This year in Vienna, the spotlight is firmly on culinary culture. Under the motto “Vienna Bites. Cuisine, Culture, Character” the Vienna Tourist Board is showcasing what makes Vienna so distinctive from a culinary perspective. The many new openings in the food and beverage sector once again demonstrate just how vibrant and diverse the city’s dining scene has become.

Typically Viennese: From Beisl to sausage stand

It is always good news when Vienna’s traditional neighborhood inns, known as Beisln, find a new generation to carry them forward. One such historic tavern has now reopened under the name Zum Bretschneider. Its entire interior has been preserved in its original 1950s condition. The kitchen focuses on Viennese cuisine, including several offal specialties — just as a proper Beisl should. 

Anyone in Vienna craving a Wiener schnitzel is likely to find their way to Figlmüller. In early summer, the restaurant group is expanding with Brioche und Brösel, opening in a prime location in the 1st district. The concept is based on the street-food stand of the same name, known for new burger interpretations, including versions with Wiener schnitzel and sous-vide Tafelspitz. 

Viennese cuisine is also the focus at the beautiful Vestibül restaurant at the Burgtheater — and has been for 25 years. To mark its anniversary, the restaurant is relaunching with the new concept “Schank & Tafel.” The Schank in the front area serves Viennese specialties in a relaxed, no-reservations setting. The Tafel in the Marble Hall is the heart of the restaurant, offering Viennese cuisine at top-toque level in a spectacular setting. Old favorites meet new interpretations here — from Grammelknödel, stuffed cabbage rolls and Viennese fried meat to the signature dish, a Szeged-style lobster and cabbage stew. 

There is also movement in Vienna’s coffeehouse scene: the famous Café Central is currently closed for renovation and will reopen in fall 2026. In the meantime, the modern Café Decentral on Freyung invites visitors to stop by. Naturally, the patisserie from the original Café Central is also available there. Initially planned as a pop-up, Café Decentral is now expected to remain open permanently. 

On the Danube Canal, the popular open-air stretch of venues on the edge of the inner city, there is also a new culinary addition with Viennese flair: “Würstel am Kanal” is a sausage-stand offshoot of the restaurant Collina am Berg in Spittelberg. Alongside sausage-stand classics such as Frankfurters and Käsekrainer, the menu includes inventive creations such as kimchi hot dogs, Philly Cheese Krainer and banh mi with bratwurst.

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A Feast for the Eyes 

Donauhof is one of the city’s most architecturally striking new openings. Built in 1902 by architect Franz von Neumann near Nordbahnhof, the building once housed a hotel with a restaurant, café, hair salon and ballroom. After a long Sleeping Beauty slumber, a restaurant has now opened here that is worth visiting not only for the architecture, but also for the food. The menu features modern interpretations of Viennese dishes, such as Paradeiskrautfleckerl with sour cream or beef heart in cream sauce with brioche dumplings, alongside contemporary bistro fare. 

Another venue that delights both the eye and the palate has opened in a former Imperial-era typewriter shop. Under the name Arici, the space now serves straightforward, flavorful Italian cuisine. The venue is without doubt one of the most beautiful in Vienna: a marble portal, 1920s wood paneling with elaborate inlays, seating in historic display windows and a mother-of-pearl tiled bar come together to create a true gem.

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Young concepts 

Bistro Fantasy is bringing fresh momentum to Vienna’s culinary scene. At the moment, this is where the city’s young creative crowd comes and goes. At Bistro Fantasy, minimalism rules. Raw concrete walls, sparse furnishings — and a menu pared down to the essentials, with all the more flavor for it. Breakfast and cocktails are also well worth exploring. 

With Pomali, two young, dedicated women are breathing new life into an old Viennese suburban tavern with a fresh concept. Modern vegetable dishes take center stage here, while one main course with meat and one with fish are also offered. Seasonality and regional sourcing are important to the two operators. The result is an uncomplicated Beisl with good everyday food.

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New ideas in old walls 

On the grounds of the former Sophienspital in the 7th district, a 1.3-hectare urban quarter with housing, cultural facilities and leisure venues has taken shape in recent years. The historic Kenyon Pavilion now houses event rooms and event spaces, as well as the food and beverage venue Sophie 7. The restaurant and bar enjoy a unique location right in the middle of green Sophienpark. The kitchen focuses on vegetarian and vegan sharing plates. 

The listed water tower at the former Nordbahnhof in the 2nd district is also being revitalized and will be converted into a gastronomic meeting place in the new neighborhood by the end of 2026. The historic structure will become a modern café with an outdoor garden, intended to serve as both a cultural hub and a neighborhood landmark. The distinctive brick tower was originally built as a reservoir for the boiler water of steam locomotives. Its interior height of up to 13 meters is particularly impressive. 

And another urban development area was completed this spring: Pier 22 on Danube Island is a 13,000-square-meter leisure area with barrier-free bathing platforms and public, no-purchase-required lounging and sports areas. Pier 22 also features three food and drink venues. With the latest opening, the island restaurant It’s Amore, the redesign of the leisure area on the Danube is now complete.

Fine Dining 

There are also new developments in Vienna’s fine-dining scene. In a quiet residential area, Peruvian-born chef Miguel Giraldo is venturing into fine dining with Ossa, a restaurant based on zero-waste principles. The cuisine is creative and product-focused, offering a six-course experience. 

Italian fine dining straight out of a storybook is served at Partenope. In an upscale setting, the restaurant offers authentic, outstanding seafood dishes from Italy. The menu also features wild-caught fish that changes daily.

Mea Shearim Fine Dining offers an exclusive concept for kosher cuisine. The restaurant combines the tradition of Jewish cooking with contemporary fine-dining culture, making it unique in Vienna. The dishes are inspired by Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian flavors — and are fully kosher.

New hotel restaurants 

Recently opened hotels have also brought several new dining venues to Vienna. At the luxurious Mandarin Oriental, Vienna, the equally luxurious restaurant Le Sept is generating buzz. Using French culinary techniques, the kitchen prepares exceptional seafood and fish dishes with subtle Asian accents. At the stove is Thomas Seifried, who previously cooked in the Cayman Islands and New York. 

The restaurant Boca is located in the stylish, recently opened hotel The Companion. There, Lauryn Therin, who previously cooked for Ottolenghi and NENI, creates modern Mediterranean cuisine. Visually, the stylish hotel and restaurant take their cues from the 1970s. Architecturally, Boca brings together historic fabric and contemporary design: exposed structures, polished marble and handcrafted wood create a welcoming atmosphere. The Calypso bar rounds out the hotel’s culinary offerings. 

The Wilde Aparthotel, set in a historic building in the 1st district, was inspired by Oscar Wilde. At its restaurant Rascal, brasserie dishes meet Eastern European influences with Viennese accents. Some classics, such as Caesar salad and beef tartare, are prepared and presented tableside. The interior combines historic elements with contemporary materials, inspired by Vienna around 1900. A light installation by the artist SHA regularly transforms the space and, after nightfall, continues outdoors in the courtyard of the former Postal Savings Bank as part of the “Museum of Change” project.

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Updates from the bar scene 

Madame Seradj in the hip Freihausviertel focuses on a distinctive bar ambiance. With her venue, the owner is pursuing the vision of a modern salon. The walls glow in deep blue, and small international dishes with a Persian twist are served – inspired by the modern salonniere’s family roots. A place where saffron meets champagne and the moment is celebrated. This is where Viennese ease blends with international flair.

DASH X DROP is a new cocktail bar that emphasizes regional ingredients and, in keeping with current trends, also offers a wide range of nonalcoholic drinks. Renowned bartender Dominik Oswald surprises guests with new flavors and combinations in his cocktails. He also sees his bar as a laboratory, where ingredients are distilled, fermented and hydrolyzed. 

Zollergasse in the 7th district has become one of the hippest strips for going out. Here, one venue follows the next. A new addition is Krawall Bar & Deli. On the ground floor, coffee and handmade sandwiches are served during the day; in the evening, the popular cocktail bar opens in the basement. At Krawall Bar, cocktail classics such as Sex on the Beach are approached with a wink. The crowd is young, the vibe trendy. 

By contrast, Le Fou, a cocktail bar near Bauernmarkt, is all about opulence – true to the motto “more is more.” Crystal chandeliers, silk wallpaper and velvet furniture define the décor. The atmosphere is inspired by legendary Paris bars, and so are the cocktails. In a bar with Parisian flair, champagne is just as essential as French wines. Bar food, in the form of tartare pralines, comes from neighboring Tatarie Marie.

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All information on the culinary focus “Vienna Bites. Cuisine, Culture, Character” is available at viennabites.wien.info 

Addresses: 

• Zum Bretschneider, Ehrenfelsgasse 4, 1120 Vienna, www.zumbretschneider.at 

• Brioche und Brösel, Rotenturmstrasse 11, 1010 Vienna, www.figlmueller.at 

• Vestibül at the Burgtheater, Universitätsring 2, 1010 Vienna, www.vestibuel.at 

• Café Decentral, Freyung 3, 1010 Vienna, decentral.wien 

• Würstel am Kanal, Danube Canal near Obere Donaustrasse 83, 1010 Vienna, www.collina.wien 

• Donauhof, Engerthstrasse 141, 1020 Vienna, www.donauhofwien.at 

• Arici, Blindengasse 3, 1080 Vienna, arici.at 

• Bistro Fantasy, Gumpendorfer Strasse 22, 1060 Vienna, www.bistrofantasy.at 

• Pomali, Märzstrasse 87, 1150 Vienna, pomali-wien.at 

• Sophie 7, Apollogasse 21, 1070 Vienna, www.sophie7.at 

• Water tower at the former Nordbahnhof, Leystraße 152, 1020 Vienna 

• It’s Amore at Pier 22, Donauinsel, 1220 Vienna, itsamore.at, www.copabeach.wien/pier22 

• Ossa, Bischof-Faber-Platz 8, 1180 Vienna, ossarestaurant.at 

• Partenope, Aegidigasse 15, 1060 Vienna, www.facebook.com/Partenopevienna 

• Mea Shearim Fine Dining, Heinestrasse 25, 1020 Vienna, heinestrasse.mea-shearim.at 

• Le Sept at Mandarin Oriental, Vienna, Riemergasse 7, 1010 Vienna, www.mandarinoriental.com/de/vienna/inner-city/dine/le-sept 

• Boca at The Companion hotel, Mariahilfer Strasse 127a, 1150 Vienna, restaurant-boca.com 

• Rascal at Wilde Aparthotel, Dominikanerbastei 15, 1010 Vienna, www.rascal.at 

• Madame Seradj, Schleifmühlgasse 20, 1040 Vienna, www.madame-seradj.com 

• DASH X DROP, Werdertorgasse 8, 1010 Vienna, www.dashxdrop.com 

• Krawall Bar & Deli, Zollergasse 7, 1070 Vienna, krawall.bar 

• Le Fou, Freisingergasse 4, 1010 Vienna, www.le-fou.at 

Contact

Helena Steinhart
Media Relations
+43 1 211 14-364
helena.steinhart@vienna.info