The 20 best restaurants in Vienna for 2026

What is it? A former imperial glasshouse overlooking the stately Burggarten gardens that's been converted into the all-day brasserie, Palmenhaus. The menu is modern Austrian-meets-Mediterranean, with an excellent selection of wines by the glass, expertly mixed cocktails and desserts to die for. Fond memories guaranteed. 

Why go? Where else can you tuck into traditional dumplings surrounded by loads of lush tropical foliage? It’s particularly inviting on a chilly day. Follow up one of the hearty lunch specials (such as mushroom ragout or strozzapreti with veal bolognese) with a slice of warm almond and chocolate cake and stewed plums. 

Time Out tip: Try the cheese selection that comes with fig mustard, walnuts, grapes and bread – preferably washed down with a glass of Austrian white wine. 

Address: Burggarten 1, 1010, Wien

Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday, from 10am-11pm; Thursday, from 9am-11pm; Friday, from 10am-11pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 9am-11pm

Expect to pay: Around €70 per head for two courses and an alcoholic drink. A small cover charge may also apply.  

What is it? Set in the impressive Regensburger Hof building, Lugeck is run by the same family behind the historic Schnitzel restaurant Figlmüller. This gastro-pub take on an old-school wine tavern offers Austrian classics and an array of international dishes.

Why go? If you want to try a contemporary spin on traditional Wiener Schnitzel or Franz Joseph I’s favourite boiled beef dish, Tafelspitz, washed down with a carefully chosen glass of Austrian wine or craft beer, this is the place for you. Lighter dinner options include dishes like Kärntner Kasnudeln (cheese-filled dumplings) and a chicken caesar salad. 

Address: Lugeck 4, 1010, Wien 

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, from 11.30am-midnight (kitchen closes at 10pm)

Expect to pay: €55 per head for two courses and a drink, so long as you stay away from the considerably pricier steaks or the Tafelspitz.

What is it? An entirely outdoor restaurant set on the oxbow lake that is the Alte Donau.

Why go? With perfect sunset views over the water in the summer months, Ufertaverne's kitchen does very good fish and seafood dishes, alongside Viennese classics. Having dinner here is like going on a Mediterranean holiday in the heart of Vienna. It's a little bit out of town, but easy enough to get to by U-bahn. 

Time Out tip: You can also rent a boat to go up and down the lake from the attached sailing school, or walk a bit further down the road to a jetty for a refreshing swim. 

Address: An der oberen Alten Donau 186, 1220, Wien

Opening hours: Open daily. In April, from noon to sunset; May to August, from 9am-11.30pm (kitchen from noon-10pm); September, from 9am-10pm (kitchen from noon-9pm); and October, from noon to sunset (kitchen from noon to sunset)

Expect to pay: €17-25 for mains, and around €40-50 for a two-course meal.

What is it? A stylish, wood-panelled restaurant just a stone’s throw away from Stephansplatz that is likely to appeal to all palates. 

Why go? Wrenkh is something of a Viennese stalwart due to its creative takes on traditional Austrian cuisine, and use of local ingredients, such as mushroom schnitzel, sichaun burrata with pumpkin seed salsa, and beet tatar. Most of the food served is vegetarian, although there are occasional meat or fish dishes on the menu, too, along with a great wine menu.

Time out tip: Can’t decide what to have? Choose the best of the kitchen menu for €44 for two people or more. 

Address: Bauernmarkt 10, 1010, Wien

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 11am-11pm; and Saturday, from noon-11pm (kitchen closes at 10pm); closed Sundays

Expect to pay: €13-23 for mains, and €17 for a wallet-friendly lunch special, starting at 11am from Monday to Saturday, while stocks last. 

What is it? Am Nordpol 3 (3 North Pole) is a little bit off the beaten track from the city centre, but not quite as far as the name suggests. The restaurant offers authentic Bohemian cuisine, matching the somewhat Bohemian/Gasthaus decor, complete with colourful paintings and influences deeply rooted in traditional Viennese cuisine. 

Why go? On the far side of the Augarten, Am Nordpol 3 is one of the Viennese restaurants that can definitely be described as an local gem. Both, the cuisine and the atmosphere are relaxed and down-to-earth. 

Time out tip: Try the blini followed by the delicious potato dumplings. The Moravian cabbage soup is a meal in itself. 

Address: Nordpolstraße 3, 1020, Wien​

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 5pm-11pm; Saturday and Sunday, from noon-4pm, and 5pm-11pm (kitchen closes at 9.45pm daily)

Expect to pay: €15-20 for mains, and about €30 per head for a two-course meal. 

What is it? A family-run Viennese restaurant, or, let’s be honest, a top-level Viennese institution. Mraz und Sohn is possibly the best place to dine in Austria’s capital at the moment. Of course, that comes at a (hefty) price, but it pays off. Trust us.

Why go? Finely coordinated courses that usually follow a motto (an ingredient). Some courses in between come as ‘surprises’ – and they really are. Mraz und Sohn means fine dining in an absolutely relaxed, unsophisticated way, and if you're lucky, sitting with a view of the open kitchen.

Address: Wallensteinstraße 59, 1200, Wien

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 7pm-midnight; closed Saturday and Sunday 

Expect to pay: €188.88 for the 13-course taster menu. No a la carte menu. 

What is it? A subterranean bar-slash-restaurant in the uber-cool 7th district.

Why go? Erich is tucked down the side of Sankt-Ulrichsplatz, and it’s easy to walk past it – but you’ll be glad you didn’t. From breakfast tacos to the ‘Hangover’ grilled sandwich and salmon poké bowls, it ticks all the boxes around the clock, and there's a good vegan menu, too. Find tasty, bar-style food with a cool vibe and friendly staff in one of Vienna’s trendiest neighbourhoods. 

Time Out tip: Come here for a tailored breakfast where you pick your base (smashed avocado or eggs cooked the way you like them), your extras (tomatoes, hummus, chorizo, or the like) and two toppings. Available until 4pm each day.  

Address: Neustiftgasse 27, 1070, Wien

Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday, from 9am-midnight; Friday to Saturday, from 9am-1am

Expect to pay: Fuel up on breakfast or refuel on tacos for under €15 a pop. 

What is it? Sitting behind the Museums Quartier, Glacis Beisl is like a secret garden hidden in the old city walls.

Why go? A modern take on the traditional Viennese ‘Beisl’ (bistro or pub), this is the place to try some Viennese culinary classics and wine. The short but well executed menu of classics such as Wiener Schnitzel and beef goulash, is accompanied by seasonal weekly and daily specials. Oh, and the extensive wine list has wines from across Austria.

Time Out tip: The shady terrace offers some delightful respite from city centre sightseeing in the hot summer months. 

Address: Breite Gasse 4, 1070, Wien

Opening hours: Open daily from noon to midnight.  (Kitchen closes at 10.30pm, from Monday to Satuday, and at 9.30pm on Sundays)

Expect to pay: €30-45 per person for two courses, but check out their wallet-friendly daily specials for lower. 

What is it? A family-run Italian restaurant off the main pedestrian drag, Kärntner Strasse, near the Haus der Musik. 

Why go? At Ristorante Sole, Padrone Aki has been personally greeting guests at the door for over 40 years. Its freshly-made pasta and stone oven-baked pizzas are particularly popular with musicians, singers and opera lovers that pile out from the nearby Opera House (classical music stars such as Placido Domingo included).

Time Out tip: The linguine allo scoglio (linguine with seafood) is exquisite, particularly when followed by a pannacotta.  

Address: Annagasse 8, 1010, Wien

Opening hours: Open daily from 11.30am-11pm

Expect to pay: Under €20 for many of the pastas and pizzas, with meat, fish and seafood dishes coming in a little higher. 

What is it? Set in the rapidly-gentrifying Leopoldstadt, Praterwirt is an easy-going, modern take on the Austrian beer tavern, complete with an open kitchen and its own butchery on site. It also has a surprisingly quiet outdoor seating area (or ‘Schanigarten’) on the side street. 

Why go? A 10-15 minute walk from the Prater funfair, this is a great place to refuel with hearty Austrian fayre, made with locally-sourced ingredients, and beer in a relaxed setting on the way back to the city centre.  

Address: Praterstrasse 45, 1020, Wien 

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, from noon-11pm (last order at 10.30pm); and Sunday, from noon-10pm (last order at 9.30pm)

Expect to pay: Simpler mains such as Pinzgauer kasnockerl (cheese dumplings) cost about €10 (€15 if you include a side salad) while schnitzels or veal goulash are about €23, with steak prices considerably higher and dependent on weight.