Vienna Bites 2026

My name is Ingeborg, and I’ve been working at the Austria Classic Hotel Vienna since 1988. This year, Vienna is all about culinary delights and Viennese cuisine, and the motto is “Vienna Bites – Cuisine, Culture, Character.” Naturally, this immediately gives me plenty of ideas for a new blog about food and drink in Vienna! Please join me on my culinary journey through Vienna—because Vienna really is good enough to eat!

One of the most famous dishes in Viennese cuisine is undoubtedly the crispy Wiener Schnitzel. For many visitors, this traditional dish is a must-try when dining out in Vienna.

Here are a few facts (source: Google):

• Historical origins: The name first appeared around 1831, but it wasn’t until the late 19th century that it became firmly established.
• Italian connection (legend): It is often claimed that Radetzky brought the Cotoletta alla Milanese from Lombardy to Vienna. However, there is no historical evidence to support this.
• Development: The dish is an evolution of breaded meat dishes that were popular in Vienna during the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Original: A genuine Wiener Schnitzel is made from veal.

We Viennese eat it with potato salad, and a little lemon juice makes the greasy breading easier to digest. Sometimes we also serve it with cranberries. Very important: We never pour sauce over our schnitzel—that would ruin the crispy breading!

By the way, a frequently asked question at our front desk at the Austria Classic Hotel Vienna is:
“Where can I find the best Wiener Schnitzel in Vienna?”

This question isn’t that easy to answer! When we asked our receptionists, everyone gave a different answer.

Here is a small collection of our restaurant recommendations for Wiener Schnitzel in Vienna (prices are for a veal Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad and are taken directly from the restaurants’ menus as of March 9, 2026):

In the 1st District: 
Figlmüller Euro 35,80 (Sure, it’s touristy, but they really know what they’re doing)
Plachutta Gasthaus zur Oper Euro 32,80 (Recommended by our lovely regulars)

In the 2nd district, near us:
Praterwirt Euro 32,- 
Gasthaus Hansy Euro 28,40
Gasthaus Nestroy Euro 26,50
Mahlzeit (no veal schnitzel, only pork or chicken, but incredibly generous portions at an unbelievably low price. I’d recommend it mainly for takeout, since you’ll smell strongly of the kitchen after visiting the restaurant. But the schnitzels are very good!)

In the 7th district:
Schnitzelwirt Neubaugasse - Price unknown, as no menu can be found online (but a true institution for 50 years!!)

In the 11th district (near Gate 1 of the Vienna Central Cemetery)
Concordia Schlössl (My personal favorite! They serve rolled schnitzel in many different variations!)

In the 16th district
Gasthaus Nigls Euro 24,90 (a bit outside in the outskirts, but super friendly staff and a wide selection of different schnitzel variations)

Yes, of course we have burgers, pizza, and kebabs in Vienna too. But when it comes to a quick snack between meals, the hot dog stands in Vienna are especially popular. At the hot dog stand, you often meet wonderful, genuine Viennese locals. I particularly like going to Mat’s hot dog stand, just around the corner from our hotel. Mat stays open until 4 a.m., and the later it gets, the more interesting the crowd becomes!
Hungry tourists mingle with slightly tipsy Viennese locals, eating Käsekrainer or Frankfurter sausages, washing them down with a beer—and suddenly everyone’s chatting. The Viennese sausage stand is almost like a little stage for Viennese wit and international understanding. At 2 a.m., it just works perfectly!

I probably don’t need to say much more about Vienna’s famous coffeehouse culture. When temperatures rise in the spring, many coffeehouses in Vienna set up their outdoor seating areas on their front patios again. Then you can sit outside, enjoy a cup of coffee, and watch the colorful hustle and bustle of Viennese city life.
Of course, a coffee is not complete without a typical Viennese dessert, such as:

• Sachertorte
• Apfelstrudel
• Gugelhupf
• Topfenstrudel

My favorite festival in Vienna is the Genussfestival in Vienna’s Stadtpark. This year, it will take place from May 8–10, 2026. The entire Stadtpark is filled with stalls offering local specialties and regional products from Austria.
You can simply grab some food and drinks and sit down on one of the many park benches. Or you can bring a blanket and make yourself comfortable on the grass. When the weather is nice, it’s truly a dream!

1 kg beef goulash meat
1 kg yellow onions
Oil
Tomato paste
Paprika (sweet and hot)
½ liter beef broth
Marjoram
2 bay leaves
Caraway seeds
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Finely chop the onions and sauté them very slowly and patiently in oil. This can take up to an hour. They should be translucent and slightly sweet. Meanwhile, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and briefly sauté them with the onions at the end.
Briefly sauté the paprika powder and tomato paste (not too long, or it will become bitter), pour in the broth, add the spices, and let it simmer for at least two hours.
It’s best to eat it the next day, because it tastes even better when reheated.
As the saying goes:
“Only goulash tastes better reheated!”

My personal tip if you want to eat good goulash in Vienna:
Gasthaus zum Sieg at Haidgasse 8—a quaint Viennese pub. They serve only one dish there: goulash. And it’s perfect!