Where to eat in Vienna
Vienna eats Austrian: schnitzel, Tafelspitz, strudel and cake in a coffee house, with wine at a Heuriger on the edge of the city. The old restaurants are the best. Eat a schnitzel at lunch, take your time over coffee, and book dinner on weekends.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Innere Stadt for classics, the Naschmarkt for lunch and the Heurigen on the edge of the city.
- Order this
- Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz and Sachertorte with coffee.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12, dinner from 6pm. Heurigen open in the afternoon.
- Book or walk in
- Book Friday and Saturday dinner. Coffee houses take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Round up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent and say the total.
What to eat in Vienna
- Wiener SchnitzelA thin veal cutlet, breaded and fried, served with potato salad and lemon.
- TafelspitzBoiled beef with apple horseradish and chive sauce, the emperor's favorite.
- SachertorteA chocolate cake with apricot jam, served with whipped cream.
- ApfelstrudelApple strudel in thin pastry, served warm.
- KaiserschmarrnA shredded sweet pancake with plum compote.
- WurstelA sausage from a stand, with mustard and bread, a late night snack.
Where to eat in Vienna, by neighborhood
Innere Stadt
Traditional restaurants and coffee houses. Classic and busy.
Naschmarkt and Wieden
A market with stalls and restaurants, and good places in the streets nearby.
Leopoldstadt
Varied restaurants and a local market, near the Prater.
Heurigen on the edge
Wine taverns in Grinzing, Nussdorf and Stammersdorf, reached by tram.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Figlmüller Wollzeile
€€Schnitzel house · Innere Stadt
OrderWiener Schnitzel
A schnitzel house serving large cutlets since 1905, run by the fourth generation.
- Book
- Book ahead
Confirmed open: figlmueller.at
-
Café Central
€€Coffee house · Innere Stadt
OrderMelange and cake
A grand coffee house in the Palais Ferstel, open since 1876.
- Book
- Walk in, expect a queue
Confirmed open: cafecentral.wien
-
Café Sperl
€Coffee house · Mariahilf
OrderMelange and a pastry
A coffee house of 1880 with billiard tables, marble tables and bentwood chairs.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: cafesperl.at
-
Plachutta Wollzeile
€€€Restaurant · Innere Stadt
OrderTafelspitz
A restaurant known for its boiled beef, with the original on Wollzeile.
- Book
- Book ahead
Confirmed open: tripadvisor.com
Food markets in Vienna
- NaschmarktA long market with stalls, delis and restaurants, and a Saturday flea market.Monday to Friday 6am to 9pm, Saturday 6am to 6pm, closed SundaySource: naschmarkt-wien.at
How Vienna eats
- Meal timesLunch from 12 and dinner from 6pm.
- Coffee housesSit as long as you like. You pay when the waiter comes.
- TippingRound up the bill by 5 to 10 per cent and say the total.
- HeurigenWine taverns serve their own wine with a cold buffet.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tourist menu with photographs of every dish.
Costumed touts selling concert tickets.
A coffee house with plastic cake displays.
Eating in Vienna: questions people ask
What food is Vienna known for?
Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, Sachertorte and Apfelstrudel. Coffee houses are an institution.
Where should I eat in Vienna?
The Innere Stadt for classics, the Naschmarkt for lunch and a Heuriger for an evening.
What is a Heuriger?
A wine tavern that serves its own wine and simple food, usually on the edge of the city.
Do I need to book in Vienna?
On weekends, yes, for popular restaurants. Coffee houses take walk-ins.