Adventure
Eating My Way Around Vienna
Vienna had been nagging at me for years. A handful of friends from Austria kept insisting I’d love it – the food, the coffee houses, the architecture. One even boldly declared that Austria was “Germany with class”. His words, not mine, but I’ll admit it set the bar rather high.
My first attempt to visit was scuppered by Covid cancellations. The flights sat there, unused, taunting me from the airline app like a forgotten tin of anchovies in the cupboard. Eventually, the clock was ticking, so I booked a quick weekend escape and finally made my way to the Austrian capital.
And what a weekend it turned out to be: miles of walking, magnificent buildings, and food that constantly had my chef’s brain ticking away with ideas.
Discover Vienna through its food: schnitzel, strudel, cafés and top restaurants in a delicious weekend travel guide.
Weather
I recommend visiting between March & June.
Month High / Low(°C)
January 3° / -2°
February 6° / -1°
March 11° / 2°
April 16° / 6°
May 21° / 10°
June 27° / 16°
July 27° / 16°
August 27° / 16°
September 22° / 12°
October 16° / 7°
November 9° / 3°
December 4° / -1°
First Impressions and a Surprisingly Cool Hotel
The trip started nicely with a cheeky flight upgrade – always a good omen when travelling. The drive from the airport was quick, and before I knew it, I was pulling up outside my hotel: the Max Brown 7th District.
From the outside, it looked… well, rather dull if I’m honest. A slightly drab 1960s office block with the charm of a municipal tax office. But the moment you step inside, the place transforms.
Suddenly it’s all exposed beams, bold colours, retro furniture and that wonderfully relaxed European cool. Young, enthusiastic staff buzz around the reception area and nothing seems too much trouble. My room was simple but stylish: clean lines, modern art and no unnecessary fuss – just how I like it.
What the hotel didn’t advertise loudly enough was the enormous restaurant downstairs. A place called Seven North, run by acclaimed Israeli chef Eyal Shani, is often dubbed the king of cauliflower.
Naturally, I tried to book immediately. Naturally, it was full.
But I was assured that if a table became available, I’d be first on the list. They always say that, don’t they?
Coffee, Cake and a 400-Year-Old Café
After dropping my bags, I set off into the city on foot. Vienna is wonderfully walkable, and it took about thirty minutes through a leafy park before the grand boulevards began to appear.
Coffee was required. Immediately.
Vienna’s coffeehouse culture is legendary, and I stumbled upon a proper old-school institution: Zum Schwarzen Kameel, which has served guests since 1618.
The waiters were exactly as they should be in a place like this – slightly older gentlemen in crisp white aprons who look as though they’ve been carrying silver trays since the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
I grabbed a table outside in the unusually warm late-September sunshine and watched the city pass by. Coffee was strong, service impeccable, and the atmosphere utterly charming.
I made a mental note to return for dinner.
"Vienna feeds the soul with elegance, history, coffee, and magnificent cake"
The Legendary Sachertorte
- My Honest Opinion
Next stop was the famous Hotel Sacher, home of the iconic Sachertorte.
This was one of those culinary bucket-list moments. Over the years, I’ve ticked off a few: a Bellini at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Singapore chilli crab in Singapore, a Singapore Sling at Raffles. Now it was Vienna’s turn.
The café has a small queue for non-residents – strictly managed by a rather formidable Eastern European gentleman who quickly dealt with a couple of overly enthusiastic queue-jumping tourists.
Inside, the place feels almost like a shrine to chocolate cake.
The Sachertorte arrived with a glass of champagne (well, you have to, don’t you?). The cake itself was dense and rich with that classic apricot layer, though I’ll admit something slightly controversial.
I was a bit underwhelmed.
Perhaps it’s my own fault after years of expectation, but the cake really needs that generous dollop of cream to balance the richness. Also, at €29 it’s eye-wateringly expensive.
Still, another culinary box ticked.
Dinner at Zum Schwarzen Kameel
By evening, I wandered back toward Zum Schwarzen Kameel, hoping against hope for a table.
The place was absolutely packed. Pavement seating full, bar area buzzing, formal restaurant heaving. I asked anyway. The rather stern maître d’ told me to wait. A few minutes later, she returned and whisked me to a lovely table by the open French doors overlooking the street.
Result!
I ordered simply: pork cutlets and a Wiener Schnitzel with mâche (corn salad) and parsley potatoes.
The pork was deeply flavoured and beautifully cooked – the fat especially delicious. The potatoes were interesting too: boiled, then bathed in a vivid green parsley-and-stock emulsion. That little idea is definitely going straight into my notebook.
The schnitzel, meanwhile, was textbook perfection. Crisp, golden and simply finished with lemon.
Sometimes, simple is best.
Falafel, Hummus and a Lucky Lunch
The next day, I wandered through the park and took a gentle cruise along the Danube. Vienna from the water is something else — grand buildings everywhere you look.
Back on land, I started hunting for lunch.
Most places were closed (it was Monday) or fully booked, so eventually hunger won, and I ducked into a small restaurant tucked down a side street. Sadly, I never caught the name — very unlike me.
But the food?
Superb Lebanese and Syrian cooking.
Fresh flatbread arrived warm and pillowy. Falafel fried to order — something you rarely see these days — crisp outside, fragrant with coriander inside. Served with lemony tahini, tomatoes and pickles.
Then a bowl of hummus so silky it could have passed for velvet, finished with olive oil, paprika, chickpeas and basil.
Honestly, it was absolutely cracking.
Coffee and the Best Apple Strudel
Vienna’s café culture is legendary, so naturally I needed another coffee stop.
This time, I headed to Conditorei Sluka, a patisserie that’s been baking since 1891. They specialise in Viennese-French pastries and are particularly famous for their apple strudel.
The pastry was astonishingly thin and crisp, filled with apples, cinnamon and caramelised sugar.
Nothing like the heavy versions I’ve had elsewhere. Another box ticked.
A Michelin Dinner at Vestibul
That evening, I returned to a restaurant I’d discovered the previous day: Vestibül.
Walking inside genuinely took my breath away. The dining room is vast and ornate – like eating in a grand palace ballroom. In fact, the ceiling is so high it almost feels theatrical.
The menu was full of local classics with a refined twist: goulash, schnitzel, escargots, Viennese catfish and braised veal cheeks.
We began with bread and salt, escargots with mushrooms and cold cuts of Duroc pork. The snails were huge and delicious, though I could have happily eaten a few more.
For mains, I ordered the chef’s long-standing signature: lobster with creamy cabbage. It was exactly what it said on the tin – sweet poached lobster, silky cabbage and a rich bisque-style sauce. Lovely stuff, though I did quietly wish for a bit more veg.
Dessert was a Germknödel, a fluffy steamed dumpling filled with plum jam and topped with poppy seeds.
A very good meal indeed.
Sausages, Beer and Finally Miznon
On my last full day, I hunted down Vienna’s beloved street snack: the Wiener sausage.
Every kiosk had queues — the Viennese clearly adore their sausages. Mine arrived with mustard, sauerkraut, potatoes and a cold beer.
Simple and satisfying.
That evening, miracle of miracles, a table finally opened at Miznon.
Actually, not a table — two seats at the kitchen bar.
Perfect.
The place was buzzing with hundreds of diners squeezed around communal tables. Chef Eyal Shani’s cooking is bold, rustic and joyful.
We started with roasted cauliflower, figs with blue cheese and honey, warm sourdough with tomato seeds and crème fraiche.
Everything was vibrant and delicious.
For mains we had onglet steak and sea bass blasted in a pizza oven with lemon and tahini.
Absolutely spectacular.
The chefs chatted, laughed and even handed us little tasters as the night went on. Eventually, they insisted on sending desserts too — chocolate mousse, caramelised bananas and dense chocolate cake.
We could barely move afterwards.
But what a way to finish a trip.
Final Thoughts
Vienna surprised me. I expected elegant coffee houses and classical music, but I didn’t quite expect such bold, satisfying food.
The city blends tradition with creativity brilliantly, and it’s incredibly walkable – though my phone insists I covered nearly 38 miles that weekend.
Good job, really, considering how much I ate.
Now I suppose I’ll have to visit Germany to test my friend’s claim.
But they’ll have to go some to beat Vienna.
Vienna 2026
Aida. A Viennese institution since 1913, now slightly polished for tourists but still charmingly authentic.
Must See Places
Mercado Central
This stunning market is not just architecture; it’s heart and history. Fresh produce, sensory overload, and creative impulse all under one grand roof.
City of Arts & Sciences & Turia Gardens
Valencia balances tradition with futurism. Visit the ultra-modern City of Arts & Sciences and stroll through the Turia Gardens—nine kilometres of serene green cutting through the city.
The Gothic Quarter & La Lonja de la Seda
Wander the winding lanes, admire the Silk Exchange’s Gothic splendour and marvel at the intricate history tucked into every corner of the old town.
Places to Eat
Here are three places well worth your appetite—butchers, burners and beyond:
Casa Carmela
Legendary for cooking paella Valenciana over orange-wood fires, instilling that unmistakable smoky aroma. Dabiz Muñoz hails it as having “the best paellas in the world”.
- Location: El Cabanyal district, Valencia
- Cuisine: Traditional Valencian paella
- Website: Casa-carmela.com
La Salita
Begoña Rodrigo’s Michelin-starred spot, where vegetables are centre-stage. Inventive tasting menus, refined flavours, and a nurturing, creative ethos that helped rebuild Valencian culinary confidence after floods.
- Location: Ruzafa neighbourhood, Valencia
- Cuisine: Contemporary, vegetable-led fine dining
- Website: (via Anarkia Group)
San Tomasso
Voted Valencia’s most beautiful restaurant—an intimate, rustic-bohemian space serving Italian pasta, pizza, antipasti, alongside a thoughtful wine list.
- Location: El Carmen district, Valencia
- Cuisine: Italian
- Website: gruposantommaso.es/san-tommaso/
Inspired Recipes
Some recipes inspired by my brief trip to Vienna
Easy Chicken Schnitzel with Slaw & Spicy Tomato Dressing
I absolutely love chicken schnitzel! It's one of my favourite dishes to make and enjoy. The crispy coating paired with the juicy and tender chicken makes for a delicious and satisfying meal.
View RecipePlum & Blueberry Strudel
Buttery filo strudel packed with spiced plums and blueberries, baked until golden and served warm with vanilla ice cream.
View RecipeClassic Wiener Schnitzel
Crisp, golden veal schnitzel fried in butter, finished with sharp lemon wedges for pure Viennese comfort.
View Recipe