Eating out in Vienna – five experiences not to miss

Vienna is a city that demands your attention for one particular reason - it oozes class. The architecture is breath taking, the grand cafés are stunning, the shopping will leave you in a frenzy looking for your credit card and, thanks to its palaces, the sightseeing is a step above the rest. Then when it comes to eating out in Vienna, there are some memorable experiences to be savoured in this magnificent city too.

Here are five tips for eating out in Vienna, plus one extra for good measure…

1. ‘Sacher Torte’ in Café Socher, Philharmonikerstrasse 4

Photo courtesy of Mark Norton.

When you go to Naples you try pizza. When you go to Japan you try sushi. And when you go to Vienna you divulge in ‘Sacher Torte’, a cake first made in this café in1832. If truth be told, it isn’t anything revolutionary – it’s chocolate cake with an apricot jam filling. But it’s a local speciality, and it’s said that the recipe has a hidden ingredient that separates it from the rest. If the sound of it doesn’t rock your boat, there are lots of other niceties on offer also.

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2. A sandwich in Zum Schwarzen, Bognergrasse 5

Photo courtesy of My Past.

There’s a lot to choose from in this establishment that first opened its doors in 1618. There’s ‘The Wine Cellar’ for wine buffs, ‘The Pavement Café’ for those who wish to watch Viennese life pass by with a coffee, and ‘The Patisserie’ for those wishing to satisfy their sweet tooth. But what I recommend trying is a sandwich. True, it might not sound too adventurous, but they’re what Zum Schwarzen is famous for. Try anything with meat – sandwiches here are best filled with hand cut ham, or roast beef. The curry and egg one is delicious too.

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3. A sausage roll at a ‘Wurstelstand’

Photo courtesy of bta.

Dotted all over Vienna are ‘wurstelstands’ – kiosks where traders dish out bread roll after bread roll filled with a selection of traditional sausages topped with a sauce (or sauces) of your choice. How it works is simple – you choose your bread, the person serving chops the top off and uses a spear-type apparatus to clear the centre of the roll, making way for the sausage. He or she then pops it in, adds the sauce and hey presto. You’ll have to eat it on the street, but that’s not a bad thing in this city.

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4. Wiener Schnitzel in Gasthaus Poschl, Weihburggasse 17

Photo courtesy of Wolfgang.

Restaurants selling Wiener schnitzel are a dime a dozen in Vienna, so you need to choose where to try one wisely. I did, and as a result found this place just off Kartnerstrasse in the centre of the city. Despite it’s central location, it’s a small restaurant on a small street that’s extremely unassuming. Locals still come here as they know what they’re getting – good quality food at reasonable prices. It can get busy, so booking in advance is advised.

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5. Take your pick at Naschmarkt

Photo courtesy of Gunar Grummt.

Vienna’s best-known food market should be on everybody’s to-do list whether you’re hungry or not. It’s an extremely colourful place thanks to fruit, vegetable, bread and fish stalls, while there are heaps of eateries to sit down and dine in also. ‘Tewa’ offers organic cuisine, Neni dishes out Israeli-Oriental specialities, while Fischviertel is where to go for something from the sea.

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What about nightlife in Vienna?

I’ve spoken to many people who’ve been to Vienna and many of them have come back with the same complaint – ‘I couldn’t find anywhere to go out at night’. That’s because a lot of the best bars aren’t in a centralised nightlife zone, but some of them are…

6. A night out in Vienna’s very own ‘Bermuda Triangle’

Photo courtesy of Alexander Russy.

Not far from Vienna’s landmark Stephansdom is a small area with cobbled streets known as the Bermuda Triangle. This is where you’ll find the city’s highest concentrations of bars. These include ‘Ron Con Soda’ (Seitenstettengasse 5) which is good for cocktails, ‘First Floor Bar’ (Seitenstettengasse 5) just above it which is a very relaxed affair, and ‘The Pub’ (Schottengasse 2), which has a huge selection of beers on tap.

Main photo courtesy of Thomas Abbs.

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