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City Guide  - Vienna  - Food and Drink
Food and Drink

Viennese cuisine bears witness to the extent the Hapsburg Empire once covered: Wiener Schnitzel (veal pan-fried in bread crumbs) came from Milan, Gulaschsuppe (paprika-spiced stew) came from Hungary, and other dishes originate from Bohemia and the Balkans. It is probably best to stick to Austrian-German cuisine (both the traditional and nouvelle cuisine variations) rather than Asian cuisines, which tend to be rather poorly done. The late-night, post-bar-hopping snack of choice in Vienna is Wurst (sausage) which can be bought at one of the many stands in the Innerestadt - Tiroler and Käsekrainer (with a cheese filling) are popular varieties. The Viennese are terribly fond of their desserts, such as ice cream, strudel, pastries and the famous Sacher Torte. Lunch, the main meal for most Viennese, is typically served from 1200-1400; dinner is served anytime from 1800-2200. A service charge of 10-15% is included in all restaurant bills. Tipping usually involves rounding the bill up (roughly 3-5%).

Vienna is justifiably proud of its wines - notably Grüner Veltliner - made from grapes that grow in the surrounding hills. For more information, see the Austrian Wine Marketing Service web site (www.austria.wine.co.at/wine/eindex.htm). Many of the wineries sell their own wine, along with large buffets, in Heurigen in the Vienna Woods above the city, and in a number of cellars in the city centre. When ordering wine, ask for an Achtel (125ml), a Viertel (250ml) or the popular Weiss gespritzt (white wine spritzer).

The main Viennese breweries are Ottakringer and Nussdorfer, both established in the early nineteenth century. In bars, beer is sold as a Krügel (500ml) or Seidel (300ml), although the most important words to remember are Noch ein bier, Bitte.

Restaurants

Trzesniewski
, at Dorotheergasse 1 (tel: (01) 512 3291), is a Viennese institution. This small stand-up restaurant is popular at lunchtime with its tiny open sandwiches accompanied by an even tinier glass of beer known as a Pfiff (125ml). They also cater for business functions. Do & Co on the seventh floor of the Haas Haus at Stephansplatz 12 (tel: (01) 5353 96918) is a popular spot for businesspeople to dine, and the sixth-floor bar offers a terrific view of the St Stephen's Cathedral. The cuisine varies from traditional Austrian to international, with seafood and eastern cuisines on offer. A three-course meal here starts at öS500.

For a romantic, candle-lit dinner accompanied by piano music, Drei Husaren, at Weinburggasse 4 (tel: (01) 512 1092), is a good bet. The elegant surroundings complement a menu of traditional Viennese cuisine, modern culinary creations and rich desserts. The three-course lunch menu costs öS440 plus cover charge, and a three-course dinner costs öS530 plus cover and music charges. Reputedly the best restaurant in Austria, Steirereck (Rasumofskygasse 2, 3rd district; tel: (01) 713 5168) offers its own vision of traditional Viennese cuisine. A fantastic selection of cheeses and a comprehensive wine cellar contribute to its reputation. Bedecked with candles and flowers, the tables are divided among a number of rooms, including a winter garden. There is no capacity for large groups. The three-course lunch menu begins at öS395. A five-course dinner costs öS895. The Donauturm (Danube Tower in the 22nd district; tel: (01) 26 33 57 20) offers wonderful views to accompany the food. It has two revolving restaurants offering international and Viennese cuisine, starting at öS205 for a three-course menu. Gulaschmuseum, at Schulerstrasse 20 (tel: (01) 512 1017), offers what its name suggests - goulash. The 15 different varieties of this traditional Hungarian dish can be accompanied by one of their broad selection of wines in this traditional old-Viennese-style restaurant with a marble bar and a garden. The three-course menu starts at öS200.

Heurigen

A stay in Vienna is not complete without a visit to a Heuriger. The Viennese word for the wine of the latest harvest 'Heuriger' has also been adopted for the name of the place where it is served. By law, each Heuriger can only serve the wine produced by its own estate, and only for a maximum of 300 days a year. Spread out on the foothills surrounding Vienna are a number of tiny villages which fill up on summer evenings with locals and tourists in search of wine and good food. The most popular areas are Grinzing, Nussdorf and Heiligenstadt, but there are many others worth discovering, including romantic Sievering and the more distant Stammersdorf, the city's largest wine-growing area. All are accessible by tram or bus. Many Heurigen offer wine tasting and the opportunity to purchase bottles of the house wine, and almost all are amenable to large groups. Bach-Hengl (Sandgasse 7-9, 19th District; tram 38; tel: (01) 320 2439) can seat 700 people in its garden alone, and that is in addition to the large halls and cosier parlours inside. With centuries of wine-growing experience, this Heuriger offers good-quality wine served with traditional Austrian fare accompanied by music. A three-course group menu, warm buffet and cold buffet are also available. Weingut Reinprecht (Cobenzlgasse 22, 19th district; tram 38; tel: (01) 32 01 47 10) has all the ingredients of a good Heuriger: Viennese music, homegrown wines, and a large buffet with warm and cold dishes, all set in a large terraced garden filled with lively good cheer. For those short on time, one of the wine cellars in the city centre makes for an equally entertaining alternative. The Augustinerkeller, at Augustinerstrasse 1 (tel: (01) 533 1026), Esterházykeller at Haarhof 1 (tel: (01) 533 3482) and Zwölf-Apostel-Keller at Sonnenfelsgasse 3 (tel: (01) 512 6777) each offer three-course group menus as well as warm and cold buffets in large vaulted cellars with histories dating back centuries. Wine is accompanied by hearty Austrian food and a congenial atmosphere.

Cafés

The Viennese coffee house is an institution that is reputed to have its origins in the time the departing Turks left behind sacks of coffee beans after their unsuccessful siege of the city. Since that time, the Viennese have been perfecting the art of preparing coffee and creating the ideal atmosphere in which to drink it. Vienna's coffee houses are the living rooms of the city, the sites where conversation flourishes and solitary contemplation is also encouraged. The typical image of a coffee house is of rich, dark wood, round marble tables and large windows allowing in light by which to read one of the newspapers that are always kept on special holders. (International newspapers are available at many of the central cafés.) The coffee cup itself is served on a silver plate, always accompanied by a small glass of water, and if it is late in the afternoon, one of the formidable Viennese pastries. The Tourist Board produces a brochure listing which cafés have musical performances. The Viennese have their own language when it comes to coffee, which is different from other parts of Austria. Probably the most popular is a Melange, a long espresso with frothy milk. Others include Mokka (espresso) and kleiner and grosser Brauner (small and large coffee with cream). More fanciful variations, with whipped cream or other additions, are also on offer.

The following cafés all lie within the first district: Central (the former meeting place for artists and the literati in the Palais Ferstel), Demel (a patisserie dating from the late eighteenth century), Frauenhuber (Vienna's oldest existing coffee house), Hawelka (a dark and comfortable café owned and run by the Hawelka family for over 50 years), Landtmann (meeting place of businesspeople, politicians, artists and students, near the Burgtheater), Mozart (200-year-old café with mirrors and chandeliers), Museum (Adolf Loos-designed café popular with literary types and students), Prückel (original 1950s decor) and Sacher (elegant surroundings and the famous Sacher Torte). Café Sperl, in the sixth district, offers billiards and board games in a fin-de-sičcle atmosphere.

The Viennese sweet tooth extends to ice cream, and everyone in Vienna has an opinion on which is the best ice cream parlour in the city. The Italienischer Eissalon am Schwedenplatz, Franz-Josefs-Kai 17, or Tichy, at Reumannplatz (the last stop on the U1 U-Bahn line), are both very good, but the only really practical option is to try them all.



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