Vienna Restaurants

1. Balthasar

One of Vienna's most popular third-wave coffeehouses brews and lives up to its hype and long lines with exceptional coffee, stylish decor, delicious baked goods and sandwiches, and a sustainable focus. It's also just a cool place to hang with all the cool people. The patrons are a mix of locals tapping away on laptops over lattes and visitors enjoying the people-watching and the small selection of wine and bubbly.

2. Café Central

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.

3. Café Landtmann

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.

4. Café Sacher

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.

5. Cafe Sperl

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.

6. Das Loft

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.

7. Demel

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.

8. Demel

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.

9. Haas & Haas Teahouse

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.

10. Konstantin Filippou

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.

11. Neni am Naschmarkt

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.

12. Restaurant Edvard

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.

13. Restaurant Grüne Bar

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.

14. Steirereck im Stadtpark

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.

15. Vollpension

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.

16. Zum Schwarzen Kameel

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.

17. Aida

18. Amerlingbeisl

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.

19. Café Ansari

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.

20. Café Frauenhuber

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.