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Vienna has tried hard to shed its image of a town locked in the 19th century, and nowhere is that more evident than in the kitchens of the top-notch Austrian chefs who dominate the culinary scene here. They have turned dining from a mittel-europäisch sloshfest of Schweinsbraten, Knödeln, and Kraut (pork, dumplings, and cabbage), into an exquisite feast of international flavors.
No one denies that such courtly delights as Tafelspitz—the blush-pink boiled beef famed as Emperor Franz Josef's favorite dish—is delicious, but these traditional carb-loaded meals tend to leave you stuck to your seat like a suction cup.
The dining scene of today's Vienna has transformed itself, thanks in part to a new generation of chefs, such as Heinz Reitbauer Jr. and celebrity-chef Christian Petz, who've worked hard to establish an international brand of Viennese cooking known as Neue Wiener Küche (New Vienna cuisine). They have stepped onto the stage, front and center, to create signature dishes, such as fish soup with red curry, which have rocketed to fame; they have fan clubs, host television shows, and publish top-selling cookbooks, such as Neue Cuisine: The Elegant Tastes of Vienna; there are star Austrian chefs the way there are in New York and Hollywood, and these chefs want to delight an audience hungry for change.
Schmaltzy schnitzels have been replaced by prized Styrian beef—organic meat from local, farm-raised cattle—while soggy Nockerl (small dumplings) are traded in for seasonal delights like Carinthian asparagus, Styrian wild garlic, or the zingy taste of common garden stinging nettle. Wisely, Vienna has also warmly welcomed into its kitchens chefs from around the world, who give exotic twists to old favorites.
Made famous by its illustrious guests, the Café Central is one of the most famous cafés in all of Vienna. The soaring ceiling and gigantic columns are hallmarks of the landmark, which was home to Viennese literati as well as world game changers at the turn of the last century, including Leon Trotsky, who mapped out the Russian Revolution here beneath portraits of the Imperial family. There is more than the standard café fare here, with the kitchen serving salmon fillet sprinkled with roasted pine nuts; or try the Mohr im hemd for dessert, chocolate hazelnut cake dusted with powdered sugar and served with hot chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Piano music fills the marble-pillared hall in the afternoon; it can get packed with tourists, but it's worth the crowds.
A favorite of politicians and theater stars (the Burg is next door, the Rathaus across the street) since 1873, this was Sigmund Freud's favorite café (he lived within walking distance). If you want a great meal at almost any time of day, including options of several schnitzels, or just a slice of decadent cake, there are few places that can beat this one. During Ball Season, you'll spot tired but chatty groups of gowned and tuxedoed Viennese repairing here for breakfast after their night of dancing. An air-conditioned glass veranda has added contemporary flair to this venerable location.
Arguably the most famous café in Vienna, it is the home of the legendary Sachertorte, a dense chocolate torte with fresh aprioct jam in the center. This legend began as a Delikatessen opened by Sacher, court confectioner to Prince von Metternich, the most powerful prime minister in early-19th-century Europe. War-weary Metternich must have been amused to see a battle break out between Sacher and Demel—a competing confectioner—as to who served the real Sachertorte. Sacher puts its apricot jam in the cake middle, while Demel puts it just below the icing. If you're not a sweets person, try a savory alternative: Sacher Würstl (slim sausages served with freshly-grated horseradish, mustard, and home-baked bread). Mirrors and chandeliers add glitter, and there is live piano music every day from 4:30 until 7 pm.
Coffee in Vienna is designed to be savored and enjoyed, and one of the most splendid places in Vienna to do just that is at the Sperl. Featured in Hollywood films A Dangerous Method and Before Sunrise, the venerable café—commandeered way back when as the café for artists—is more than just a fantastically pretty face. The Old Vienna ambience is not merely preserved here, but vibrantly alive. Get a table by the window to ensure a captivating street view, and be sure to enjoy the piano music Sunday afternoon. It's in the 6th District, not far from the MuseumsQuartier and the Naschmarkt.
Vienna's best-known pastry shop, Demel offers a dizzying selection, so if you have a sweet tooth, a visit will be worth every euro. And in a city famous for its tortes, its almond-chocolate Senegaltorte takes the cake. Demel's shopwindows have some of the most mouthwatering and inventive displays in Austria.
The display cases are filled to the brim at the world-renowned Demel, a 200-year-old pastry shop and chocolatier, famous for sweetmeats. Chocolate lovers will want to try the Viennese Sachertorte (two layers of dense chocolate cake, with apricot jam sandwiched between and chocolate icing on top) and compare it with its competition at Café Sacher. Don't forget to watch the pastry chef at work in the glassed-in courtyard. Beyond the shop proper are stairs that lead to ornate dining salons where the decor is almost as sweet as the goods on sale.
Situated in the courtyard of the Stephansplatz, with a direct view of stunning St. Stephen's Cathedral, this teahouse is a rare find in a city steeped in the tradition of coffeehouses. It is a cozy tea parlor, indeed, with a selection of more than 200 brews and a particularly splendid afternoon tea menu. Presented on the obligatory three-tier tea rack, the traditional finger sandwiches come with all sorts of fillings and are accompanied by scones with strawberry jam, clotted cream, and a selection of petits fours. They also have an extensive breakfast menu with bakery items, egg dishes, waffles, and pancakes, as well as substantial lunch items including salads and plates of pasta.
If you're lucky, you can snag a table in the idyllic garden of this low-key pub, hidden away inside a delightful Biedermeyer cobbled courtyard. The staff is young, hip, and carefee, and will gladly serve you breakfast until 3pm—both traditional Viennese-style plus vegan and vegetarian options. Vines and ivy provide cover from the intense summer sun while walls of the passageway leading from the courtyard are lined floor to ceiling with concert placards. In winter, there's nothing more cozy than to sit inside and sip the ginger apricot punch.
You can retreat to Café Frauenhuber, billed as Vienna's oldest café, to find some peace and quiet away from the busy shoppers on Kärntnerstrasse. Breakfast is a go-for-broke affair, and might include a pot of tea (or coffee), a glass of prosecco, fresh-squeezed orange juice, toast, and fresh salmon with a dash of horseradish. The original turn-of-the-20th-century interior is a visual treat, with the obligatory red-velvet seating and somewhat tired upholstery (if you don't suffer from back problems you'll be fine). Despite the history, you'll generally find fewer tourists here than in other typical cafés, and more of a local feel, which it's had since it opened its doors in 1824.
Once the site of one of Vienna's oldest coffeehouses and named after the pharmacist Heinrich Griensteidl—the original dated back to 1847 but was demolished in 1897—this café was resurrected in 1990. Karl Kraus, the sardonic critic, spent many hours here writing his feared articles, and it's also here that Hugo von Hofmannsthal took time out from writing libretti for Richard Strauss. Although this establishment is still looking for the patina needed to give it real flair, locals are pleased by the attempt to re-create the historic atmosphere. Numerous newspapers and magazines hang on the rack (many are in English). It's also entirely no-smoking.
Practically a shrine—indeed, almost a museum—the Hawelka was the hangout of most of Vienna's modern artists, and the café has acquired an admirable art collection over the years. The Hawelka is most famous for its Buchteln, a baked bun with a sweet filling, served fresh from the oven. While cakes, sausages and other hearty fare are on offer, this is a place where many come for just a cup of coffee or a casual drink. Ask to have a look at the guest book, itself a work of art, with entries including some illustrious names (including Elias Canetti, Andy Warhol, and Tony Blair). Back in the 1960s, the young John Irving enjoyed the atmosphere here, too, as you can see when reading The Hotel New Hampshire.
The controversial architect Adolf Loos (famed for his pronouncement "Ornament is a sin") laid the foundation stone for this coffeehouse in 1899. Throughout the 20th century, this was a top rendezvous spot for Wien Secession artists, along with actors, students, and professors, because of its proximity to the Academy of Fine Arts, the Theater an der Wien, and Vienna's Technical University. Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Josef Hoffmann all enjoyed sipping their melange here. Apart from the eye-catching 1930s-style steel globes, the ambience is much like that of other cafés in town, with red upholstery, marble-topped tables, and black bentwood chairs. On weekdays at noon, a tasty daily special, such as rucola salad with potato puffs seasoned with a creamy garlic sauce, guarantees a full house.
Located near the Hotel Imperial, this is an ideal spot for a coffee and cake or a meal after a performance at the Musikverein or Konzerthaus, both just a couple of minutes away. Open until midnight, it has a good choice of food and pastries. Wall-to-wall mirrors reflect the elegant clientele perched on dark-green leather seats. Even though the waiters can be a little snobby, the overall atmosphere is still nice enough to encourage longer stays. Piano music can be heard until late on Wednesday and Friday, and from 5 until 7 pm on weekends. Sit outside when the weather allows and appreciate the lights on Schwarzenbergplatz.
This bustling restaurant in a stall along the Naschmarkt is a prime place to stop for a bite and watch the crowds go by. The menu is as diverse as the customers, and includes various Turkish mainstays, such as tzatziki and falafel, and a variety of international choices. Some options can include chicken and avocado salad, pumpkin curry with vegetables and cashew nuts over rice, and Moroccan lemon chicken with couscous. The prices are easy on the wallet, and the customers tend toward the young and hip.
The origins here go back to 1683, when this spot opened as one of the city's official Stadtheuriger (wine taverns), to provide Turk-fighting soldiers with wine before going off to battle. Below the Esterházy palace, the atmosphere is like that of a cozy cave, with the maze of rooms offering some of the best wines of any cellar in town, plus a typical Viennese menu noontime and evenings. Ordering seems back to front: food orders are taken at the counter, while a waiter comes to the table to take your order for drinks. The best choice for meat lovers is roast pork with dumplings and cabbage. The wine tavern is closed July and August, but the restaurant and garden are open all summer long.
The best place for a bite of traditional food near the Kunsthaus Wien and the Hundertwasser House is Gasthaus Wild. Formerly a wine tavern, it's now a down-to-earth beisl (the equivalent of a pub, also called a gasthaus), where the menu changes regularly but almost always features local dishes. Be sure to try the Schinkenfleckerl (delicious pasta squares stuffed with ham and cabbage), and, most importantly, check out the selection of wild game when in season. The restaurant also offers fine wines (mainly Austrian) and an extensive dessert menu.
One of the friendliest places in Vienna, this wood-panelled wonderful old cellar—just across the street from the Konzert Haus—offers some of the heartiest home cooking in town. Come here to enjoy dishes that hail from Carinthia, one of the best being the Kas'nudeln (potatoes and spinach pasta filled with cheese and onion), best served with green leaf salad. Another favorite is the Tafelspitzsulz mit Kernöl und Zwiebeln (cold cut of beef in aspic served with onions). You'll want to use the Semmel (white bread roll) to sop up that last drop of dark-green pumpkinseed-oil dressing. In clement weather, the outdoor area has an appealing beer garden-esque atmosphere.
Dating back four centuries, this engaging old-world house sits in the heart of Old Vienna. It is one of the country's top addresses for beer connoisseurs and serves brews, both draft and bottled, Dunkeles (dark) and Helles (light), from the Gösser brewery in Styria. Of the four eating areas, many diners opt for the covered courtyard, where beer seems to taste better no matter the weather. Beyond the obligatory (but first-class) Wiener schnitzel with potato salad, another good choice is the Kas'nocken (pasta dumplings topped with melted Tyrolean mountain cheese).
Each morning, the bread here is baked fresh—kneaded by hand—using what the owners call an ancient recipe that uses only organic ingredients. All of the breads are whole grain, and include varieties such as honey lavender, sourdough walnut, and sourdough pumpkinseed. The ambience is pristine factory meets Old Europe: a Styrian stone floor and dangling chandeliers alongside sleek, modern baking ovens. The adjacent daytime bistro serves excellent lunch menus (which often includes some of their excellent bread, of course).
This landmark café is on one of the most charming squares in Vienna. The "Little Cafe" is open daily for coffee, cocktails, and light snacks, and few places are more delightful to sit in and relax on a warm afternoon or evening. In summer, tables are set up outside on the cobblestone square where the only sounds are the tinkling fountain and the occasional chiming of bells from the ancient Franciscan monastery next door.
The main draw is the location on the ground floor of Vienna's premier gourmet grocery store, with fabulous views out the panoramic windows onto the historic Graben, a people-watching mecca. The food is on the light side, as this is a café (not to be confused with the full-service restaurant upstairs). Expect to find an array of soups and salads including pumpkin cream soup and tomato and mozzerella with pine-nut pesto. A wee bit pricey, but you're paying for the view.
Down and down you go, into one of the friendliest cellars in town, where Stelze (roast pork) is a popular feature, along with outstanding regional wines—Grüner Veltliner among them—by the glass or, rather, mug. This was originally the storehouse for wines from the Melk Abbey in the Danube Valley and dates from 1438, but was rebuilt in the 18th century. It's a complex of six cavernous rooms; the most atmospheric has low-arched vaults right out of a castle dungeon. The menu has the usual Austrian fare like Schnitzel plus a vegetarian lentil curry (rare for places this traditional).
Popular with the locals and a great value, you'll find irresistible confections such as the Oberlaa Kurbad cake, truffle cake, and chocolate-mousse cake here. The lemon torte is filled with a light, fruity lemon cream and a thin layer of almond paste. The Maroni Obers Torte is a dark chocolate cake, filled with chestnut and milk-chocolate mousse, garnished with maraschino cherries. There are many Oberlaa branches to choose from, including Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 1 and Babenbergerstrasse 7. Included among the tasty delights are gluten- and lactose-free treats. Candy can also be wrapped as a lovely gift to take home.
This "beautiful pearl" is one of the most popular dining spots for locals in Leopoldstadt. It offers traditional Austrian comfort food, including Tafelspitz—boiled beef, the favored dish of Emperor Franz Josef—and Wiener schnitzel, but its real palate pleasers are the wide selection of vegetarian dishes on the menu. Avocado salad, pumpkin cream soup, spinach ravioli, and red lentil soup are among the top favorites. The interior is surprisingly spacious, so the restaurant can get crowded, but not cramped. The staff is friendly, and seems to tolerate well the children who can't resist roaming the vastness.
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