167 Best Restaurants in Austria

With its vaulted ceiling and dark, gleaming wainscoting, Peppino im Hofkeller offers the most innovative Italian cuisine in the city. The chef serves a classic Italian menu that includes homemade pasta dressed with seasonal specialties and wonderfully fresh seafood. Look for the sea bass with grilled vegetables, creamy salmon tagliatelle, and their daily fresh ravioli and risotto.

Cozy with a basement vibe, this place near the Naschmarkt bucks the trend of the grand, old-school Vienna coffeehouses and offers itself up as a café and bookshop. Inside you'll find shelves with a constant rotation of books in a congenial atmosphere of people enjoying coffee, brunch, and more.

This traditional, white-tablecloth spot is known for its tafelspitz, a boiled-beef dish popular in both Austria and Germany and great on a chilly winter day. If that's not your thing, they also do a few hearty seafood plates, but this is a meat-focused classic local institution.

In case its name doesn't give it away, the proximity to the opera house should be a clue that among the dinner guests will be many of the city's regular operagoers, sitting for a meal before the show. Located on a side street near Kärntnerstrasse, this restaurant focuses on traditional Austrian dishes. Other favorites on the menu include pork roast with sauerkraut and dumplings covered in a light caraway gravy, and vegetarians can indulge in cabbage pasta or roasted porcini mushrooms. The decor is stark white and the interior long and narrow, making it the perfect contrasting canvas for the warm comfort food it serves. Pleasant outdoor seating is available in the summer.

Après-ski can't begin early enough for the casually chic crowds that pile into this famous café and pastry shop in the heart of Kitzbühel. For locals, the Praxmair is a meeting point for regular get-togethers, cabaret performances, and small events. The wood interior and a tiled stove give the place a special flair, though summertime diners should sit outside and watch the world go by.

The atmosphere here is that of a spacious, contemporary gasthaus, with a fabulous roofed garden filled with flowers. The varied menu of regional cuisine is reasonably priced and has a touch of the Mediterranean, with plenty of vegetarian options available. Nevertheless, the highlights are traditionally Austrian and meaty; the steak tartare, the Tafelspitz (boiled beef), and the size-of-your-head schnitzels. The place is easy to find; just look for the theater in the heart of the Altstadt.

With tables set outside amidst flowering plants and trees, in the middle of cobbled Nestroyplatz, it is no wonder this is one of Vienna's favorite breakfast and brunch spots. The menu is huge with plenty of vegetarian options, but if you're here for a leisurely breakfast or brunch, go with the eponymous Ramasuri sandwich, with bread from one of Vienna's best bakeries (Josef), wildflower cheese, scrambled eggs, candied bacon, and sun-dried tomatoes. Drinks, coffees, and service are excellent, so this is a perfect stop at any time of day.

It may be set in a 500-year-old building with vaulted ceilings, and on the site of the oldest inn in Salzburg (first mentioned in documents from the 15th century), but the restaurant of the Blaue Gans Hotel is all about modern, innovative interpretations of traditional Austrian cooking. The fresh flavors are evident in dishes like rabbit ragout with saffron, roasted perch with black rice, and perfectly prepared beef tartare. There are always vegetarian choices, too. Ask your server for suggestions from the expertly selected Austrian and German wine list. Look out for the quirky caricatures on the walls and ceilings, strategically placed in the early 20th century as conversation starters. In summer, meals and drinks are served on the terrace around the back, but you can always pop inside to look around the dining room and the Campari bar; opt for an oak-aged Negroni as a pre- or post-dinner drink.

This fashionable establishment is in the basement of the 19th-century Vienna Stock Exchange and shares an enormous space with the flower shop Lederleitner. The chef creates a new menu of Mediterranean specialties each week. If you have a light appetite, ask for a smaller portion. Although this eatery is named after Theophil Hansen—the ornament-crazy architect of the Börse—the decor is sleek and modern.

Since establishing herself as Austria's most inventive Asian chef, Korean-born Sohyi Kim continues to impress with her celebrated Asian-fusion cuisine. Cooking for every guest as she would for a friend, lunch is à la carte; or, a four-course tasting menu can be requested in advance. Only on Fridays does she create her famed surprise dinner tasting menu. You’ll have your choice of a main, but the remaining tasting menu will be a surprise. Dinner reservations should be made weeks in advance, by telephone only. This place is tiny with only about 20 seats, making it an intimate (but hard to land) dining experience.

Simply put, this restaurant in the Seegrube cableway station is one of the best dinners with a view in the country. At 6,500 feet high, the view of the city lights twinkling below makes a wonderful background for a romantic dinner. The food itself is mostly Tyrolean specialties including gröstl, a bacon, onion, and potato fry-up topped with a fried egg. During the week, a hearty breakfast including smoked salmon, sausages, and cheese feeds hungry hikers. During July and August, there is also a jazz brunch every Sunday, starting at 11 am.

This locals’ favorite is known for its excellent Viennese cuisine and unmistakable ambience. Dark wood paneling and tables contrast with the bright white ceilings and fresh flowers for a modern tavern vibe. Your meal will be the same, traditional cooking with a contemporary touch, like the Kalbsrahmgulasch mit Butternockerl (creamy veal goulash with dumplings) or the Zwiebelrostbraten von der Beiried mit Braterdäpfel (fried sirloin with onions and roasted potatoes).

In the hotel of the same name, the restaurant is in a charming, typically Austrian stube—all wood paneled and cozy—and serves regional specialties and international cuisine. Its popularity extends to locals and visitors alike, which makes for a good atmosphere. It has been awarded 13 Gault Millau points for menu selections such as pork fillet in an herb and bacon crust or braised veal with a cream sauce and small dumplings.

This lovingly renovated burgher's house—the town's oldest, built in the 1500s below the even-older Fischerkirche—houses an excellent and imaginative restaurant run by owner and head chef Michael Mooslechner. The menu depends on what's fresh but typically includes local specialties like Wiener schnitzel, Styrian fried chicken, and Esterhazy goulash with spätzle (egg noodles). Finish with the delicious cheese-curd and apricot strudel with whipped cream. In summer, sit out front for views across the main square, including the stork nests on the roofs of Weingut Conrad and the Rathauskeller. There are also four light and spacious apartments available to rent from €160 per night.

Joining the expanding enterprise of Sacher cafés in Austria's most prominent cities, Graz's Sacher is everything you would expect—lots of gilt, crimson upholstery, sparkling chandeliers, and Viennese dessert, including the rich chocolate Sacher torte. If you're hungry for a meal, there are breakfast, lunch, and dinner specialties. Try the Frank Sacher potato soup or their original truffle ham. In the adjoining Sacher Wein-Snackbar, you can choose tasty snacks to blend with a full-bodied Austrian white wine or champagne.

Salon Marie offers a stylish setting with its chandeliers, greenery, and floor-to-ceiling street art by Josef Wurm. The expansive menu by Chef Aleš Rascan includes something for everyone, be it Holstein schnitzel, spicy grilled octopus, or homemade vegan spring rolls and curry. The restaurant is closed on Sundays, but does a Grand Brunch from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Set within the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), this warm and stylish restaurant offers fresh, locally grown fare under high, coffered ceilings and with furnishings and flatware to feed appetites for design. Dishes emphasize organic meat and poultry, while fish comes from Austrian lakes. Everything is either made on-site or commissioned from independent local enterprises. 

Salzburg locals have relied on this small family-owned bakery since 1877 to satisfy their cravings for cremeschnitte (vanilla custard cream between puff-pastry layers), rigo-jancsi (Hungarian chocolate sponge cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate glaze), himbeer-obers-souffle (strawberry-cream soufflé), apple strudel, and other mouthwatering selections from the 30 to 50 daily cakes and pastries.

This "beautiful pearl" is one of the most popular dining spots for locals in Leopoldstadt. It offers traditional Austrian comfort food, including tafelspitz—boiled beef, the favored dish of Emperor Franz Josef—and Wiener schnitzel, but its real palate pleasers are the wide selection of vegetarian dishes on the menu. Avocado salad, red lentil soup, käsespätzle (traditional cheese and noodle dish with roasted onions), and the runner bean and pumpkin stew are among the top favorites. The interior is surprisingly spacious, so the restaurant can get crowded, but not cramped. The staff is friendly, and seems to tolerate well the children who can't resist roaming the vastness.

When you're at the Prater, try to eat at Schweizerhaus, which has been serving frothy mugs of beer, roast chicken, and stelze (a huge hunk of crispy roast pork on the bone) for more than 100 years. The informal setting, with wood-plank tables indoors or in the garden in summer, adds to the fun.

Many restaurants have set up shop in former stalls on the market square in the artsy neighborhood that has sprung up around Karmelitermarkt, just across the Donaukanal, including Skopik & Lohn. The menu features international fare, such as tagliatelle with truffles and roast beef with Jerusalem artichoke chips. The interior is rather minimalist and modern, except for artist Otto Zitko's massive doodling spree on the ceiling. The black-and-white art creeps like a vine onto the walls—you'll want to get out your markers and color it in.

Soulkitchen offers soups, bowls, and plates with a focus on fresh sustainable ingredients and Asian flavors (many of them vegan).

Legends swirl about this famous Altstadt beer cellar: locals claim that Mephistopheles met Faust here, others say Charlemagne dined here, and some believe Columbus enjoyed a glass of its famous Salzburg Stiegl beer just before he set sail for America in 1492. But there is no debating the fact that this place—first mentioned in a document dating from 803—is Austria's oldest restaurant. All you have to do is decide where you want to eat: options include the stately wine cellar–turned–dining room Richardstube, the Alpine-style Petrusstube, and the cosy courtyard Willibald-Arkaden. There are also several private dining options. The menu at St. Peter mainly comprises sophisticated Austrian and Italian fare made with top-quality ingredients (try the delicious Wiener schnitzel with parsley potatoes). For a truly unique dining and entertainment experience, come for a Mozart Dinner; a three-course dinner with classical music accompaniment that's held several times a week in the fresco-filled Baroque Hall.

As the name suggests, the Steinerwirt dates back almost as far as Columbus's Atlantic voyage. It is family run, and its newest generation of owners and staff have brought modernity to the cuisine while maintaining the original Alpine flair. The authentic atmosphere makes the place a favorite for locals and travelers alike. A particular highlight is the wine cellar—home to great wines for more than 525 years—with some fine Austrian wines; the staff are happy to help you choose the right pairing. The roast pork served with bread dumplings and red cabbage and the Tafelspitz (slow-cooked beef with creamed spinach and a horseradish-and-chive sauce) are excellent.

Long known as a reliable haunt for breads and strudels, Ströck has multiple locations throughout the city. Open for evening and weekend meals, the eateries serve only organic, locally grown goods. For a light dessert, try the vegan chocolate-dipped cherries with brown sugar.

This Thai kitchen has quietly fashioned a reputation as one of the best and most popular dining spots in the Old Town. Thai-Li is short on elbow room, but long on excellent food presented with elegance and efficiency. Come for lunch, when you can sit outside at the tables on the cobbled pavement. In the evening, start with skewers of grilled chicken and pork, fried prawns, and vegetables with a range of dipping sauces. For a main course, try one of the curry dishes, such as duck simmered in coconutty red curry. Beverages include a good selection of teas, coffees, and fruit juices. Not to be confused with Thai-Li-Ba across town.

See and be seen among the Salzburg Festival glitteratti in Triangel's large outdoor seating area, or cozy up in the intimate dining room of this organic-farming-focused Austrian restaurant. The endless pounding coming from the kitchen tells you that the Wiener schnitzel is a popular choice, but perhaps the highlight here is the schweinsbraten: roast pork belly served with dumplings and cabbage.

In the shadow of St. Ulrich’s church, Ulrich is a popular neighborhood place serving small plates, flatbreads, and homemade lemonade, plus evening cocktails. The convivial atmosphere and friendly vibes are always a treat.

Just a few minutes' walk from the Mirabell Gardens yet rarely busy with tourists, this New Town bakery-café has been baking bread since 1670. There's a reason it's been around so long: the quality is excellent, and the huge variety of cakes and pastries on offer guarantees repeat visits.

Vienna's most popular vegan ice cream maker has 11 locations scattered across Vienna's districts, but the one in the first district is closest to Vienna's major sights (there is a weather-permitting kiosk at the MuseumsQuartier, too). They're known for traditional flavors as well as nods to local and seasonal tastes like poppy seed and damson plums. Try the popular ice cream sandwich cookie (with vegan cookies, of course), cleverly named the "Inbetwiener" (Vienna is spelled "Wien" in German). Their ever-rotating flavors are listed each day on their Instagram and Facebook pages.