Eating and Drinking in Vienna

Back to sparkling Vienna and onto its food and wine.

I didn’t really know what to expect from the Viennese cuisine. What kinds of dishes would be laid upon our table I wondered as visions of sausages and beer danced in my head. I must admit this was not a welcoming vision. I am not much of a meat eater … this is not to say that I do not like meat or that I have anything against it, I don’t, it just is not my preference. When eating at home or dining out, both my husband’s and my tastes run more toward seafood, poultry, pasta and fresh produce.

And I don’t care for beer at all … perhaps it takes me back to my youth as a college freshman, forcing myself to drink the liquid gold topped with foam flowing from the tap at keg parties … only to be followed by my rushing off, sick and miserable the rest of the night.

Oh dear, would I find anything to eat or drink in this gracious city? Why, yes I would! As a matter of fact, I didn’t have a bad morsel the whole time we were there … meat and all … and I loved every restaurant in which we dined … from the atmosphere and menu choices to the friendly, helpful staff.

Restaurant Pürstner

As with most large cities, Vienna had a melting pot of restaurant choices, and let us not forget the plethora of street food and drink available at the outdoor markets.

We arrived at our hotel around dinner time, tired and hungry after a very long and difficult trip from the US. All of the hotel’s restaurants were booked, so we were directed to Pürstner, a nearby Viennese restaurant.

They didn’t think we would need a reservation, but when we arrived it was completely full. Perhaps it was the pathetic, desperate and tired look upon our faces, but after a few minutes wait they graciously accommodated us, even though they were turning others away.

Restaurant Pürstner, run for three generations by the Pürstner family, is located in a house built in the turn of the century. Loaded with personality and charm, both in its atmosphere and its staff, the restaurant looked quite touristy but seemed to attract locals as well. We settled into a comfortable booth and enjoyed some nice local wine … we didn’t have to drink beer, yeah! … while we chomped on a tasty appetizer of Camembert cheese bread with cranberry sauce.

Restaurant Pürstner Interior

The entrée menu consisted mostly of beef and pork dishes, so my husband and I both found ourselves ordering meat. He ordered the escalope of pork, stuffed with ham and cheese, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I had the biggest Wiener schnitzel that I have ever seen, it covered the entire plate. Its size was deceiving though, as it was incredibly thin and actually very light. The server suggested I keep the cranberry sauce from the appetizer to go with the schnitzel. He was right; it added a lot of flavor and a touch of sweet and tart to the dish.

The food was good, the prices reasonable and the service and atmosphere were friendly and fun ... who could ask for more? We had such a good time that we brought two colleagues back with us a couple of nights later. This time my husband had the boiled beef with roasted potatoes, chive sauce and apple horseradish sauce; and I ordered the medallions of pork roasted with mushrooms a la crème and spätzle. Again, we thoroughly enjoyed everything, and so did our guests.

We also dined Viennese style at Restaurant Der Kuckuck, a pleasant restaurant that served a good selection of traditional food. With its white tablecloths, yet casual feel, this restaurant had a nice, easy atmosphere.

Restaurant Der Kuckuck

My husband and I both chose to try something a little out of the box, in terms of Austrian food, for our entrées. I had their crispy parcels stuffed with vegetables, rösti and homemade fruit-chutney. The dish was very flavorful with a nice crunch and the chutney lent a nice sweetness to the dish. It reminded me in taste and texture of an eggroll, which I always enjoy.

My husband liked his stuffed cabbage roll served with a forest-mushroom sauce, boiled potatoes and vegetables. It resembled a dish available in parts of the US called Halupkies, which I believe is Polish in origin. The meal was a nice departure from some of the heavier dishes we ate along the way. We had some nice wine and thought this restaurant was a very nice find in the city center.

Speaking of wine, it was a nice surprise to not only find excellent Austrian white wines, but red as well, in every restaurant we visited. One day we went for a late lunch at a wine bar/wine store called 3 Hacken Magazin.

The young man working both the bar and the floor recommended wines, white for me and a red for my husband. They were both excellent, as good as any wine found in any wine region (we ended up buying a bottle of each at very reasonable prices). We ordered small plates of goulash from the rather limited menu which was very tasty.

Cantinetta La Norma

One thing always amazes and puzzles me when I travel in Europe … why is it that all these good wines are priced so much more reasonably than in the US. I really must say, we are getting ripped off, not only in restaurants, but in the stores as well!

Until now I’ve talked about the Viennese restaurants and food, but we also went for Italian two nights … I did say there was a melting pot full of choices. The first Italian restaurant was a postage stamp sized place called Cantinetta La Norma. What an entertaining evening we had in this funny little gem.

Probably no more than eight tables graced this place, and it was more than a little disorganized, but that made it all the more charming. We were very casual that evening, ordering wine, salads and pizza. It was a nice departure from the steady diet of the heavier Viennese food that we had been having. Everything was good, but it was the fun and quirkiness of this little place, the homey atmosphere, and the friendly service that made it so very enjoyable.

Our second Italian choice was a larger and more reserved kind of restaurant called Danieli.  I selected this restaurant on behalf of six friends/business colleagues because I had read about it and happened to pass by while roaming around the city center.

Hopeful that I had chosen wisely, I was not disappointed. The brick walls and lovely chandeliers gave the restaurant kind of a homey/elegant feel. It was very inviting and very comfortable.

 Ristorante Danieli

We started with some appetizers for the table which included assorted Tuscan-style crostini; buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and fresh basil; and prosciutto di Parma. We also selected a nice bottle of Chianti. We were transported to Italy and everything was fresh and flavorful … we were off to a good start.

Most in the group ordered pasta as their main meal. My husband ordered the lasagna with sugo of young boar, oven-roasted Tuscan-style, served on creamy Savoy cabbage with morels: it was fantastic. My spaghetti ai frutti di mare della casa (spaghetti with seafood of the house) was good ... I can’t say exactly what the seafood was as it was cut in bits and pieces ... but it was enjoyable none-the-less.

There were a couple of dessert takers, two ordered the tiramisù and one ordered the hot orange zabaglione with vanilla ice-cream ... there was nothing left on their plates. It was all good and reasonable, and the wait staff was friendly and efficient. Everyone enjoyed it and agreed it was a very good pick for our little gathering, whew!

I found Vienna to be elegant and sophisticated on the outside, charming and cozy on the inside, and the restaurants felt the same way.  We didn't go to the most famous or most popular restaurants for our dinners. Instead we chose local neighborhood places near our hotel, and we found each to be totally unique and delightful. 

My next posting will speak to the food culture in Vienna, from its elegant cafés to its wine gardens and street markets …