Lunch with Louie Hölzinger of Mainlust Desche Otto: At Bella Donna in Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt (July 2024)

Mainlust Desche Otto in Schwanheim, owned and run by partners in life and in business, Claudia Orlinsky and Louie Hölzinger, is my place to go when I am in Frankfurt. See: Stopover in Frankfurt: 3 Nights at Zur Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt/ Schwanheim - From Washington DC (USA) to Nantes (France) for 2024 Loire by ombiasy WineTours, led by Annette Schiller

Louie is well-connected in the Frankfurt gastro-scene. One of his favorite places for lunch is Bella Donna in Sachsenhausen, close to Apfelwein Adolf Wagner and Das Gemahlte Haus. 

I joined Louie for lunch at Bella Donna last Thursday as did Harry Hotze, lawyer and a long-time friend of Louie.

Bella Donna 

Trip Advisor: The restaurant is small, tiny tables, difficult parking (go by taxi) and it is almost inevitable to exchange glances with other guests due to the proximity of tables but the food and attentive service are a great surprise. If you have never been to an Italian restaurant that cook great pasta and great pizza, you will find here. After a week of typical German restaurants, we decided to elect Bella Dona for the last two nights we spend in Frankfurt. We can hardly wait to go back! We strongly recommend the place for those who care for great food, excellent Italian wine, friendly service and don't mind about loud voices aroud. Reservation is key. A. Gaspar

Trip Advisor: The food is good, the portions, from an American perspective, perhaps a little small. The staff is great, and they will remember you the next time you visit- even if it is only a few times a year. I especially enjoyed the family atmosphere. Not just the customers, but, the staff. They smile and will chat with you (in mixed Italian-English-German, at least with me) and then you hear them quietly go in the kitchen and shout to each other in Italian (very much like family kitchens from my youth) and then they come out again all pleasant and nice. I have been there many times where it was full and no seating was available...so make a reservation on a weekend.

Trip Advisor:  Bella Donna, a family owned and managed place, tiny, be prepared to sit very close to each other, where simplicity is key and money is the boss. I mean money, hard money, cash money because yes, in times of transparent bookkeeping and traceability of credit cards, this place accepts the real deal, hard currency, cash, or I suspect even golden coins of the Roman empire. The kitchen itself is simple, humble, focus on few ingredients. Traditional? Yes. Home Cooking? Also. But that's where it stops. It is all quite basic and menu shows quite some dishes with "price of the day"......which makes the Pugliese cuisine in this place rather expensive, for what you get, simple ingredients, like at home.

Lunch

The 3 of us had two bottles of wine, antipasti, pasta and dessert as suggested by the owner. Restaurantguru.com:  Seit beinahe 30 Jahren und niemals nur mittelklasse - Nein, der Italiener Schlechthin. Wein. Essen. Preise. Familia. Wer den nicht mag hat keinen Geschmack für Italien.

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