What was once served in Vienna from Bohemia, Hungary and the Balkans is now complemented by influences from Asia, the Orient and Latin America. Behind this is a new generation of chefs who play with tradition without betraying it.
It smells of grilled meat, cumin and freshly baked flatbread; a few steps further on, the aroma of sweet poppy seed strudel, basil and ripe tomatoes mingles with it: tourists with their cameras, old Viennese ladies with shopping bags and students sampling olives and hummus crowd the Naschmarkt. You might think you are walking through a mosaic of half the world - and yet it is Vienna, in the middle of Europe.
The term "Viennese cuisine" originated in the interwar period, when people longed to return to an era when Vienna was still the capital of a defunct empire. At the time, it was said that the city was a hub for people, cultures and cuisines - and that a unique style had emerged from this mixture: pastries from Bohemia, stews from Hungary, grilled specialties from the Balkans, pasta and risottos from what is now Italy. A culinary multi-ethnic monarchy, condensed on the plates of the capital.
Today, a century later, Vienna is growing again; a major European city with new population groups whose cuisines are revitalizing the time-honored Viennese cuisine. Asian, Levantine, Arabic and South American restaurants characterize the cityscape; established and up-and-coming chefs draw inspiration from them and create a new Viennese cuisine that - as in the past - reflects the kaleidoscope of the city.
You can feel it most clearly here, between the market stalls, where exotic scents and local products sit side by side. It is precisely this mixture that makes Vienna unique in culinary terms: tradition and migration, familiar and foreign at the same time - a development that can be seen in the city's best restaurants. For example, at Heinz Reitbauer's "Steirereck" restaurant, whose meticulous pursuit of excellence has taken Austrian food production to new heights; or at the Mraz family, who offer a new, more relaxed version of fine dining at their "Mraz & Sohn" restaurant.
- Naschmarkt and curiosity:
Vienna's everyday life meets global flavors at the Naschmarkt - just taste it!
- Wiener Schnitzel:
The original can be recognized by the aroma of clarified butter and the wafer-thin meat.
- Sausages and world cultural heritage:
Few things are as Viennese as an "Eitrige mit Buckel" (cheese sausage with a piece of bread) at midnight - Vienna's sausage stands have been a UNESCO cultural heritage site since 2024.
Route