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$ | 1st District | Café
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.
Michaelerplatz 2, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
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$ | 1st District |
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.
Dorotheergasse 6, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Buchteln, a baked sweet bun with a sweet filling
- Famous former guests
- Impressive art collection
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$$ | 1st District |
The café, named after the monument to Mozart (now in the Burggarten) that once stood outside, is overrun with sightseers, but the waiters manage to remain calm even when customers run them ragged. Crystal chandeliers, a brass-and-oak interior, comfortable seating, and delicious food—the Tafelspitz is excellent—add to its popularity. With the Opera just behind the café, this is a fine place for an after-performance snack; be on the lookout for opera divas here for the same reason.
Albertinaplatz 2, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Tafelspitz that locals love
- Fabulous decor
- Role in the classic movie The Third Man
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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 |
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.
Kärntnerring 17, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Large outdoor terrace
- Live piano music Wednesday, Friday, and weekends
- Late-night hours
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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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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$ | 6th District/Mariahilf |
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.
Naschmarkt Stand 412–415, Vienna, Vienna, 1060, Austria
Known For
- Mostly Turkish cuisine, including falafel and tzatziki
- Fun market atmosphere
- Breakfast until 4pm
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$ | 6th District/Mariahilf |
This lively cafe-restaurant, conveniently located next to the Naschmarkt, is best known for its breakfast (served until 4 pm every day) and for its classic coffee house feel with contemporary decor (one wall is decorated with ripped posters.) Lunch options like baked sweet potato, homemade sage gnocchi, and Styrian baked chicken (a classic dish from Styria, a region in Austria known for its wine and food) hold their own to brunch favorites like avocado toast with poached eggs and salmon and blueberry pancakes. It's a popular stop for a late-afternoon cocktail or late-night coffee.
Linke Wienzeile 22, Vienna, Vienna, 1060, Austria
Known For
- Excellent breakfasts
- Open late
- Popular with a cool crowd
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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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$$ | 1st District |
Neatly tucked away in a quiet and quaint area of the Old City, this ancient inn goes back half a millennium (Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert all dined here). Yes, it's touristy, yet the food, including all the classic hearty dishes like goulash soup, Wiener schnitzel, and Apfelstrudel, is as good as that in many other beisl. You can hear its age in the creaking floorboards when you walk through some of the small, dark-wood-panel rooms. The Mark Twain room has walls and ceiling covered with signatures of the famed who have been served here.
Fleischmarkt 11, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Old-world charm
- Classic Austrian dishes
- Famous patrons
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | 3rd District/Landstrasse |
Each morning, the bread here is baked fresh—kneaded by hand—using what the owners call an ancient recipe that uses only organic ingredients. All of the breads are whole grain, and include varieties such as honey lavender, sourdough walnut, and sourdough pumpkinseed. The ambience is pristine factory meets Old Europe: a Styrian stone floor and dangling chandeliers alongside sleek, modern baking ovens. The adjacent daytime bistro serves excellent lunch menus (which often includes some of their excellent bread, of course).
Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 4, Vienna, Vienna, 1030, Austria
Known For
- Amazing flavors of bread including honey lavender and sourdough walnut
- Delicious breakfast menu
- Bright and airy
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$$$ | 1st District | Austrian
A few doors down from the Hofburg Palace, Julius Meinl am Graben opened as a caterer to the Habsburgs in 1862 and has remained Vienna's most posh grocery store. On the first floor up is a cozy salon, all dark wood and deep-orange banquettes. The window tables have stunning views over the Kohlmarkt. Allow the excellent staff to guide you through the daily changing menu with their expertise and charm. Note: after 7 pm you enter via an outdoor elevator on Naglergasse.
Graben 19, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and first 3 wks in Aug.
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$ | 1st District |
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.
Franziskanerplatz 3, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
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$ | 1st District | Fast Food
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.
Graben 19, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$ | 1st District |
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).
Schottengasse 3, Vienna, Vienna, A-1010, Austria
Known For
- Fantastic wine cellar
- Several centuries of history
- Roast pork and other Austrian classics
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Credit cards accepted