Frequent travelers quickly notice the stark contrast between quantity and quality. In places with a high concentration of tourists, the atmosphere and overall enjoyment are often lacking – particularly in the dining scene. This has led many travelers to seek out breakfast, coffee, or dinner spots intentionally located away from traditional tourist routes – places where locals enjoy spending time. With this in mind, a stroll through Frankfurt’s New Old Town might come with certain reservations.

Since its opening nearly six years ago, the Dom-Römer area has become one of the city’s most popular attractions. It’s no wonder, as the ensemble of faithfully reconstructed half-timbered houses and timelessly modern new buildings is truly unique. Rarely have builders executed an urban development project of this magnitude with such care and attention to detail. From the fundamental architecture and the arrangement of buildings, paths, and squares, to the materials used and historical construction methods. A total of 35 new buildings surrounding the Schirn Kunsthalle have replaced the notoriously ugly Technical Town Hall since 2018, creating a vibrant quarter that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Visually appealing, yet disappointing for a visit? An area akin to Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, which should be avoided from a culinary standpoint?

On the contrary: city planners and restaurateurs have accomplished something remarkable in the newly established old streets of Frankfurt’s city centre. Behind the charming facades, amid the diverse museum district, visitors can find small, colourful shops, galleries, cafes, and restaurants that embody a similar creative spirit to that of the old town’s construction. The disreputable eateries catering to umbrella-guided river cruise groups have nothing in common with the offerings here. Only a few chain restaurants have made their way into the area.

Instead, there’s a wide variety of modern cuisine, sustainably and locally produced, that notably attracts many young guests. A contemporary life hack among third-wave coffee enthusiasts is to use the search term „Flat White“ during city trips to identify appealing – and one might say hip – cafés, leading directly to the old town, and to adjacent streets like Fährgasse and Braubachstraße. A lively and well-connected scene of young, adventurous restauranteurs and cultural creators has found a home here, allowing locals to always discover something new. As Frankfurt celebrates the sixth anniversary of its New Old Town, the city indeed has something to celebrate.