Vienna travel guide
Food and drink
The fact that Viennese is the name of a specific cuisine says a lot about the city’s culinary history and significance. It’s the capital of strudel, schnitzel, sausages and sachertorte. And what would Vienna be without its singular coffeehouse culture?
Zum Schwarzen Kameel, Innere Stadt
Owner Peter Friese has headed this Viennese institution since 1977 but Kameel (as it’s affectionately known) has been around for almost four centuries. Kameel remains “one of the most egalitarian places in Vienna”, says Friese. “Here a president can sit next to a labourer.” The restaurant had a makeover in 1901 and today is a wonderful example of art nouveau décor, with its tiled walls, hanging half-moon lamps and wood panelling. The menu is skewed towards classics such as schnitzel and goulash. In the bar, people sit at the dark-wood counter or stand around chest-high tables eating small sandwiches that were introduced by Friese’s late mother. Kameel also has an impressive cellar with more than 800 wines on offer.
5 Bognergasse, 1010+43 (0)1 5338 12511
kameel.at
Volksgarten Pavillon, Innere Stadt
This 1950s-style pavilion with views of Heldenplatz is a perfect place to stop off for a coffee or evening drinks. You might be in the city centre but you will feel as though you are at a garden party surrounded by soaring trees and colourful flowers. During the summer months the pavilion also hosts barbecues – head chef Matthias Zykan cooks up a feast on an oversized grill.
Volksgarten, 1010+43 (0)1 532 0907
volksgarten-pavillon.at
Unger und Klein, Innere Stadt
Bar-cum-shop Unger und Klein is a meeting place in Vienna’s textile quarter for wine lovers who are looking for something new. Displaying a selection of the best global and Austrian bottles, husband-and-wife owners Helmuth Unger (pictured) and Michi Klein have created a pleasant little bar where a selection of 50 wines is served by the glass, along with nibbles such as nuts and salami. Competition for good wine is stiff in Vienna but Unger and Klein are still regarded as the experts on the city’s wine scene.
2 Gölsdorfgasse, 1010+43 (0)1 532 1323
ungerundklein.at
Café Ansari, Leopoldstadt
The family-run Café Ansari serves a fusion of Middle Eastern and Georgian cuisines in a restaurant that’s a modern take on the traditional Viennese coffeehouse. Start your day with the papers and a Georgian breakfast: a mouthwatering dough dumpling filled with creamy mozzarella, topped with a fried egg and accompanied by a cherry-tomato salad drizzled with red basil dressing.
Praterstrasse 15, 1020+43 (0)1 276 5102
cafeansari.at
Pfarrwirt, Döbling
Vienna’s oldest restaurant, the Pfarrwirt is housed in a building that dates back to the 12th century and lies in the shadow of historic Saint Jakob’s Church. Meals are served in three gothic and baroque-style rooms; the beautiful wooden porch was added in 1872 to reflect Vienna’s popular coffee culture. Take a seat in “Beethoven’s favourite spot” and let the kitchen spoil you with classics such as prime boiled beef and wiener schnitzel. It’s a 20-minute drive from the centre of town but this feast is well worth the trip.
5 Pfarrplatz, 1190+43 (0)1 370 7373
pfarrwirt.com
Images: Stefan Fürtbauer, Andreas Jakwerth