Charley1965

My partner and I are visiting Vienna in December for the first time. Our accomodation is sorted, but I'm now looking for places to eat in the evenings. I'd ideally like a fine dining restaurant for one evening. I've been looking at the Hotel Sacher and the Hotel Bristol's restaurants. Has anyone here had any experience at either of these, or any other places I may have missed in my research? Thanks

BTilke

I think you'd do better at either Steierereck (in its new location) or the upper floor restaurant in the Meinl grocery store (it's a fine restaurant, not a grocery store cafe)--reserve a table overlooking the Graben. Or the White Chimney Sweep. I ate at all three in Feb. and had fine meals at each. A slight edge on food to Steierereck (one of the best cheese courses I've ever had anywhere) but I liked the ambience slightly better at the Sweep. Morwald's in the Ambassador Hotel is also highly regarded and I've eaten there a few times, but on my last meal there I found it a bit too stiff and corporate in feel.
Steierereck and the Sweep each ran me about 100 euro for a multi course meal, including a couple of glasses of wine.

Charley1965

Thanks for those suggestions. We're actually staying on The Graben so I'll definitely look into that one.

Charley1965

Hello again. I've looked at all the websites for your suggestions and I've looked back on old threads too. I see at the White Chimney Sweep there are 4 diferent rooms, which one is your preference and can I ask why? Have you eaten at the Korso in the Bristol, what's your opinion of it? One reservation will be for a birthday, would you recommend the Sweep as you say you liked the the ambience? Thanks

BTilke

I've got to post my very overdue Vienna trip report today. (On this past trip I ate at the Sweep twice, Meinl twice, Steierereck once, Morwald once, and a couple of other cheaper spots).
Both times at the Sweep I sat in the room near the piano player (he doesn't play loudly). It's my favorite room. I liked the old-style Austrian decor (the new Steierereck is very modern), the music and the service (and the food, of course!). When choosing my wine by the glass (excellent Austrian wine selection), they brought over three different reds for me to taste. You get lots of little freebies throughout the dinner (although there is a small table cover charge, it doesn't begin to match the value of the various small dishes they bring you between courses or the after-dinner liqueur). It's one of my favorite restaurants in Vienna.
Some people turn their noses up at it for being touristy but that hasn't been my experience...whenever I dine there it is full of Viennese (or at least full of fluent German speaking customers who know the staff by name). And it's been credited by Gault-Millau, among others, for helping to inspire restaurants like Steierereck.
I've only lunched at Meinl and I'm not too sure it's a place I'd choose for a birthday celebration...I'd go with the Sweep or Steierereck. Sweep would look lovely in December.
One poster who lives in Vienna highly recommended the Palais Coburg (sp?) and it did look impressive, but it wasn't the kind of place I wanted to dine alone (most of my trips to Vienna are solo as they take place before or after business there). But for a celebration, it looks like an excellent choice.
No experience with Korso, alas. Next time!

Charley1965

Thanks so much. The Sweep looks really lovely and I'm sure I'll book it up for one night. I also like the look of the Steirereck very much. I'll have a search for the Palais Coburg and see what I can find. Thanks once again, I'd never have found these restaurants on my own!

susanteach

It's not super fine dining, but I recommend the Twelve Apostles restaurant in Vienna. The "cellar" dates from the Middle Ages! There are no tourists there.

molker

Many better restaurants exist in Vienna than the White Chimney Sweep.
You make a mistake dining there opposed to elsewhere.
You will never find that restaurant in the top 20 ratings regularly made by local publications, patrons or experts and for good reason.Little freebies do not make a restaurant better.
Steirereck, Palais Coburg, Meinl, The Korso in the Bristol Hotel, Morwald ,Plachutta,Fabios, and Kervansaray to name just a few are much better.

BTilke

Molker, I knew you would pop up to slam the Sweep ;-) ! You know, I have eaten at several of the restaurants you listed more than once and my dinners at the Sweep have all been very good. Moreover, most other Fodorites who have eaten there and posted about it here also give it very good marks. So you're saying we all have bad taste? I can understand your not liking a restaurant but you seem consistently *hostile* against the Sweep above and beyond a mere difference of opinion. By the way, both Gault Milau and Michelin like it well enough--in fact, I looked in the new Michelin guide this afternoon--they had nothing to say against the food and also called it one of the "loveliest restaurants" in Vienna.

Charley1965

Thank you Susan, we're in Vienna for 3 nights so I'll definitely look for the Twelve Apostles.

Thanks Molker, I did look up the Palais Coburg and it does look gorgeous. I will have a look at the others too! Has it got a Michelin Star do you know?

molker

Message : B. Tilke
I knew you would pop up to rave about the sweep.
Unfortunately most Fodorites do not live in Vienna and have somewhat limited experiences dining here.
Of course you are the exception.

I was merely trying to give people advice based upon my experience of living and of course regularly dining in Vienna. I thought that was the purpose of this forum.
The restaurant you seem to love never is listed in top restaurant surveys done here in Vienna. The latest survey was several months ago.
With that, i now leave to dine in a good restaurant.

Charley1965

Molker, I hope you enjoyed your meal!

Which restaurant would you personally choose for a birthday celebration in December? Ideally I would like it to have at least one Michelin Star. Which other restaurants, apart from the Steirereck have a star? Thanks in advance

molker

Morwald in the Ambassador has a Michelin Star, also 5 Ala Carte Crowns and 6 flasches ( bottles) for its wine card. etc.
On a December night, a nice view of the Square below ( assuming proposed underground parking garage construction has not begun).
look to www.moerwald.at for more information
Toni Morwald is one of the most respected chefs in Austria. His cooking school is booked one year in advance.
Several other restaurants are in the country and are a favorite destination of many on weekends.
You may see Morwald wine on the menu.
Toni Morwalds father has a respected winery, now with a brother helping.

Plachutta also has Michelin star, Gault- Millaut, Ala Catrte awards and many others including one from the City of Vienna.
An interesting December day- visit Schonbrunn and its Christmas Market- then walk through the Schonbrunn Gardens to Heitzing and the Plachutta Heitzing at Auhofstrasse 1 near the main square.
In the center of the city is Plachutta on Wollzeile- a business lunch favorite
Look to www.plachutta.at
Perhaps the websites will help you decide which fits your likes.
I believe the Restaurant Korso in the Bristol Hotel has a star also- but not certain.

Enjoy!

Steirereck has a good luncheon menu in the restaurant. Similar to evening but much less costly. A favorite special lunch spot for many locals.

Charley1965

Excellent, thanks very much for the recommendations! Do you think that the hotel restaurants will open as usual on 8th December? I know that Steirereck is closed as I've already checked with them. Thanks

molker

December 8 is a religious Holiday here.
It is the Day of the Immaculate Conception and Austria is very much a Catholic country.
Try the others , Morwald will probably be open, perhaps Plachutta.

Charley1965

I've sent emails to ask whether they're open on this day, so that will determine which restaurants we visit on certain days. The birthday dinner is on the 9th and I do want to visit Steirereck, so I may choose this for the birthday dinner, seeing as it is closed on the 8th. However, I also want to secure a booking for the 8th as alot of restaurants will be shut.

Charley1965

Just in case anyone else needs to know the restaurants that are closed on 8th December 2005. I've heard back from Morwald and they are closed, as is Steirereck. The Korso have confirmed that they are open and the Altwienerhof has not yet made a decision.

Thanks for all the replies. I think we will go to Steirereck and the Korso and I also think we will go to the Sweep on our first evening, as I do like the look of it and it's very close to where we are staying.