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$ | 1st District |
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.
Herrengasse 14, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Leon Trotsky hangout
- Standard café fare and desserts
- Crowds of tourists
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$$$$ | 2nd District/Leopoldstadt |
Dine at Vienna's poshest restaurant while taking in the stunning, 360-degree panoramic vistas of the city's skyline from the 18th floor of the Sofitel Stephansdom. The gourmet meals, often made with seasonal, locally-sourced fare, are just as fabulous as the view. A four-course tasting menu may include roasted foie gras, fresh panfried pike perch from nearby Neusiedler Lake, and crispy lamb crown, with a dessert of peanut-butter-yogurt mousse with butterscotch ice-cream and caramalized chocolate. The ambience is centered on the spectacular ceiling, designed by Swiss multimedia artist Pipilotti Rist. She has created a magnificent visual feast, which is best viewed at sunset, as the changing colors outside have a lovely dance with the colors playing out on the ceiling above you.
Praterstrasse 1, Vienna, Vienna, 1020, Austria
Known For
- Top-notch cuisine from Austria's premier chefs
- Gorgeous views especially at sunset
- Dress code after 6 pm
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | 1st District |
In a stunningly short time, Filippou has made a remarkable impression on the Vienna dining elite, evident from its Michelin star and its Gault Millau Chef of the Year award. A seat at the prized kitchen table allows a view into the kitchen to watch the chef preparing the meal, including the famous escargot seasoned with horseradish and watercress. The dining room itself is an invitation to stay awhile; crisp, ice-blue walls are a cool complement to warm, blond-wood floors and pine tables. An abundance of natural light further softens the ambience during daylight, which is when many of Filippou's customers come to enjoy a multi-course business lunch that changes weekly. Dine outside in the garden in spring and summer and you won't regret it.
Dominikanerbastei 17, Vienna, Vienna, 1010, Austria
Known For
- Frequently changing, six-course tasting menu with wine pairing
- Outdoor garden dining in spring and summer
- One of the top restaurants in Vienna (and most expensive)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends and last 3 wks of Aug., Weekdays noon–5, 6:30–midnight
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$ | 6th District/Mariahilf |
Smack in the middle of of the Naschmarkt, Neni is a perennially-popular spot run by an Israeli-Austrian family, serving up Israeli-Middle-Eastern specialties from tabouli to lamb, plus a few fusion dishes (think bok choy and salmon with sesame tahini). They've beeen so successful that they now have locations in other cities across Europe and a few cookbooks, but this is the original location.
Naschmarkt, Vienna, Vienna, 1060, Austria
Known For
- Great Naschmarkt location
- Small plates alongside full meals
- Local hotspot
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$$$$ | 1st District |
This gourmet establishment at the Palais Hansen Kempinski Hotel earned a Michelin star within months after opening. Now chef Norman Etzold has taken over the kitchen, continuing to prepare masterpieces for Vienna diners. The interior is elegant, not opulent, with ivory walls and ebony-covered chairs complementing the stark white table linens. There are two entrances, one from the hotel lobby and one at the street, a nod to locals that this restaurant is for them, too.
Schottenring 24, Vienna, Vienna, 1010, Austria
Known For
- Three-course dinners served family-style and prepared tableside by the chef
- Daily afternoon teas
- Plenty of local patrons
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$$ | 1st District |
The classic Austrian dessert, the Sachertorte, resulted from a family saga that began with Franz Sacher, Prince von Metternich's pastry chef, and ended with Franz's son and his wife, Anna, opening the 19th-century hotel. Today, the Restaurant Grüne Bar continues the tradition of creating some of Vienna's finest cuisine. The restaurant has two menus—one with traditional Austrian fare, and one featuring more innovative dishes. The slightly less formal Rote Bar, at the front of the hotel, always has classics on offer, including Tafelspitz (boiled beef), the favorite dish of Emperor Franz Josef.
Philharmonikerstrasse 4, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Famous Sachertorte chocolate cake
- Traditional Austrian fare with some more inventive dishes
- Lots of Vienna history
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Aug., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | 3rd District/Landstrasse |
Considered one of the world's 50 best restaurants and holding two Michelin stars, this eatery is definitely the most raved-about place in Austria. Winning dishes include delicate wild boar's head with "purple haze" carrots, turbot in an avocado crust, or char in beeswax, yellow turnips, and cream. At the end of the meal, an outstanding selection of more than 120 cheeses awaits. The restaurant is in the former Milchhauspavilion, a grand Jugendstil-vintage dairy overlooking the Wienfluss promenade in the Stadtpark, the main city park on the Ringstrasse. If you don't want the whole gala Steirereck experience, opt for a bite in the more casual lower-floor Meierei, which is still stylish, with its hand-painted floor and furniture in shades of milky white.
Am Heumarkt 2A, Vienna, Vienna, A-1030, Austria
Known For
- Buzzy dishes using herbs from on-site rooftop garden
- The more casual Meierei on the lower floor
- Selection of more than 120 cheeses
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | 4th District/Wieden |
Oma is the word for Grandma in German, and if you ever wished you had one of your own to make you homemade kuchen (cake) or simple, hearty Austrian meals, make a beeline for Vollpension. This delightful cafe-restaurant employs Austrian grandmas (and a few grandpas) who make their favorite cake recipes for you to enjoy. They also serve hearty breakfasts and small but satisfying snacks like sausages with bread and mustard, potato salad, and sandwiches. In addition to coffee and tea you'll find wine, beer, prosecco, and coffee cocktails.
Schleifmühlgasse 16, Vienna, Vienna, 1040, Austria
Known For
- Authentic grandmas baking cakes and chatting
- Delicious cakes and coffee
- Very popular cafe
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$$$$ | 1st District |
Back when Beethoven dined at the Black Camel, it was already a foodie landmark. Since then, it has been renovated (but only in 1901) and more recently split into a Delikatessen and a restaurant. Try the former if you're in a hurry—fresh sandwiches are served at the counter. If time allows, dine in the elegant, intimate, Art Nouveau dining room. The Beinschinken (Viennese ham) is the specialty of the house and is renowned throughout Austria.
Bognergasse 5, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- House specialty Beinschinken
- Deli sandwiches from family recipe
- Elegant dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | 7th District/Neubau |
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.
Stiftgasse 8, Vienna, Vienna, 1070, Austria
Known For
- Hip and young crowds
- Large breakfast buffet on Sunday
- Weekly cocktail specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Daily 9–2
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$ | 2nd District/Leopoldstadt |
Run by a Georgian couple with Lebanese roots, this stylish and airy restaurant is part modern Viennese coffehouse, part Mediterranean escape. The light-filled interior features a beautifully tiled bar area with Lebanese tile, ornate lamps, and vases filled with fresh flowers, while the shady terrace is a perfect spot to slowly enjoy specialties like khinkali (meat-filled dumplings) and khachapuri (cheese-filled bread), along with Georgian wines, and specialty teas and coffees. Make a reservation for breakfast here as the Georgian breakfast of cheese filled bread with an egg in the middle has made it one of Vienna's most popular breakfast spots. Come with a group so that you can sample the Russian breakfast (with Vodka) and a Viennese breakfast, too.
Praterstrasse 15, Vienna, Vienna, 1020, Austria
Known For
- Authentic Mediterranean and Georgian fare
- Georgian breakfast
- Lovely terrace on a quiet street
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$ | 1st District | Café
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.
Operngasse 7, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
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$$ | 1st District |
When you're ready to collapse after taking in all the art at the fabulous Albertina, take a break at the museum's on-site eatery where you will find a variety of options including sushi, Mediterranean, and Italian. In summer you can sit outside on one of the city's nicest terraces and enjoy the view of the Burggarten.
Albertinaplatz 1, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Lovely terrace with a view of the Burggarten
- Bar seating for snacks and other light fare
- Sushi and gazpacho
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | 1st District |
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.
Haarhof 1, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- History as one of the city's official wine taverns
- Great wine list (duh)
- Meat-heavy food menu
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$$$$ | 1st District | Mediterranean
The easiest way for Viennese to experience sleek, suave, New York–style power dining—short of paying for a round-trip plane ticket—is to book a table at this Italian hot spot in the heart of Vienna. If they can, that is. Wait-listed weeks in advance, this modernist extravaganza has brought a touch of big-city glamour to Alt Wien, and everyone from foodies to fashionistas loves it. Seafood is so fresh it's flown in daily for the kitchen to prepare specialties, such as shrimp marinated in lemon and served on a bed of Tuscan beans, or roasted sea bass in a couscous salad of cucumber and avocado. For beef eaters, the chef prepares a special piquant sauce poured over a rib-eye steak.
Tuchlauben 4–6, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | 1st District |
This Wiener schnitzel institution might be touristy, but it's known for breaded veal and pork cutlets so large they overflow the plate and still attracts locals, too. The cutlet is hammered—you can hear the mallets pounding from a block away—so that the schnitzel winds up wafer-thin. It's delicious because the quality (as well as the size: half a pound each) is unrivaled; don't forget to add lemon juice. The potato salad made with Styrian pumpkin seed oil (the oil is an Austrian specialty) is the best in town, and if you want to try the recipe at home, you can even buy its cookbook. If this location is full, try the one just around the corner, at Bäckerstrasse 6.
Wollzeile 5, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Huge schnitzel
- Delicious potato salad
- Second location at Bäckerstrasse 6
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$ | 3rd District/Landstrasse |
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.
Radetzkyplatz 1, Vienna, Vienna, A-1030, Austria
Known For
- Wild game when in season
- Great wine list
- Extensive dessert menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | 3rd District/Landstrasse |
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.
Am Heumarkt 25, Vienna, Vienna, A-1030, Austria
Known For
- Dishes from the Carinthia region of the country
- Cozy and gregarious atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
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$ | 1st District |
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).
Steindlgasse 4, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Covered courtyard
- Authentically Austrian beer and cheese
- Sandwiches and schnitzel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch weekdays July and Aug., Credit cards accepted
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$$ | 1st District |
Neatly tucked away in a quiet and quaint area of the Old City, this ancient inn goes back half a millennium (Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert all dined here). Yes, it's touristy, yet the food, including all the classic hearty dishes like goulash soup, Wiener schnitzel, and Apfelstrudel, is as good as that in many other beisl. You can hear its age in the creaking floorboards when you walk through some of the small, dark-wood-panel rooms. The Mark Twain room has walls and ceiling covered with signatures of the famed who have been served here.
Fleischmarkt 11, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Old-world charm
- Classic Austrian dishes
- Famous patrons
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted