Construction Starts on New Restaurant at Frankfurt Zoo

(eap) Construction work has recently started at Frankfurt Zoo for a new zoo restaurant. In the coming months, a two-storey building with terraces is to be built at a central location on the zoo grounds, with a capacity for around 270 guests and also suitable for events. The opening is planned for the end of 2027.

Since the closure of the former “Sombrero” restaurant in 2021, the zoo has no longer had a full-service restaurant. Visitors can currently make use of various snack outlets, but a larger gastronomic facility is still missing. The Frankfurt Conservation Center will be built in the coming years on the former site of Sombrero on the eastern edge of the zoo grounds. A different location therefore had to be found for the new zoo restaurant. The chosen site is the area of the former hedge maze next to a large playground, where initial preparatory work has now begun.

“The location of the new restaurant is well chosen: The playground is right next to it, and from there you can watch gorillas and red-capped mangabeys, which live in the immediate vicinity,” says Dr Ina Hartwig, Head of the Department of Culture and Science. “Since our zoo is a place for everyone and participation is an important aspect of its work, accessibility is a particular concern for us. The new building will therefore be accessible via ramps and lifts where it is not at ground level. In this context, I am particularly pleased that we are able to offer a ‘Toilet for All’ with the help of the Leben pur foundation. The zoo is unfortunately still one of the few places with a toilet that is also available to people with complex disabilities.”

The architecture firm MMZ from Offenbach has been commissioned with the planning and implementation of the new zoo restaurant. A two-storey, light-filled new building with two partially covered terraces is planned. The upper floor is to provide seating for 128 people, with a further 144 seats on the ground floor. The new restaurant’s premises will be accessible independently of regular zoo opening hours, as the building will have a direct connection to the street.

“It is important to me that our visitors feel comfortable here and enjoy spending time with us,” emphasises Kerstin Schmitz, Head of Administration and Deputy Zoo Director. “In addition to observing the animals, a good infrastructure, play facilities and appealing gastronomic offerings play an important role. The new zoo restaurant is just the beginning. Our master plan envisages further catering facilities in the indoor area of the savannah landscape ‘Serengeti’.”

Frankfurt Zoo’s “Zookunft2030+” master plan includes a comprehensive redesign of three large areas of the zoo – including the “Serengeti” savannah landscape. The architects and specialist planners for the project were announced in early April this year (see EAP News 29 Apr 2026). ■