What to Eat in Vienna? Food & Venue Guide

by Abbas Jahangir · June 27, 2021

Contents

Vienna Travel Guide: Sightseeing, Food, Venue

Austria’s capital at the same time with its undeniable beauty and cultural flair: Vienna. Its stunning architectural structure can catch your eye wherever you visit its streets, and you may want to take a photo everywhere, without the need for any historical building! Apart from its architectural splendor, the city has a special place in the minds of even those who have visited it before, with its coffee, food, and Viennese chocolate.

What to Eat in Vienna?

Wiener Schnitzel (Vienna Schnitzel)
The Sachertorte
Apfelstrudel
Spargel
Melange (Vienna Coffee)
Tafelspitz
Goulash
Kaiserschmarrn

Classical music, art, opera, intellectual population, magnificent venues, cultural landscapes and many more are the details that distinguish this city from most European cities with sharp lines. Especially sometimes you just want to sit, you want to sit quietly and watch the city; just then, those magnificent parks will come to your rescue, where you will find peace. So much so that Vienna is a city with 2 parks in each neighborhood.

Where is Vienna?

Vienna, the capital of Austria, which has borders with eight countries, is also located in the center of Central Europe.
According to 2017 data, it is the most populous city in the country with a population of 1,868,000 and is located at the point where the Alps end in the east.

What to Eat in Vienna? Food & Venue Guide

We are at the place to talk about Viennese food and this is our favorite part! It is a great pleasure to answer the question of what to eat in Vienna. When it comes to Vienna, of course, everything is more beautiful. It is so difficult to decide what to eat in Vienna that the menus with a thousand varieties can seriously challenge you.

Starting off by saying where and what to eat in Vienna, we have listed a few dishes from traditional Viennese cuisine to make the job a little easier for you, and we have also added notes on where you can find these foods, so let’s move on to our list:

Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History)

1) Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese Schnitzel)

The main character of the list of what to do and eat in Vienna: Wiener schnitzel. This food, which is one of the national dishes of Austria and among the favorite options in Viennese cuisine, is the most famous food of the city. The size and price of the cutlet, which is made from a thin fried beef or chicken meat, sometimes with breadcrumbs on it, can also vary according to your preferences. Don’t leave without enjoying the Viennese schnitzel, which you can usually see served with a slice of lemon or potato!

Reliable Vienna restaurants where you can try Wiener schnitzel:

Schnitzelwirt (Neubaugasse 52, Vienna 1070, Austria)
ef16 Restaurant Weinbar (Fleischmarkt 16 | 1010 Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria)
Pürstner (Riemergasse 10, Vienna 1010, Austria)

2) The Sachertorte

When you look at the Vienna food guide, you will also see desserts. Sachertorte is another pride of Austrian cuisine, its dessert. It is possible to find different flavors such as apricot, fig, cherry jam or jelly in the layers of the cake decorated with chocolate filling. Those who go to Vienna should definitely try the sachertorte, which is one of the tops of the list of these Viennese sweets, which also has a very intense chocolate consistency, and they should not deprive themselves of this taste!

Here are our venue recommendations for those who want to try The Sachertorte:

Cafe Sacher Wien (Philharmonikerstrasse 4, Vienna 1010, Austria)
Demel (Kohlmarkt 14, 1010 Wien, Austria)

3) Apfelstrudel

Another favorite Austrian specialty among Viennese desserts: Apfestrudel. It is not possible to talk about Vienna in particular; because this food is one of the most popular foods in all of Austria and even throughout Eastern Europe. This flavor, which you can find in bakeries, cafes or restaurants, is not a bit heavier than American donuts and pies. In general, apfelstrudels with hazelnut, chocolate-filled, apple, grape and lemon varieties are served decorated with powdered sugar. One of the delicacies you must taste with Viennese coffee! Let’s say that you will give our venue suggestions, but first of all, the popularity of this dessert has increased with Demel Patisserie. The place is located on Graben, the most famous street in Vienna. You can find it on Kohlmarkt Street by going in the direction of the Plague Monument from the metro station.

Here are some suggestions for places where you can taste Apfelstrudel:

Strudelshow in der Hofbackstube Schonbrunn (Kavalierstrakt 52, 1130 Wien, Austria)
Café Landtmann (Universitätsring 4, 1010 Wien, Austria)

4) Spargel

If you have been to Vienna in the spring, this recommendation is for you: Spargel. As it is known, especially asparagus is very famous in Vienna. Among the famous dishes of Vienna, there are many recipes in which asparagus is the main ingredient. The tastiest green and white asparagus are often grown in the country, and different recipes create the tastiest mixes. This food is one of those delicacies. If you want to try spargel, which has many options from its variety simply served with lemon and butter to its soup or special rolled roll recipes, you should not miss the opportunity.

Place suggestions for those who want to try Spargel:

Zum Lieben Augustin (Reinprechtsdorfer Strasse 47, Vienna 1050, Austria)
Rathaus Korneuburg – Cafe – Bar – Restaurant (Hauptplatz 39, Korneuburg 2100, Austria)

5) Melange (Vienna Brown)

The question of what to eat in Vienna can be extended to what to eat and drink in Vienna. In this case, coffee comes first among the suggestions to be given as a beverage. Just like Paris and Rome, Vienna is one of the capitals of coffee. In fact, the story of coffee dates back to the 18th-20th centuries, until the Ottoman siege of Vienna. It is said that at that time, Ottoman coffee houses were left behind and the captives taught how to make coffee and Vienna’s connection with coffee was born in this way. Melange, which is similar to a cappuccino but does not use cocoa powder, is the name of the delicious coffees created by Vienna by adding a bit of itself. The Viennese melange is originally half filled with milk, half with frothed milk, and is served with the addition of a special mixture.

Some suggestions for places where you can taste Melange:

Melange (Ketzergasse 30, 1230 Wien, Austria)
Gerstner KuK Hofzuckerbacker (Kaerntner Strasse 51, Vienna 1010, Austria)
Buchcafé Melange (Reindorfgasse 42, 1150 Wien, Austria)

6) Tafelspitz

If you like meat dishes, you will also like Tafelspitz, which stands out with its different preparations among Viennese dishes. Tafelspitz is one of the famous Austrian foods that includes vegetables in broth, garnished with spices, and thinly cut veal, which is the most important element in its content. Everyone who passes through Vienna must taste the tafelspitzi, which is one of the foods that are not missing on the table in the Austrian Empires.

Here are our venue recommendations for those who want to try the Tafelspitz:

Plachutta (Wollzeile 38, 1010 Wien, Austria)
Plachutta Hietzing (Auhofstraße 1, 1130 Wien, Austria)

www.kuechengoetter.de

7) Goulash

A kind of Viennese soup whose taste is hidden in its simplicity: Goulash. You can call it stew, actually, because it can change in parallel with what you add to it. Although the main ingredients are usually meat and spices, different goulash can be created with different flavors such as tomato sauce, meatballs, noodles and rice. Viennese soup Goulash has an important place in the food culture of the region.

Some suggestions for places to taste goulash in Vienna:

Gulasch & Soehne Vienna (10-12, Schubertring, 1010 Wien, Austria)
Ilona Stüberl ètterem (Bräunerstraße 2, 1010 Wien, Austria)

Kaiserschmarrn

Vienna’s admiration for sweets also influenced Viennese cuisine, leading to the creation of delicious products. Kaiserschmarrn is one of these delicacies. Since it is Emperor Franz Joseph’s favorite dessert, it is also known as ‘Emperor’s Pancake’ in some places. If you don’t be fooled by the strange name, the pancakes we know as taste and texture are actually just a little bit smaller. You should definitely experience this Viennese dessert, which is flavored by using components such as apple pieces, raisins or hazelnuts.

For those who want to try Kaiserschmarrn, we recommend some flavor points:

Heindls Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl (Köllnerhofgasse/Grashofgasse 4, 1010 Wien, Austria)
Café Central (Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien, Austria)
Café Landtmann (Universitätsring 4, 1010 Wien, Austria)

What to do in Vienna Top Activities

Take a closer look at baroque architecture by visiting the Schönrunn and Hofburg Palaces.
Definitely Viennese cuisine; Taste your schnitzel, coffee, chocolate.
Join one of the world-famous operas and witness how music touches your soul.
Sit and sip your coffee with pleasure in its small natural parks.
Climb to the Stephansdom Cathedral and get a bird’s eye view of Vienna.
Check out the original version of The Kiss at the Belvedere Museum.
If you go to Vienna during the New Year’s holiday, you can go ice skating at the Rathaus and go to the Christmas Market.