9 Best Restaurants in Day Trips from Vienna, Austria

This historic covered market still has a handful of fresh fruit, vegetable, and seafood stands, but most people come today for the varied dining and drinking options. Whether you're in the mood for Spanish tapas, Chinese noodles, or Austrian leberkässemmel (a kind of meatloaf sandwich), you'll find it here—along with great stops for coffee, cakes, beer, and wine. Most of the dining options close between 6 and 8 pm, so it's a better option for lunch than dinner.

The Schandl family of Rust is one of the best-known wine growers of the Neusiedl Lake area; their devotees come for wine tastings and stay for dinner. The simple but satisfying menu includes fish soup, pork schnitzel, and cabbage stew, as well as various cold cuts, cheeses, and other snacks designed to complement the wine.

One of Austria's grand old coffeehouses, this is the only one of its kind in Upper Austria. It's the perfect place to savor a cup of coffee, read the newspapers, and enjoy a light meal. Ask for the specialty, Linzertorte (almond cake with jam) with your coffee, or try the homemade apfelstrudel.

In the heart of the medieval Altstadt is this storybook stone cottage run by Ulli Amon-Jell (pronounced yell), who serves the tried-and-true recipes of her grandmother and great-grandmother, with a bit of her own modern flair added to the mix. Snails au gratin in garlic herb butter, roast kidneys with bacon and onion, and gazpacho with buttery Parmesan dumplings are popular items on the menu. There are always lighter fish and vegetarian dishes, too, but the chef's motto is "no one goes home hungry from my tavern." Leave room for dessert if you possibly can, as the homemade marillenknödel (warm, apricot-filled dumplings) are a delight.  Book ahead in summer for a table under the grape arbor in the small, secluded outdoor dining area.

A short walk east from the heart of town, this popular restaurant and wine bar serves inventive twists on Austrian classics: think spinach and feta cheese strudel with garlic sauce, chanterelle mushroom goulash with bread dumplings, and spicy turkey cordon bleu with cranberries and salad. The portions are hearty, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. Choose from an extensive list of Austrian wines to accompany your meal.

It's hard to imagine a more idyllic setting for a memorable meal than this lovely restaurant in Unterloiben, a five-minute drive southeast of Dürnstein—especially if the weather is nice and tables are set out in the fragrant apple orchard. One of the oldest restaurants in the area, its kitchen offers inventive variations on regional themes, like Wachau fish soup, crispy roast duck, and foie gras parfait.

The atmosphere here is that of a spacious, contemporary gasthaus, with a fabulous roofed garden filled with flowers. The varied menu of regional cuisine is reasonably priced and has a touch of the Mediterranean, with plenty of vegetarian options available. Nevertheless, the highlights are traditionally Austrian and meaty; the steak tartare, the Tafelspitz (boiled beef), and the size-of-your-head schnitzels. The place is easy to find; just look for the theater in the heart of the Altstadt.

This lovingly renovated burgher's house—the town's oldest, built in the 1500s below the even-older Fischerkirche—houses an excellent and imaginative restaurant run by owner and head chef Michael Mooslechner. The menu depends on what's fresh but typically includes local specialties like Wiener schnitzel, Styrian fried chicken, and Esterhazy goulash with spätzle (egg noodles). Finish with the delicious cheese-curd and apricot strudel with whipped cream. In summer, sit out front for views across the main square, including the stork nests on the roofs of Weingut Conrad and the Rathauskeller. There are also four light and spacious apartments available to rent from €160 per night.

This riverside bar-restaurant, overlooking the landing station from which the Danube to Melk cruises depart, makes a lovely spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Local specialties like freshly-caught fish and flammkuchen (a pizza-like pie slathered in crème fraîche, onions, and bacon bits) sit alongside no-fuss favorites like burritos, burgers, and steaks. Come in the evening to watch the sun slowly set over the river as you eat.