Best Restaurants in Austria 2026

Wiener Schnitzel

Austria's most iconic dish — a thin veal cutlet (Kalb) pounded flat, breaded in fine breadcrumbs, and fried in clarified butter until golden. Traditionally served with potato-cucumber salad and a wedge of lemon. A must-order at traditional Gasthäuser.

Where to try: Figlmüller (Wollzeile 5, Vienna), Plachutta (Wollzeile 38, Vienna)

Price: $18-35

Tafelspitz

Emperor Franz Joseph's favorite dish — prime boiled beef simmered with root vegetables in rich broth, served with apple-horseradish, chive sauce, and roasted potatoes. Refined and delicate, the best of Viennese bourgeois cooking.

Where to try: Plachutta Wollzeile (Wollzeile 38, Vienna)

Price: $28-40

Sachertorte

Vienna's most famous cake — dense chocolate sponge with apricot jam, coated in dark chocolate glaze, served with unsweetened whipped cream. Invented at Hotel Sacher in 1832; the 'original' recipe is disputed between Hotel Sacher and Konditorei Demel.

Where to try: Café Sacher (Philharmoniker Str. 4), Konditorei Demel (Kohlmarkt 14)

Price: $7-12 per slice

Kaiserschmarrn

Fluffy pancake batter shredded while cooking, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with plum compote or applesauce. Named after Emperor Franz Joseph I, Austria's most beloved dessert — equally at home in a Michelin-starred restaurant or an alpine hut.

Where to try: Throughout Austria; particularly good at alpine huts in Tyrol and Salzburg province

Price: $10-18

Käsekrainer

Vienna's beloved cheese-filled pork sausage served piping hot from the Würstelstand street stand with mustard and a fresh Semmel roll. The casing bursts open during cooking to reveal melted cheese inside — an essential Vienna street food experience.

Where to try: Bitzinger Würstelstand (Albertinaplatz 1, opposite State Opera)

Price: $4-7

Steirereck

Vienna's top restaurant with two Michelin stars, located in Stadtpark. Innovative interpretations of Austrian cuisine using regional ingredients. Wine cellar holds over 30,000 bottles. Reservations essential months in advance.

Am Heumarkt 2A, 1030 Vienna

Plachutta Wollzeile

Vienna institution famous for Tafelspitz (boiled beef), Emperor Franz Joseph's favorite dish. Traditional elegant setting with white tablecloths and attentive service. Multiple cuts of beef served with classic accompaniments. A Viennese culinary experience.

Wollzeile 38, 1010 Vienna

Figlmüller Wollzeile

Home of Vienna's most famous schnitzel since 1905. Gigantic portions overhanging plates have become legendary. The original location in the narrow alley serves only pork schnitzel. Always crowded but worth the wait.

Wollzeile 5, 1010 Vienna

Leo's Käsekrainer

Popular würstelstand near Vienna's Naschmarkt serving excellent käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage). Quick service, fair prices, and quality ingredients. Perfect late-night snack or quick lunch. Local favorite.

Linke Wienzeile 46, 1060 Vienna

Café Central

Legendary coffeehouse since 1876, once frequented by Freud, Trotsky, and other intellectuals. Palatial interior with vaulted ceilings and marble columns. Famous for apple strudel and Sachertorte. Live piano music daily. Tourist favorite but still magnificent.

Herrengasse 14, 1010 Vienna

Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant

Two Michelin-starred restaurant at Palais Coburg. Innovative cuisine showcasing seasonal ingredients with artistic presentation. Incredible wine list from the palace's historic cellars. Elegant dining experience.

Coburgbastei 4, 1010 Vienna

Gasthaus Pöschl

Authentic Viennese gasthaus serving classic comfort food since 1860. Cozy wood-paneled rooms, friendly service, and hearty portions. Popular with locals for traditional dishes like goulash and schnitzel at fair prices.

Weihburggasse 17, 1010 Vienna

Schnitzelwirt

No-frills local favorite in Vienna's 7th district famous for enormous schnitzels at rock-bottom prices. Cash only, limited seating, and sometimes gruff service, but the crispy schnitzels are outstanding. Authentic Viennese experience.

Neubaugasse 52, 1070 Vienna

Käsekrainer (cheese sausage)

The king of Viennese street food — a pork sausage stuffed with diced Emmental cheese, grilled on the Würstelstand until the casing chars and the cheese melts inside. Order with sweet mustard (süßem Senf) and a Semmel roll.

Find it at: Würstelstände throughout Vienna, particularly at Bitzinger (Albertinaplatz 1) and near U-Bahn stations

Leberkäse (meat loaf sandwich)

A thick slice of baked meat loaf served in a crusty roll (Semmel) with yellow mustard. Available hot from bakeries and butchers from 9 AM — the Austrian equivalent of a hot sandwich.

Find it at: Bakeries (Bäckerei) and butchers (Fleischerei) throughout Austria

Bosna (Salzburg sausage)

Salzburg's cult street food — a spicy bratwurst in a white roll with fried onions, parsley, and curry powder. Served at legendary stands near Getreidegasse since the 1950s. Not to be confused with the Käsekrainer.

Find it at: Bosna Stand (Griesgasse 33, Salzburg)

Naschmarkt Vienna

Vienna's premier food market stretching 1.5 km along the Wien River canal with 120+ vendors selling fresh Austrian produce, artisan cheeses, cured meats, olives, spices, and international foods. Saturday morning brings a massive flea market alongside the regular food stalls.

Hours: Mon-Fri 6 AM - 7:30 PM, Sat 6 AM - 6 PM

Salzburg Grünmarkt (Green Market)

Daily farmers market beneath the baroque Universitätsplatz arcades in Salzburg's old town, selling organic seasonal produce, Tyrolean mountain cheeses, local sausages, bread, flowers, and prepared foods.

Hours: Mon-Sat 7 AM - 7 PM

Brunnenmarkt Vienna

Vienna's longest street market at 1 km in the Ottakring district — more authentic than the Naschmarkt and significantly cheaper, primarily serving the multicultural local neighborhood with excellent fruit, vegetables, and spices.

Hours: Mon-Fri 6 AM - 6:30 PM, Sat 6 AM - 5 PM