Sitting snugly between a souvenir shop and a bar/bistro, Ristorante Raffaello is a spiffy little Italian place we enjoyed on a pleasant September afternoon. After a lengthy stroll along the Mainz River, we delved left into the Romerburg (old town), gawked at the relics of history, and ambled across Braubach Strasse to the cluster of bright red and blue umbrellas.
Needing a gentle place to rest our tired tootsies, we selected a table with a deep blue tablecloth and settled for a small respite. Admiring the lofty peak of St. Paul's Kirke, we were slightly startled by an eager young waiter called Marco who asked if we would like to see the menu. After flusters of "We were just resting!" and a few "maybes" from Robert, we decided we needed a beer to decide. Marco served us monster brews in fist-sized mugs. Konig Pils at 3.10? is not bad for downtown Frankfurt.
As we mumbled over the menu, Marco slipped across the walkway to the restaurant (which was over 15 feet away) and we realized with a little blush we were sitting in the outside area of the Ristorante Raffaello. A look around revealed that more than one restaurant was represented in the bustling square and each had their own color of umbrellas and table cloths.
Taking his time, Marco eventually returned with a leisurely stride and inquired as to what we would like. Robert promptly replied, "Risotto mit Paprika." Marco deftly took Robert''s order and gazed at me. With a little regret, I passed up my mid-afternoon munchies. Robert let me sample his steaming bowl of al dente rice loaded with sautéed peppers, onions, tomatoes, celery, zucchini, and pine nuts, spiced liberally with Robert''s favorite spice, paprika! A stuffed basket of bread helped him scoop up all the rice and he washed it down with another Pils. The risotto was priced at 8?. Ristorante Raffaello offers maybe two dozen different styles of risotto, along with a selection of fresh salads and two-person pizzas.
Please do not be in a hurry when you stop here -- the service time is not bad, but remember Marco had to walk all the way into the square to take the order, go get the beers, place the order, and then deliver the food from across the square. It makes for an unhurried lunch, but then this square is the best place for an unhurried stop. Tables and visitors pepper the square, guarded by the spire of St. Paul's and shops lining the further side. Just across the main drag is the pull of the old town. Buses whoosh along Braubach Strasse while people loll in their chairs humming and sipping.