defining dish of Zum Backfisch (~EUR 18).

Must-try local
Grune Sosse mit Eiern

Frankfurt's iconic seven-herb green sauce with boiled eggs and potatoes -- the city's most beloved dish (~EUR 14).

Drink to order
Apfelwein Bembel

Frankfurt's traditional dry apple cider, served in a classic grey-blue ceramic Bembel jug (~EUR 8 for 1L).

Price range
~EUR 30-50/person

Starters EUR 7-14, mains EUR 14-26. One of Frankfurt's most affordable full-service traditional restaurants.

What to order

The best things to order at Zum Backfisch

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a regular, these are the dishes and drinks that define the authentic Zum Backfisch experience.

The house classic

Backfisch-Teller

The Backfisch-Teller (~EUR 18) is the complete Zum Backfisch experience: battered fried fish with potato salad, remoulade, and lemon. Order this on your first visit -- it is the dish the restaurant was built around and the preparation that defines German fried fish tradition.

Frankfurt's iconic dish

Grune Sosse mit Eiern

Frankfurter Grune Sosse (seven-herb green sauce) with boiled eggs and steamed potatoes (~EUR 14) is the most authentically Frankfurter dish you can order. A UNESCO-recognized part of German culinary heritage and Goethe's favorite meal. Do not visit Frankfurt without trying it.

Frankfurt pub essential

Handkase mit Musik

Marinated sour milk cheese (Handkase) with vinegar-onion dressing (~EUR 9) is the quintessential Frankfurt tavern dish. The name "mit Musik" (with music) is a local joke about its digestive effects. Order it with Apfelwein for the full Sachsenhausen experience.

Hearty German main

Sauerbraten

Traditional German braised pot roast marinated in wine and vinegar, served with potato dumplings and red cabbage (~EUR 18). A dish that rewards patience -- the long braising process creates deep, tangy flavors that are uniquely German in character.

Essential Frankfurt drink

Apfelwein Bembel (1L)

Order the full 1L Bembel jug of Apfelwein (~EUR 8). Frankfurt's traditional dry apple cider is the essential companion to any meal here. It is tart, refreshing, lower in alcohol than wine, and deeply embedded in Hessian culture. The Bembel is the correct vessel.

Schnitzel with a twist

Frankfurter Schnitzel mit Grune Sosse

The Frankfurter version of schnitzel (~EUR 19) is served with Grune Sosse instead of the typical Austrian lemon-and-caper treatment. The cold, tangy herb sauce against the crispy schnitzel is a flavor contrast unique to Frankfurt -- and one of the best things on the menu.

Frankfurt culinary traditions

The food and drink culture that Zum Backfisch embodies

Frankfurt has a distinct culinary identity that sets it apart from the rest of Germany. Three things define it: Apfelwein (dry apple cider), Frankfurter Grune Sosse (seven-herb green sauce), and a tavern culture of unpretentious, hearty eating. Zum Backfisch sits squarely within this tradition.

The Backfisch preparation itself -- fish battered and deep-fried in the German style -- reflects Frankfurt's historic relationship with the Main River and North Sea fishing. While modern Frankfurt rarely references its fishing past, Zum Backfisch keeps the tradition alive through fresh preparations of plaice, trout, pike-perch, and herring.

A meal at Zum Backfisch is inseparable from its Apfelwein. Order a Bembel for the table -- the traditional grey-blue ceramic jug holds one litre and is refilled throughout the evening. Drink it from a Gerippte (ribbed glass tumbler) as locals do.

  • Apfelwein -- Frankfurt's dry apple cider, the essential drink
  • Frankfurter Grune Sosse -- seven-herb sauce, UNESCO-recognized heritage
  • Backfisch tradition -- battered fried fish, Frankfurt river cuisine
  • Wirtschaft atmosphere -- traditional German tavern, unpretentious and warm
  • Hessian specialties -- Handkase, Rippchen, Sauerbraten, regional classics
  • Bembel service -- Apfelwein served in traditional ceramic jugs
Browse the menu

Jump to a menu category

Six menu categories covering fish, soups, mains, sides, drinks, and desserts.

Backfisch (Fried Fish)6 itemsSuppen (Soups)3 itemsHauptgerichte (Mains)5 itemsBeilagen (Sides)4 itemsGetranke (Drinks)5 itemsDesserts2 items
The full menu

Zum Backfisch full menu with prices

All six menu categories with approximate EUR prices. Confirm current menu and pricing at the restaurant or at zumbackfisch.de.

About prices. Prices shown are approximate EUR amounts based on publicly available information reviewed May 2026. Zum Backfisch's menu may change seasonally. Confirm current pricing and availability at zumbackfisch.de.
About the dish

What is Backfisch? A brief history of Germany's fried fish tradition

Backfisch is one of Germany's oldest and most beloved fish preparations -- and Frankfurt's most distinctive culinary contribution to the country's seafood tradition.

The preparation

Battered, not breaded

Unlike the British fish-and-chip style or the Central European schnitzel preparation, Backfisch uses a light, airy batter that fries to a delicate crispy shell. The fish inside stays moist and flaky. The result is lighter than breadcrumbing and more traditional than panko -- a distinctly German texture.

The fish

River and North Sea catches

Traditional Frankfurt Backfisch used freshwater fish from the Main River -- particularly pike-perch (Zander) and trout. Modern Backfisch preparations include North Sea plaice (Scholle) and herring. At Zum Backfisch, the Backfisch-Teller uses plaice, while the Zander is the freshwater premium option.

The accompaniments

Potato salad and remoulade

The canonical Backfisch accompaniments are German potato salad (dressed with vinegar and mustard, not mayonnaise) and remoulade sauce. Lemon is always present. The Backfisch-Teller at Zum Backfisch delivers this classic combination in its most complete form.

Location & hours

Where to find Zum Backfisch in Frankfurt

Zum Backfisch is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in the tradition of the city's historic Apfelweinwirtschaften (cider taverns). Frankfurt is accessible by rail (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof), by the U-Bahn and S-Bahn network, and by road from across the Rhein-Main region. The restaurant is part of the cultural fabric of Frankfurt's old town dining scene.

For the current address, exact opening hours, and reservation information, visit zumbackfisch.de. Reservations are recommended for dinner service and weekend visits.

  • City: Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany
  • Style: Traditional Frankfurter Wirtschaft (tavern)
  • Reservations: Recommended for evenings and weekends
  • Language: German menu; staff may assist in English
  • Official site: zumbackfisch.de
About Zum Backfisch

Frankfurt's home for traditional Backfisch and Hessian cuisine.

Zum Backfisch represents a culinary tradition that is specific to Frankfurt and the wider Hesse region. The restaurant's focus on Backfisch -- battered, deep-fried fish prepared in the traditional German manner -- keeps alive a connection to Frankfurt's historic Main River fishing culture that modern city life has largely left behind.

A meal at Zum Backfisch is a meal in the Frankfurter Wirtschaft tradition: hearty, unpretentious, and deeply local. The combination of fresh fried fish, Grune Sosse, Handkase, and Apfelwein tells you more about Frankfurt's identity as a city than any guidebook could. For visitors and locals alike, it is an essential stop.

$$Price range
6Menu categories
EUR 14-26Mains
FrankfurtHesse, Germany
Common questions

Zum Backfisch FAQ

The most frequently asked questions about Zum Backfisch and Frankfurt's culinary traditions, answered.

What is Zum Backfisch?

Zum Backfisch is a traditional Frankfurt restaurant and tavern specializing in Backfisch -- the classic German battered and deep-fried fish preparation. It is a beloved local institution serving authentic Hessian and Frankfurter cuisine in a traditional tavern (Wirtschaft) atmosphere. The restaurant is known for its Apfelwein (Frankfurt apple cider), Frankfurter Grune Sosse, and freshly prepared fish dishes alongside classic German mains like Sauerbraten and Rippchen mit Kraut.

What is Backfisch?

Backfisch (literally 'baked fish' in German, though it refers to deep frying) is a traditional German preparation in which fish -- typically plaice (Scholle), trout (Forelle), or pike-perch (Zander) -- is coated in a light batter and deep-fried until crispy and golden. It is a staple of German coastal and river cuisine, particularly popular in Frankfurt given the city's historic connection to the Main River fishery. Backfisch is typically served with potato salad, remoulade, and lemon.

What is Frankfurter Grune Sosse?

Frankfurter Grune Sosse (Frankfurt Green Sauce) is Frankfurt's most iconic culinary contribution -- a cold herb sauce made from exactly seven fresh herbs: parsley, chervil, borage, sorrel, watercress, chives, and burnet. It is traditionally mixed with sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, and oil, then served with boiled eggs and potatoes as a complete dish, or as a sauce alongside schnitzel or fish. It is so important to Frankfurt's identity that the specific seven herbs are protected as a regional specialty. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe -- Frankfurt's most famous native son -- reportedly loved it.

What is Apfelwein?

Apfelwein is Frankfurt's traditional dry apple wine (cider), a defining feature of Hessian culture and the city's tavern life. It is fermented from pressed apple juice and is typically dry, tart, and lower in alcohol than wine. In Frankfurt, Apfelwein is served in traditional gray-blue ceramic jugs called Bembel and drunk from ribbed glass tumblers called Gerippte. The Frankfurt neighborhoods of Sachsenhausen and the Alte Sachsenhausen quarter are famous for their Apfelweinwirtschaften (cider taverns). At Zum Backfisch, a 0.3L glass costs approximately EUR 3.50 and a 1L jug approximately EUR 8.

Where is Zum Backfisch located in Frankfurt?

Zum Backfisch is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Frankfurt is Hesse's largest city and Germany's financial capital, situated on the Main River. The restaurant is part of Frankfurt's traditional Wirtschaft (tavern) culture, which is concentrated in the Sachsenhausen and Altstadt neighborhoods. For the current address, hours, and reservation information, visit zumbackfisch.de.

What is the most traditional dish to order at Zum Backfisch?

The most quintessentially Frankfurt order at Zum Backfisch is Grune Sosse mit Eiern und Kartoffeln (~EUR 14) -- Frankfurt's iconic seven-herb green sauce with boiled eggs and steamed potatoes. This is the dish most associated with Frankfurt's culinary identity. Pair it with a Bembel of Apfelwein (~EUR 8 for 1L) for the full authentic Frankfurter experience. For fish, the Backfisch-Teller (~EUR 18) with potato salad and remoulade is the most complete and representative fish dish the restaurant serves.

Planning a visit to Zum Backfisch? Check current hours, menus, and reservations at the official site. Visit zumbackfisch.de