What makes Vienna special is the melange of its imperial heritage, eastern European underground culture, socialist urban planning, and an increasingly interesting culinary landscape. It’s also one of the most affordable cities in the world, as well as the home of two fantastic arts universities; no wonder, then, that so many self-supported or state-funded cultural initiatives and independent exhibition spaces are flourishing. Where it was once a sleepy city during the summer, Vienna’s art scene has been turned on year round since the end of the pandemic, especially so in mid-September.

One thing that visitors should bear in mind: On Sundays, this city is basically on lockdown. Museums and cinemas are open, but most everything else is closed, up to and including the majority of restaurants and all but five of its supermarkets. So plan your day of culture, sport, and rest in advance!

Café Prückel
Stubenring 24, 1010 Wien

If I have a morning meeting before the gallery opens, it most likely happens at Prückel, halfway between my flat and the gallery. They just added a fresh coat of paint in August to shine anew for September. You’ll find all the Vienna breakfast options here. It’s also the kind of place where you’ll almost always run into someone you know, be they a personal acquaintance or a genuine celebrity.

Café Goldegg
Argentinierstraße 49, 1040 Wien

If Belvedere Museum (whether the old collection or the contemporary one) is where you’re headed for the day, there is another very traditional Austrian breakfast place and coffee house that I always enjoy: Café Goldegg. Because of its proximity to the train station, the former Café Dobner was a favorite haunt of railroad workers from its founding in 1910. During the Nazi era, it served as a meeting place for persecuted trade unionists and revolutionary socialists, organized by the likes of Richard Freund, Andreas Thaler, and Karl Dlouhy until May 1941.

Öfferl
Various locations

Originally from Gaubitsch in Austria’s wine region, Öfferl opened in Vienna in 2019 and quickly expanded to seven locations in the city. If you are into sourdough bread, this is your paradise. Most of their bakeries have a bistro attached serving fantastic breakfast, and all have my favorite takeaway: Topfengolatschen, a soft dough with sweet, fresh cheese inside.

Meinklang
Franzensgasse 2, 1050 Wien

Meinklang serves as bakery, brunch place, lunch takeaway, or sur place, with a menu that proudly tells you where the produce comes from. Offerings change according to season and availability. As a fellow South Tyrolian, I champion its excellent kitchen, fantastic bakery (often stocked with pastel de nata), fresh farm eggs, and so much more. I don’t drink coffee, so you’ll have to find out for yourself – but I’m sure it’s delicious.

Buddha Bowls by Elena’s
Praterstraße 16, 1020 Wien /
Wollzeile 23, 1010 Wien

I effing hate this trend of franchized bowl places that have popped up everywhere in the last few years. BUT Buddha Bowls is the OG of bowls, and they do it right. Every single ingredient here feels superior to what you’ll find elsewhere. Elena Leichnitz, a renowned food stylist and excellent cook, sources everything regionally. It’s my favorite takeout lunch to enjoy at the gallery.

Maiz
Schönbrunner Str. 32, 1050 Wien

If you didn’t notice by now, I’m a sucker for regional. Maiz, a taqueria in the 5th district, has regional, seasonal, and biologically grown ingredients; plus, the food is delicious! If I am further down the Naschmarkt, it’s my go-to place. Rumor has it they’re opening a second location in the 8th district by the end of this September.

All Reis Bangkok Street Food
Schweglerstraße 12, 1150 Wien /
Ballgasse 6, 1010 Wien

I can’t talk about lunch spots without mentioning All Reis, our gallery neighbors. The restaurant is always packed, yet they almost always manage to find a table for you, even without a reservation. We’re lucky enough to get served directly from their kitchen via a window in our gallery courtyard. How lovely is that? The staff is queer-friendly and on top of their game, and the food is said to be among the most authentic Thai in town.

Clementine im Glashaus
Palais Coburg Residenz, Coburgbastei 4, 1010

On sunny days, my work lunches are at Clementine. It’s inside a hotel around the corner from our gallery and provides a shady courtyard under its big trees. The food is fantastic, the place mostly quiet, the staff quick, and the acoustics great for lively conversation.

Mr. Du Ramen Bar
Biberstraße 4, 1010 Wien

When the days get colder, I could live on ramen! The most known ramen bar in town must be Mochi O.M.K, but there are so many other great ones. Near the Naschmarkt, there is Karma Ramen or Kuishimbo, both tiny and tasty, but closer to the gallery, right behind Café Prückel, is Mr. Du Ramen Bar, my new favorite place for a comforting bowl of noodles on a rainy days.

Parémi
Bäckerstraße 10, 1010 Wien

Patricia and Rémi Soulier, adorned with all the French pastry accolades one can imagine, returned to their hometown to open Parémi. I lived in France for a year, and this is the place I go when I miss my beloved croissant aux amandes.

Aida
Various locations

I’m not sure one can say they have been to Vienna without sitting at one of its many Aida pastry cafes. They have decent pastry and good Topfengolatschen, but they are legendary for two other reasons. For one, they seem stuck in the 70s, from the staff’s outfits to their core customers; second, there’s the Aida merch: They made popular a sweater that, instead of Aida, says Oida, which is Viennese for “bro” and an expression of bafflement.

Café Jelinek
Otto-Bauer-Gasse 5, 1060 Wien

The coziest café in Vienna for me, Café Jelinek is right around the corner of artist John Gerrard’s studio, in the middle of the hip 7th district, and is also a typically Viennese time machine. It’s also an art and theater scene café where many students discuss politics and breakups or sit on their laptops.

Crème de la Crème
Lange G. 76, 1080 Wien

I had a wedding cake by this pastry shop before I ever went to the place itself. The finesse of these pastries is unheard of, and they taste so good! To be fair, they are also quite heavy on cream – but totally worth it.

Gasthaus Wolf
Große Neugasse 20, 1040 Wien

Gasthaus Wolf holds many fond memories for me. I’ve had my best tartare and warm chili-octopus salad there. They offer authentic Viennese cuisine with some creative twists and specials. Their focus on regional and seasonal produce is something I truly appreciate. I rarely eat meat, but when I do, it’s important that it comes from a place where the animal had a name.

WILDLING
Laudongasse 8, 1080 Wien

If you're a fan of pickled and fermented foods, WILDLING is paradise. This is also a place where dining out is an experience, and you’re likely to make new friends over the course of an evening. Last time I visited, we had a great time bantering with the waiter and ended up with drinks made from the last bottle of rhubarb beer (think ginger beer, but with rhubarb). I love sharing food, and WILDLING’s tapas-style menu is perfect for indulging in a bit of everything.

Moby Dick
Neustiftgasse 26, 1070 Wien

Moby Dick offers a simple menu of four dishes. In a world of overstimulation, this is exactly how an evening should end. What’s even more exciting is that each dish is paired with a specific libation. Oh, bliss. I rarely drink alcohol, but if I do, it’s got to be a good cocktail. Do I need to mention that the food is mouth-watering?

Neue Hoheit Brasserie & Bar
Tuchlauben 4, 1010 Wien

I love rooftop bars, and while I go to RED (on the rooftop of the Radisson Hotel) for cocktails and a view over the water, if I have guests from outside of Vienna, I do love to show them the rooftop of the Rosewood Hotel, right in the middle of Vienna’s Golden District of luxury shopping. To my knowledge, they are the only place in town that serve lobster sandwiches – and some days, that’s just what one needs.

Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Bognergasse 5, 1010 Wien

Around the corner from the Rosewood Hotel is the family restaurant of Zum Schwarzen Kameel. It’s not everyone’s obvious first choice when giving recommendations for traditional Viennese food, but it’s mine. The interior alone is worth the trip, and the Schnitzel and Tafelspitz are unparalleled. I love this place at every time of day and night. During lockdown, they had an oyster cart outside, and we used to get trays of oysters and eat them in the streets, drinking Crémant out of the bottles.

First Floor
Seitenstettengasse 5, 1010 Wien

You can tell what kind of place First Floor is just from their one-page website. The waiters might roll their eyes if you order a Strawberry Daiquiri, but will give you a respectful nod for a Whisky Sour. It’s never too loud or too crowded here, but I have seen random guests walk up to the piano and absolutely rock it on more than one occasion.

Eden
Liliengasse 2, 1010 Wien

Where to start? Eden is a Tanzbar, or dance bar – something I’m not sure exists anywhere else. It’s where families with adult children come to party. There’s a man who will dance with anyone too shy to ask, and you’ll find Elvis lookalikes in sequin jackets getting everyone to scream along to “Sex on Fire.” Plus, their Whisky Sours are made with egg white! Depending who the shaker is, you’ll have to ask for a Boston Sour.

IF DOGS RUN FREE
Gumpendorfer Str. 10, 1060 Wien

Yes it’s a cocktail bar, of course! Apart from the great name and the very sexy door sign, IF DOGS RUN FREE is a bar where a lot of architects go when they are off from work, usually around 10 or 11pm. The vibe is flirty (if that can be said of any place in Vienna), chill, and chatty. I guess the owners (an actress, a graphic designer, and two architects) just attract very attractive guests.

das WERK
Spittelauer Lände 12, Stadtbahnbögen 331/333, 1090 Wien

I don’t go clubbing, and if I go dancing, I go to cheesy places where fifty-year olds sashay to Dirty Dancing and ABBA hits. But the few times I have been at das WERK, it has not disappointed me. The crowd seems less straight then at Pratersauna or Grelle Forelle, but it probably just depends on the event you choose. I was always there for vogue balls.

What’s truly unique and special about Vienna is the city’s investment in public spaces that are free of obligatory consumption and open to everyone. Museumsquartier is a well-known example, but I also love the hammocks at Bruno-Kreisky-Park not far from Maiz or Pier 22 on Donauinsel.

Weingut Brustbauer
Oberloiben 2, 3601 Dürnstein

This family-run winery in the Wachau World Heritage region is rooted in natural and sustainable viticulture. The location, the former Salzburger Amtshof in Oberloiben, is over 1000 years old, and it feels like a place suspended in time. The wines are fantastic, thanks to the extensive manual labor, and every ingredient on the table is either homemade or sourced from friends of the owners. This year, I myself even helped with the harvest.

The author at Gasthaus Wolf

___

“A Tragical Romance”
with Leah Clements, Rebecca Jagoe, Korallia Stergides, and Marianne Vlaschits
curated by Mariana Lemos
14 Sep – 19 Oct 2024