--- title: "Water-houses" url: "https://www.visitfrankfurt.travel/en/traveltrade/water-houses" language: "en" breadcrumb: "Root > Home > Travel Trade > Water-houses" --- Water-houses ============ Frankfurt favourites Once a necessity, now nostalgia! The colourful history of Frankfurt’s famous “water-houses” Whether you want to call it a kiosk, snack bar, newsstand, booth or stall – there are many names for these **small, cult-like meeting places** found randomly throughout Frankfurt. For locals, there’s only one name – “Wasserhäuschen”; in English, “water-houses". And that fairly well describes what they are, or were. Back in the mid-19th century, Frankfurt’s drinking water was not of the highest quality; in fact, it only became halfway palatable after it was boiled. As a result, pharmacists began to produce artificial mineral water, which was sold to Frankfurt’s population in bottles rubber-sealed with a small, round, hinged glass stopper. The public response was one of great enthusiasm, and thus the City of Frankfurt wasted no time in issuing **licenses for kiosks to sell this new, untainted bottled water**. Better than having everyone drink beer or schnaps, they must have thought. The number of Frankfurt watering-houses increased steadily over the years; by the 1970s, there were some 800 of them spread across the city. Today, approximately 200 remain. They are popular meeting places **for Frankfurt locals of all ages and walks of life.** Off we go! Fein - Status: Warm and comfy setting amid natural surrounds - Menu must-have: A snack plate with cheese and olives or a slice of homemade cake. - A cosy sit-down: Inside, kiosk visitors sit on comfortable armchairs set beneath an old chandelier. Outside, alongside the old city walls, they sit beneath rows and rows of fairy lights. - Petersstraße 4, 60313 Frankfurt Gudes - Status: Cool and creative, situated in Frankfurt’s trendy North End. - Menu must-have: That depends on what day of the week it is! One day, it’s pizzas; the next, it’s crèpes. Come and be surprised! - A cosy sit-down: The multicoloured tables and chairs set up around the kiosk are donations from regulars and residents of the North End. - Matthias-Beltz-Platz 1, 60318 Frankfurt > If you’re looking for an unusual souvenir, how about a deck of quartet cards or a water-house calendar? Nox - Status: Sachsenhausen’s cult coffee bar - Menu must-have: Definitely the coffee. The beans used here are roasted specifically for the kiosk by a small Frankfurt roasting house. - A cosy sit-down: Guests sit on wooden benches set up on the grass verge in front of the small red kiosk. - Holbeinstraße 63, 60596 Frankfurt Jöst Nr.1 - Status: Frankfurt’s oldest remaining water-house. - Menu must-have: Here, you’ll find all the kiosk classics, like sandwiches, rissoles, rolls and more. - A comfy sit-down? Nothing doing. Instead, you’ll find yourself standing at one of the city’s most rustic counters, chatting with all types of local characters – from construction workers and lorry drivers to brokers and bankers from the nearby ECB. - Franziusplatz, 60314 Frankfurt Navigation - - - - - -