German€innenstadtMon-Fri 08:00-18:00; Sat 08:00-16:00; closed Sun
Edel's stand in the Kleinmarkthalle plates Frankfurt's cheapest proper Grüne Soße, eaten standing among the market crowds at lunch every weekday.
Try: Grüne Soße with eggs at the market counter
Tip: A full plate costs less than a cocktail across town; pair with a roll from Huck's stand two aisles over.
German€innenstadtMon-Fri 08:00-18:00; Sat 08:00-16:00; closed Sun
Schreiber's sausage counter in the Kleinmarkthalle is Frankfurt's definitive cheap lunch, hot Fleischwurst handed over the glass for pocket change.
Try: Hot Fleischwurst with mustard and a roll
Tip: Cash ready, order fast, eat standing; the whole transaction takes ninety seconds once you reach the front.
German€€sachsenhausenDaily 11:00-00:00
Apfelwein Wagner proves Frankfurt tradition is a budget cuisine: Handkäs at €5.10 and Rippchen with kraut under €15 on Schweizer Strasse every day.
Try: Handkäs mit Musik at €5.10, Grüne Soße at €14.50
Tip: Order Handkäs and a Schoppen for the cheapest authentic Frankfurt dinner going; bread comes with it, and nobody hurries you out.
South Indian€€bahnhofsviertelDaily 09:00-22:30
Saravanaa Bhavan feeds Frankfurt generously for little on Kaiserstraße, dosa and thali portions that defeat most appetites at lunch prices and dinner alike.
Try: Masala dosa or the full vegetarian thali
Tip: The thali is the value play: multiple curries, rice, bread and dessert on one tray, refilled in the South Indian tradition.
Street food€westendMon-Fri 10:30-19:00; Sat 11:30-18:00; closed Sun
Best Worscht in Town remains Frankfurt's benchmark cheap hot lunch all week long, currywurst and Huck sourdough bread for well under ten euros.
Try: Currywurst with bread, heat level of your choosing
Tip: Level B is the sensible ceiling for first-timers; the bread is from Bäckerei Huck and soaks up the regret.
German€ostendShop Mon-Fri 08:00-15:00; Braterei Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00; closed Sat-Sun
Gref-Völsings sells Frankfurt's founding Rindswurst hot for pocket money, a 130-year institution disguised as an Ostend lunch window on weekdays.
Try: Rindswurst in a roll at the Braterei window
Tip: Weekday lunch only; the price has crept up over 130 years but remains one of the city's great food bargains.