Did you really visit if you didn’t eat well? These are some of the best cafes and restaurants in Vienna!

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Vienna is a great city for art, music, history, and architecture. But it’s also a great city for slow coffee mornings in an elegant cafe, for cozy pub dinners, and of course for wienerschnitzel!

I’ve already shared my tips for choosing hotels, museums, palaces, churches, and free things to do Vienna and everything you need for the Vienna Christmas markets. Here are some of the best restaurants in Vienna to round out your visit!

Viennese Cafes and Breakfast 

You can’t talk about Austrian food and drink without Viennese cafe culture!

Austrian coffee culture was (and is) a big deal here. European intelligentsia would gather over coffee in beautiful coffee shops to discus ideas, current events, philosophy and anything else.

A traditional Viennese cafe will have a variety of coffee drinks, many ornate, but always in a beautiful presentation. A typical breakfast include Austrian breads with jams and hard boiled eggs (literally called the Viennese breakfast, Wiener Frühstück), but many of the more elegant ones these days include hot breakfast food as well.

Want to go traditional? Order a Viennese coffee! It’s an espresso drink topped with a huge dollop of whipped cream and occasionally cocoa powder or even chocolate. The whipped cream is meant to be stirred in a bit as the milk component. It’s served in a tall clear glass to create a dramatic presentation. It’s delish – rich but not sweet, perfect for a coffee lover who wants to try something with a local twist!

Traditional Cafes

Here are a few classic Viennese coffee houses. There are a ton! This is just a sample.

Cafe Central – Cafe Central is the iconic Viennese cafe. You’ll almost certainly have to wait in line, but you can make a reservation if you plan ahead! Pricey but not outrageous in a lovely historic setting. 

Cafe Sperl – I loved Cafe Sperl because it has the historic feel without the tourist presence. You can see the locals lingering over their papers here.

Demel – If you want to wait a little less, head Demel is another great option. They have a truly impressive spread of cakes as well!

Cafe Sacher – Famous for inventing the Sachertorte, a fantastic dessert you’ll find all over Austria and northern Italy. It’s a dark chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under the chocolate frosting. The Sacher family invented it in a pinch for a court dinner and it became so popular that every pastry shop in town tried to copy it! The original recipe was eventually copyrighted, and Café Sacher makes over 1000 daily to keep up with the demand.

Modern Coffee Shops & Cafes

Creme de la Creme – excellent patisserie! Feels more modern French, complete with stunning bites that are just as delicious as they are elegant! 

Kaffeemodul – I always prefer a local coffeeshop over Starbucks, and the coffee is ALWAYS better. Kaffeemodul was perfect for a quick excellent coffee to go as we headed out to a walking tour!

Best Restaurants in Vienna

What to eat in Vienna

Wienerschnitzel originate from Vienna: literally the word means “schnitzel from Vienna.” So you’ll find it on every menu. Technically there are many types of schnitzel; wienerschnitzel should always be made with veal, not pork. It’s worth eating a few times to try and find the best one!

Make sure you try some other typical foods too. Sausages are found everywhere, at every meal. There are tons of types, but my favorite is the Käsekrainer – sausage with bits of cheese inside, and a Christmas market favorite, but you can find it year round!

Knödel is a soup dumpling, and a great choice if you want something filling but not portioned quite so big.

Tafelspitz is also worth mentioning. It’s a beef dish that was Emperor Franz Joseph’s favorite. Basically, it’s boiled until tender and served in slices, sometimes along with the rich broth it was cooked in.

Austrian Restaurants

Figlmuller – This is a must visit! They’re known as one of the best restaurants in Vienna for schnitzel, and it’s a well earned title. It’s worth the wait, but you can make reservations online. They also have two locations within a block of each other so check which has a shorter line if you’re winging it.

Huth Gastwirtschaft – Another great schnitzel place! Make sure to make a reservation if you don’t want to wait in line; there’s always a line here too. This menu has a bunch of other Austrian classics if you want to venture beyond wienerschnitzel.

Fromme Helene – I loved Fromme Helene because it was close to the center and our hotel, but clearly was a local place. Most of the guests went straight in as if they had a standing weekly table! Go here for Austrian staples without tourists.

Schnitzelwirt – Schnitzelwirt is known for having a great traditional Austrian menu, but cheaper than you’ll find anywhere else. The servings here are massive – a big claim considering that Austrian portions in general are huge. It’s also cash only, so make sure you plan ahead!

Zattl Wirtshaus & Biergarten – If the weather’s good, Zattl is the perfect space to relax with a beer for an hour or two! The outdoor seating is tucked away but still in the historic center. Their menu is more classic Austrian fare. Don’t worry, if beer isn’t your thing, they have plenty of wine on the menu too.

International Restaurants

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get tired of Austrian food after a few days. You need to include some other flavor palates to mix it up! Here are a few of my favorites.

Aroi Thai – Great Thai food here, and they do a good variety of spice levels. It’s in the 6th district, near some of Vienna’s major shopping, so it’s an easy stop if you want to get off your feet!

Ra’mien – Ra’mien serves pan-Asian flavors, mostly in soups and dumplings. The beef noodle soup was amazing! It’s only a few blocks away from the MuseumsQuartier, making it an easy lunch break after a museum.

Yi Pin Bu Yi – If you’re hoping for an experience as well as a meal, get hot pot! Hot pot is a Chinese tradition of cooking bits of meat, seafood, and veggies in a stock table side. It’s the same as doing a meat/veggie fondue course. It’s delicious, fun, and perfect for a group!

These are just a few of the best restaurants in Vienna, but I hope they help!

Deciding where else to travel nearby? Try Bratislava,  Budapest, Salzburg, or Trieste!