Top 5 at a glance:
- Gasthaus Pöschl — Best traditional Beisl, Tafelspitz — EUR 15–22
- Bitzinger Würstelstand — Late-night sausage by the opera — EUR 4–6
- Steirereck — World-class fine dining — EUR 160+ tasting menu
- Mochi — Japanese-Viennese fusion — EUR 14–28
- Café Central — Coffee house classics, atmosphere — EUR 8–16
Introduction#
If you’re figuring out where to eat in Vienna, forget the generic “Top 10” lists that send you to the same three overpriced restaurants on Graben. Viennese food culture runs deep — this is a city where people argue about which Beisl makes the best Tafelspitz the way other cities argue about football. The food here is heavy, honest, and unapologetic. Pork, beef, dumplings, cream sauces, and pastries that could bring you to tears.
I’ve lived in and around Vienna for years, and the restaurants on this list are places I actually go back to. Some are famous, some aren’t. A few are expensive, most aren’t. What they all have in common: the food is good, the prices are fair for what you get, and you won’t feel like you just walked into a tourist extraction machine. Whether you want a EUR 4 Käsekrainer at a sausage stand or a EUR 200 tasting menu at one of the world’s best restaurants, Vienna delivers.
Quick Reference: All 20 Restaurants#
| # | Restaurant | Cuisine | Price (mains) | District | Must-Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Figlmüller | Traditional | EUR 16–19 | 1st | Schnitzel |
| 2 | Plachutta | Traditional | EUR 20–30 | 1st | Tafelspitz |
| 3 | Gasthaus Pöschl | Traditional | EUR 13–22 | 1st | Zwiebelrostbraten |
| 4 | Zum Schwarzen Kameel | Traditional | EUR 15–35 | 1st | Open-face sandwiches |
| 5 | Bitzinger Würstelstand | Sausage stand | EUR 4–6 | 1st | Käsekrainer |
| 6 | Glacis Beisl | Traditional | EUR 14–22 | 7th | Backhendl |
| 7 | NENI am NENI | Middle Eastern | EUR 14–24 | 2nd | Cauliflower dish |
| 8 | Mochi | Japanese-Viennese | EUR 14–28 | 1st | Ramen or gyoza |
| 9 | Swing Kitchen | Vegan fast food | EUR 8–13 | Multiple | Vegan burger |
| 10 | ON Market | International | EUR 12–20 | 1st | Daily special |
| 11 | Kojiro | Japanese | EUR 12–18 | 6th | Udon |
| 12 | Trzesniewski | Sandwiches | EUR 1.50 each | 1st | Mixed selection |
| 13 | Maschu Maschu | Israeli/Falafel | EUR 8–12 | 1st/2nd | Falafel plate |
| 14 | Naschmarkt stalls | Mixed street food | EUR 5–14 | 6th | Depends on stall |
| 15 | University Mensa | Cafeteria | EUR 5–8 | 9th | Daily Menü |
| 16 | Café Central | Coffee house | EUR 8–18 | 1st | Apfelstrudel + Melange |
| 17 | Café Hawelka | Coffee house | EUR 6–12 | 1st | Buchteln |
| 18 | Demel | Pastry/café | EUR 8–16 | 1st | Sachertorte |
| 19 | Steirereck | Fine dining | EUR 160+ | 3rd | Tasting menu |
| 20 | Mraz & Sohn | Fine dining | EUR 140+ | 20th | Tasting menu |
Traditional Viennese (Beisl & Gasthäuser)#
This is the backbone of Viennese eating. A Beisl is essentially a pub-restaurant — small, no-frills, family-run, with a menu of dishes that haven’t changed in decades. If you only eat at one type of restaurant in Vienna, make it a Beisl.
1. Figlmüller#
Bäckerstraße 6, 1st District | U1/U3 Stephansplatz | Mains: EUR 16–19
Let’s get this one out of the way. Figlmüller is famous for its plate-sized Wiener Schnitzel, and it’s in every guidebook on the planet. So — is it a tourist trap? Honestly, it’s complicated. The schnitzel is genuinely good. It’s pounded thin, fried perfectly, and hangs off the plate. The issue is the line (often 45+ minutes), the cramped seating, and the fact that you’re paying a premium for the name.
Most Viennese I know have been once, said “yeah, that’s good,” and never gone back because the wait isn’t worth it when other places serve comparable schnitzels without the circus.
What to order: The classic Wiener Schnitzel (EUR 17.50). Don’t bother with anything else on the menu.
2. Plachutta#
Wollzeile 38, 1st District | U1/U3 Stephansplatz | Mains: EUR 20–30
Plachutta is the Tafelspitz restaurant in Vienna. Tafelspitz — boiled beef served in its own broth with apple-horseradish sauce and roasted potatoes — was Emperor Franz Joseph’s favorite dish, and Plachutta has turned it into an art form. The beef arrives in a copper pot, still simmering. You drink the broth first, then eat the meat with the sauces.
It’s not cheap, but the quality of the beef is outstanding and the portions are enormous. The dining room feels properly old-Vienna without being kitschy.
What to order: Tafelspitz (EUR 28.90). There are actually seven different cuts of boiled beef on the menu — Tafelspitz is the classic, but Schulterscherzl is fattier and arguably better.
3. Gasthaus Pöschl#
Weihburggasse 17, 1st District | U1/U3 Stephansplatz | Mains: EUR 13–22
This is my go-to recommendation for someone who wants a real Viennese Beisl experience in the city center. Pöschl is small, wood-paneled, unpretentious, and serves food that’s better than it needs to be for the price. The Zwiebelrostbraten (roast beef smothered in fried onions) is one of the best in the city.
It gets busy, especially on weekends. The tables are close together and the service is efficient rather than warm — which is exactly how a Beisl should feel.
What to order: Zwiebelrostbraten (EUR 19.80) or the Kalbsleber (calf’s liver, EUR 16.50) if you’re adventurous.
4. Zum Schwarzen Kameel#
Bognergasse 5, 1st District | U3 Herrengasse | Sandwiches: EUR 3–5 | Restaurant mains: EUR 25–40
Schwarzen Kameel has two personalities. The front is a standing-room deli counter where well-dressed Viennese crowd in for open-face sandwiches (Brötchen) and a glass of wine at lunch. The back is a proper sit-down restaurant with white tablecloths and higher prices.
For a quick, affordable, and authentically Viennese experience, skip the restaurant and eat at the counter. The beef tartare Brötchen and the salmon ones are excellent. Stand there with your Grüner Veltliner and watch the city’s lawyers and bankers do the same thing they’ve been doing here since 1618.
What to order: A selection of 3–4 Brötchen (EUR 3–5 each) and a glass of Austrian white wine.
5. Bitzinger Würstelstand#
Albertinaplatz, 1st District | U1/U2/U4 Karlsplatz | EUR 4–6
Every Viennese neighborhood has its Würstelstand (sausage stand), but Bitzinger behind the Staatsoper is the most famous — and for once, the famous one is also the good one. You’ll find opera-goers in tuxedos standing next to taxi drivers at 11 PM, all eating Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage) with a Pfiff (small beer) or Sekt (sparkling wine).
What to order: Käsekrainer with mustard and a Semmel (bread roll), EUR 4.90. The Bosna (spiced sausage in a baguette) is also excellent.
6. Glacis Beisl#
Breite Gasse 4, 7th District (MuseumsQuartier) | U2 Museumsquartier | Mains: EUR 14–22
Tucked against the outer wall of the MuseumsQuartier, Glacis Beisl has one of the best garden terraces in Vienna. In summer, you sit under old trees and eat solid Viennese cooking. The Backhendl (fried chicken, the Viennese version) is crispy and juicy. The Schweinsbraten (roast pork) comes with perfect bread dumplings.
It’s popular with locals from the 7th district and museum visitors who wander out the back entrance. Not a secret, but never overrun with tour groups.
What to order: Backhendl (EUR 16.80) or the seasonal specials.
Modern & International#
Vienna’s food scene has exploded in the last decade. You can eat incredible Japanese, Middle Eastern, Korean, and plant-based food here — often cooked by people who’ve fused these traditions with Austrian ingredients.
7. NENI am NENI#
Taborstraße 39, 2nd District | U2 Taborstraße | Mains: EUR 14–24
Haya Molcho’s NENI brand started in Vienna (at the 25hours Hotel rooftop), and this Taborstraße location is the original restaurant. The food is Israeli-Middle Eastern — lots of sharing plates, grilled meats, hummus, and cauliflower prepared in ways you didn’t think were possible.
The vibe is loud, social, and colorful. Perfect for groups. The menu is designed for sharing, so order 3–4 dishes for two people.
What to order: The whole roasted cauliflower (EUR 16) and the lamb kofta (EUR 19).
8. Mochi#
Praterstraße 15, 2nd District | U1 Nestroyplatz | Mains: EUR 14–28
Mochi serves Japanese food filtered through a Viennese lens. The ramen is rich and properly made (rare in Vienna), the gyoza are handmade, and they do a killer karaage (Japanese fried chicken). The original location on Praterstraße is small and fills up fast.
They’ve expanded to a few locations, but the Praterstraße one still has the best energy — lively, a bit cramped, with an open kitchen.
What to order: The tonkotsu ramen (EUR 16) or the gyoza plate (EUR 14).
9. Swing Kitchen#
Multiple locations (Schottenfeldgasse, Operngasse, others) | EUR 8–13
The best vegan fast food in Vienna, and honestly some of the best vegan burgers I’ve had anywhere. Swing Kitchen’s patties are made in-house, the buns are fresh, and the “cheese” actually melts properly. Even committed meat-eaters I’ve dragged here admit the burgers are good.
It’s fast food, so don’t expect table service or ambiance. You order at the counter, grab a seat, and eat a burger that happens to be entirely plant-based.
What to order: The Swing Burger (EUR 9.90) with sweet potato fries.
10. ON Market#
Freyung 1, 1st District | U2 Schottentor | Mains: EUR 12–20
A modern market-style restaurant in the Palais Ferstel passage. ON has a daily-changing menu built around whatever is fresh at the market that morning. The cooking leans Mediterranean-international — grain bowls, grilled fish, seasonal salads — but done with care and real ingredients.
Great for a weekday lunch when you want something lighter than schnitzel.
What to order: Whatever the daily special is. Seriously, just ask what’s fresh.
11. Kojiro#
Gumpendorfer Straße 71, 6th District | U4 Pilgramgasse | Mains: EUR 12–18
A tiny, no-frills Japanese spot that serves the best udon in Vienna. Run by a Japanese chef who takes noodles seriously. The broth is made from scratch, the noodles have the right chew, and the portions are generous. The space is minimal — maybe 20 seats.
What to order: Niku udon (beef udon, EUR 14.50).
Budget Eats#
You can eat very well in Vienna for under EUR 10. You just need to know where to look.
12. Trzesniewski#
Dorotheergasse 1, 1st District | U1/U3 Stephansplatz | EUR 1.50 per sandwich
This Vienna institution has been making tiny open-face sandwiches since 1902. Each one is about three bites — egg and anchovy, salmon and cream cheese, paprika and onion — and costs around EUR 1.50. You pick 5–6 of them, grab a Pfiff (a tiny beer, EUR 1.40), and you’ve had lunch for under EUR 10.
The original Dorotheergasse location is small and always busy. Point at what you want through the glass, pay, eat standing. The whole thing takes 15 minutes.
What to order: A mixed selection of 5–6 different Brötchen.
13. Maschu Maschu#
Rabensteig 8, 1st District | U1/U4 Schwedenplatz | EUR 8–12
The best falafel in the city center. Maschu Maschu serves Israeli street food — falafel plates, shawarma, hummus — at reasonable prices. The falafel is crispy outside, soft inside, and they’re generous with the toppings and sauces.
There’s also a location on Leopoldsgasse in the 2nd district which is slightly less crowded.
What to order: The falafel plate with all the toppings (EUR 10.90).
14. Naschmarkt Stalls#
Naschmarkt, 6th District | U4 Kettenbrückengasse | EUR 5–14
Vienna’s biggest and most famous market. The sit-down restaurants along the Naschmarkt are overpriced and mediocre — skip those. Instead, eat at the food stalls. Get olives and cheese from the Turkish and Greek vendors, grab a falafel, pick up some fresh fruit. Treat it like grazing, not a sit-down meal.
The Naschmarkt is open Monday to Saturday, roughly 6 AM to 7:30 PM (food stalls close earlier on Saturdays).
What to order: Mix and match. The Turkish bread stalls and olive vendors in the middle section are the best value.
15. University Mensa (Mensa der Universität Wien)#
Universitätsstraße 7, 9th District | U2 Schottentor | EUR 5–8
You don’t need a student ID to eat at Vienna’s university cafeterias. The Mensa near the main university campus serves a rotating daily menu — usually a meat option, a vegetarian option, and a soup — for EUR 5–8. It’s not gourmet, but it’s hot, filling, and absurdly cheap by Vienna standards.
What to order: The Tagesmenü (daily menu) — whatever it is, it’s the best value.
Coffee Houses & Cake#
Viennese coffee house culture is UNESCO-listed and it’s not just about the coffee. These are places to sit for hours, read a newspaper, eat cake, and watch the world go by. I’ll cover this in much more depth in a dedicated guide — for now, here are my top picks.
Read more: Best Coffee Houses in Vienna (coming soon)
16. Café Central#
Herrengasse 14, 1st District | U3 Herrengasse | EUR 8–18
The most famous coffee house in Vienna, and it earns it. The vaulted ceilings are spectacular, the Apfelstrudel is made fresh, and the Melange (Vienna’s version of a cappuccino) is exactly right. Yes, there’s often a queue to get in. Yes, there are tourists. But the space itself is genuinely grand in a way that justifies the visit.
What to order: Apfelstrudel (EUR 7.50) with a Wiener Melange (EUR 6.20).
17. Café Hawelka#
Dorotheergasse 6, 1st District | U1/U3 Stephansplatz | EUR 6–12
Where Café Central is grand, Hawelka is dark, cramped, smoky (well, not anymore, but the walls remember), and bohemian. This was the artists’ and writers’ café — you come for the atmosphere, the worn velvet seats, and the Buchteln (warm, jam-filled yeast buns) that come out of the oven at 10 PM every night.
What to order: Buchteln (EUR 5.90, served after 10 PM) and a Brauner (black coffee with a dash of milk).
18. Demel#
Kohlmarkt 14, 1st District | U3 Herrengasse | EUR 8–16
Demel is Vienna’s most famous pastry shop, and its Sachertorte is the center of Vienna’s longest-running food rivalry (Demel vs. Hotel Sacher — each claims theirs is the original). Demel’s version has the apricot jam under the chocolate glaze rather than in the middle. Is it better? I think so, but I’ll get hate mail for saying it.
Beyond the Sachertorte, the pastry display is staggering. The shop itself looks like it hasn’t changed since the 19th century.
What to order: Sachertorte (EUR 8.50) and an Einspänner (strong black coffee with whipped cream).
Fine Dining#
Vienna has several restaurants with Michelin stars and Gault Millau toques. If you want to splurge on one meal, these are the places.
19. Steirereck#
Am Heumarkt 2A, Stadtpark, 3rd District | U4 Stadtpark | Tasting menu: EUR 165+
Steirereck is regularly ranked among the best restaurants in the world. Heinz Reitbauer’s cooking is rooted in Austrian ingredients — freshwater fish, alpine dairy, foraged herbs — prepared with a precision that will ruin other restaurants for you temporarily.
The restaurant sits in a glass pavilion in the Stadtpark, which means the setting is as good as the food. The wine pairings lean heavily on Austrian producers, which is exactly what you want.
What to order: The tasting menu. You don’t come to Steirereck to order à la carte.
20. Mraz & Sohn#
Wallensteinstraße 59, 20th District | U6 Jägerstraße | Tasting menu: EUR 140+
Located far from the tourist center in the 20th district, Mraz & Sohn is proof that Vienna’s best food isn’t all in the 1st. The Mraz brothers run a creative, sometimes playful tasting menu that changes constantly. The cooking is technically brilliant but never pretentious — there’s a sense of humor in the plating and the flavor combinations.
Getting here is part of the charm. You take the U6 to a quiet residential neighborhood, walk past unremarkable apartment blocks, and then sit down to one of the best meals in Austria.
What to order: The tasting menu with wine pairing.
Food Tours: A Smart Way to Start#
If you’re in Vienna for a few days and want to get oriented quickly, a guided food tour is worth considering. A good one will take you through places you’d never find on your own — hidden courtyard Beisln, market stalls the vendors will actually talk to you at, and pastry shops away from the tourist circuit.
I recommend doing a food tour on your first or second day, then using what you learn to guide the rest of your trip.
Naschmarkt Food Tasting Tour
Guided 2.5 hour food tour covering Vienna’s best eating spots — hidden courtyard Beisln, Naschmarkt stalls, and pastry shops away from the tourist circuit. Includes tastings at 5–7 stops.
Practical Tips for Eating in Vienna#
Tipping#
Tip 5–10% at sit-down restaurants. Round up to the nearest euro at cafés and sausage stands. You say the total amount you want to pay when handing over cash — for example, if the bill is EUR 27.50, you say “dreißig” (thirty) to leave a EUR 2.50 tip. If paying by card, add the tip before you tap.
Reservations#
For casual Beisln and sausage stands: not needed. For popular spots like Plachutta, Figlmüller, NENI, and Mochi: reserve or go early. For fine dining (Steirereck, Mraz & Sohn): book weeks in advance.
Lunch Menus (Mittagsmenü)#
This is the single best money-saving trick for eating in Vienna. Most restaurants — including many of the ones on this list — offer a Mittagsmenü between 11:30 AM and 2 PM on weekdays. You get a starter or soup plus a main course for EUR 9–15, at restaurants where dinner mains cost EUR 20+. Always ask “Haben Sie ein Mittagsmenü?” (Do you have a lunch menu?).
Typical Meal Times#
- Breakfast (Frühstück): 7–10 AM. Coffee houses serve breakfast all morning.
- Lunch (Mittagessen): 12–2 PM. This is when the Mittagsmenü deals run.
- Dinner (Abendessen): 6–9 PM. Kitchens close early by international standards — most restaurants stop taking orders by 9:30 or 10 PM.
- Jause: The Viennese afternoon snack, roughly 3–4 PM. Usually cake and coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions#
What is traditional Viennese food?#
Viennese food is Central European comfort cooking. The stars are Wiener Schnitzel (breaded and fried veal cutlet), Tafelspitz (boiled beef with horseradish sauce), Gulasch (paprika-spiced beef stew, borrowed from Hungary), Schweinsbraten (roast pork with dumplings), and Kaiserschmarrn (shredded fluffy pancake with plum compote). Desserts are a big deal — Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, Palatschinken (crepes), and a dozen types of Torte you’ll find in every bakery.
Is Vienna expensive for food?#
It depends on where you eat. A sausage stand meal costs EUR 4–6. Trzesniewski sandwiches and a beer run EUR 10. A solid Beisl dinner is EUR 15–25 per person. Coffee and cake at a famous café is EUR 10–15. Fine dining tasting menus start around EUR 140. Compared to Paris or London, Vienna is slightly cheaper for comparable quality. The Mittagsmenü lunch deals make mid-range restaurants very affordable.
Do I need reservations in Vienna?#
For casual restaurants and Beisln, usually no — just show up early (before 7 PM for dinner). Popular spots like Figlmüller, Plachutta, and NENI fill up and you should book a day or two ahead, especially on weekends. Fine dining restaurants require booking 2–4 weeks in advance. In summer, any restaurant with a garden terrace will be harder to get into without a reservation.
What food is Vienna famous for?#
Wiener Schnitzel is the most iconic dish. After that: Sachertorte (chocolate cake), Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), Tafelspitz (boiled beef), and the entire Kaffeehaus (coffee house) tradition. Vienna is also famous for its sausage stands (Würstelstände), which serve Käsekrainer, Frankfurter, and Bosna at all hours.
Where to eat near Stephansplatz?#
Within a 5-minute walk of Stephansplatz: Figlmüller (Bäckerstraße), Trzesniewski (Dorotheergasse), Gasthaus Pöschl (Weihburggasse), Zum Schwarzen Kameel (Bognergasse), Café Hawelka (Dorotheergasse), and Maschu Maschu (Rabensteig). You won’t go hungry in the 1st district.
What to Read Next#
Vienna’s food scene goes deeper than a single article can cover. I’m working on detailed guides for specific topics:
- Best Schnitzel in Vienna — every great schnitzel in the city, ranked
- Best Coffee Houses in Vienna — the full guide to Kaffeehaus culture
- 3 Days in Vienna: The Perfect Itinerary — where to eat fits into a bigger trip plan
Eat well out there. And if someone tells you the Schnitzel at the hotel restaurant is “just as good” — it isn’t. Get out into the city.
