Best Restaurants in Vienna to Suit Every Craving

Vienna is Austria’s elegant capital, known for imperial palaces, historic coffee houses, classical music and a dining culture that balances tradition with contemporary creativity. Old-fashioned Beisls and pastry shops share the city with vegan restaurants, relaxed international kitchens and some of Austria’s most highly awarded fine dining.

This guide covers the best restaurants in Vienna for different budgets, diets and occasions. Among the best places to eat in Vienna, you will find Wiener Schnitzel, Pakistani buffet dishes, vegetarian tasting menus, vegan Austrian classics and Michelin-starred restaurants suited to memorable celebrations.

Exploring neighbourhoods such as Innere Stadt, Neubau, Josefstadt, Leopoldstadt and Ottakring is easier without heavy luggage. Qeepl provides convenient luggage storage around Vienna, allowing you to leave your bags or suitcases in a secure location before heading to lunch or dinner. Prices start from €6.69 per bag per day.

What Should You Know About Food in Vienna?

Viennese cuisine reflects centuries of Habsburg influence, combining Austrian ingredients with culinary traditions associated with Hungary, Bohemia, Italy and other parts of Central Europe.

One of the city’s defining dishes is Wiener Schnitzel, traditionally made from a thin veal cutlet coated in breadcrumbs and fried until crisp and golden. It is commonly served with potato salad, parsley potatoes or a slice of lemon.

Another classic is Tafelspitz, gently boiled beef served with broth, root vegetables, horseradish and apple sauce. Other familiar savoury dishes include goulash, boiled or roasted dumplings, sausages and seasonal preparations built around mushrooms, cabbage and potatoes.

Vienna is equally famous for desserts and pastries. Sachertorte combines chocolate cake with apricot jam and chocolate glaze, while Apfelstrudel contains apples, cinnamon and raisins wrapped in thin pastry. Kaiserschmarrn, a torn pancake served with fruit compote, is another popular choice.

Traditional coffee houses remain central to social life. Guests often stay for long periods over a Melange, espresso or tea accompanied by cake, newspapers or conversation. Service may feel more formal than in a modern café, and table turnover is generally unhurried.

Lunch is commonly served between noon and 2:30 p.m., while dinner usually begins after 6:30 or 7 p.m. Many kitchens close earlier than restaurants in southern Europe, so checking current hours is useful.

Prices vary widely between sausage stands, neighbourhood Beisls and tasting-menu restaurants. Any price examples below are approximate and may change over time.

Best Affordable Restaurants in Vienna

Vienna offers inexpensive international food, traditional neighbourhood cooking and casual restaurants where a satisfying meal does not require a fine-dining budget.

1. Der Wiener Deewan

Der Wiener Deewan is a Pakistani buffet restaurant on Liechtensteinstraße near the University of Vienna.

Guests can choose from rotating curries, rice, lentils, vegetables, salads and bread before deciding how much to pay for the food. Drinks have fixed prices. The informal format and broad vegetarian selection make it especially popular with students and budget-conscious travellers.

2. Gasthaus Kopp

Gasthaus Kopp is a traditional Viennese restaurant in the Brigittenau district.

The menu focuses on substantial local dishes such as Schnitzel, goulash, roast meat, dumplings and Austrian desserts. Portions are generally generous, and the relaxed dining room offers a more neighbourhood-oriented experience than restaurants in the historic centre.

3. Mani

Mani serves modern Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-influenced food at locations in Vienna’s fourth and sixteenth districts.

Depending on the time of day, the menu may include breakfast dishes, hummus, shakshuka, grilled vegetables, meat, salads and sharing plates. Its casual atmosphere makes it suitable for brunch, lunch or a relaxed evening meal.

4. Glacis Beisl

Glacis Beisl is located beside the MuseumsQuartier and combines a traditional Viennese Beisl atmosphere with a leafy garden.

The menu includes Viennese classics, seasonal dishes, salads and desserts, supported by a broad wine selection. Prices are generally higher than at a basic neighbourhood tavern, but the location and substantial portions can still offer reasonable value for central Vienna.

5. Wrenkh

Wrenkh is a long-running restaurant near Stephansplatz with an additional bistro and cooking school.

Although historically associated with vegetable-focused cooking, its current menu includes meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. Seasonal salads, soups, vegetables and daily lunch options make it useful for mixed groups seeking a central restaurant with varied choices.

Top Vegetarian Restaurants in Vienna

Vienna’s plant-based scene ranges from casual vegan burgers and Austrian comfort food to Michelin-starred vegetarian and vegan tasting menus.

1. TIAN

TIAN is a vegetarian fine-dining restaurant in Vienna’s historic centre led by chef Paul Ivić and his team.

Its tasting menus are built around seasonal vegetables, herbs, grains, dairy products and carefully sourced ingredients. The restaurant holds one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star, while vegan requirements should be communicated when booking.

2. TIAN Bistro am Spittelberg

TIAN Bistro am Spittelberg offers a more casual and accessible interpretation of TIAN’s vegetarian philosophy in the Spittelberg district.

The menu is designed around sharing and may include vegetable dishes, bread, spreads, pasta and seasonal preparations. The restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good-quality cooking at relatively moderate prices.

3. JOLA

JOLA is an intimate fully vegan fine-dining restaurant on Salzgries, led by chef Jonathan Wittenbrink and host Larissa Andres.

The restaurant serves a creative multi-course menu based entirely on plant ingredients. JOLA holds one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star, making it one of Vienna’s most distinctive choices for vegan fine dining.

4. Velani

Velani is a completely vegan restaurant specialising in plant-based interpretations of Austrian and Viennese cooking.

The menu may include vegan Schnitzel, goulash, roast-style dishes, dumplings and desserts inspired by traditional recipes. It is a particularly useful choice for visitors who want to experience familiar Austrian flavours without animal products.

5. Swing Kitchen

Swing Kitchen is a Vienna-based vegan fast-food group specialising in burgers, wraps and casual comfort food.

The menu includes plant-based burgers, fries, nuggets, wraps and dairy-free desserts. Its quick service and central locations make it convenient for an inexpensive lunch or informal dinner.

Romantic Restaurants in Vienna

Imperial interiors, intimate tasting-menu rooms and parkland settings provide memorable backgrounds for anniversaries and special evenings.

1. Pramerl & the Wolf

Pramerl & the Wolf occupies a former neighbourhood Beisl in Vienna’s ninth district.

The intimate restaurant offers a creative surprise menu centred on seasonal ingredients and expressive contemporary combinations. Its relaxed approach avoids excessive formality despite holding one Michelin star, making it suited to couples who prefer a personal fine-dining experience.

2. Glacis Beisl

Glacis Beisl offers a more relaxed romantic setting behind the MuseumsQuartier.

Its garden is particularly attractive in warmer weather, while the indoor dining rooms retain the warmth of a traditional Viennese restaurant. Classic dishes and Austrian wines make it suitable for couples seeking atmosphere without a long tasting menu.

3. Steirereck im Stadtpark

Steirereck im Stadtpark occupies a striking contemporary building surrounded by the greenery of Stadtpark.

Chefs Heinz Reitbauer and Michael Bauböck present highly creative Austrian cuisine through extensive tasting menus and selected à la carte options. The restaurant holds three Michelin stars, and its polished service, famous bread and cheese trolleys and park setting make it one of Vienna’s leading special-occasion destinations.

4. Amador

Amador is chef Juan Amador’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Vienna’s nineteenth district.

The dining room occupies an atmospheric brick-vaulted wine cellar, creating a dramatic backdrop for the restaurant’s modern and technically precise tasting menu. The experience is lengthy and highly structured, making it best suited to milestone celebrations.

5. Mraz & Sohn

Mraz & Sohn is a family-run fine-dining restaurant in Brigittenau led by Markus Mraz and his sons Lukas and Manuel.

The restaurant serves a surprise menu made up of numerous small courses in a relaxed, contemporary atmosphere. Guests seated near the open kitchen can watch the team work, while creative wine pairings add to the experience. Mraz & Sohn holds two Michelin stars.

Are There Michelin Star Restaurants in Vienna?

Yes. The official Michelin Guide currently lists 17 Michelin-starred restaurants in Vienna.

The city’s starred selection ranges from traditional Austrian fine dining and contemporary international cooking to vegetarian and fully vegan tasting menus.

Several notable Michelin-starred restaurants in Vienna include:

• Amador — three Michelin stars. Amador presents highly technical modern cuisine under chef Juan Amador in a vaulted wine-cellar setting.

• Steirereck im Stadtpark — three Michelin stars. Steirereck offers creative contemporary Austrian cooking led by Heinz Reitbauer and Michael Bauböck.

• Mraz & Sohn — two Michelin stars. Mraz & Sohn serves an inventive surprise menu in an informal family-run restaurant.

• Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant — two Michelin stars. Located inside Palais Coburg, the restaurant combines modern cooking with an extensive historic wine collection.

• TIAN — one Michelin star. TIAN specialises in vegetarian fine dining and also holds a Michelin Green Star.

• JOLA — one Michelin star. JOLA presents a completely vegan tasting menu in an intimate dining room.

• Pramerl & the Wolf — one Michelin star. Pramerl & the Wolf offers creative seasonal cooking in a relaxed former Beisl.

Other Michelin-starred restaurants in Vienna include Konstantin Filippou, Apron, Edvard, Herzig, Z’SOM, Glasswing, Addiert and Esszimmer. Michelin distinctions may change with each annual guide, so diners should confirm the latest status before booking.