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November 29, 2024
Vienna sausages, Wieners or weenies are more than what it says on your can. Selling at the Austrian Würstelstand (sausage stand), the Wiener, or Frankfurter, represents a Viennese street food culture that is well alive in my home city Wien. Hence, use this page to learn the best sausage stands in Vienna.
Definitely, the Vienna sausage stands are our response to fast food and hot dog stalls, and a firm part of our culture. Originally, the Bratelbrater vendors started to sell roast meat and potatoes in Wien from the 17th century. During and after the First World War, the Viennese municipality granted fixed street stalls to disabled war veterans to earn an income.
When travelling to Vienna, you will find sausage stands all over the city, in particular in the city centre. Usually, you eat Vienna sausages, or better Frankfurter, with mustard and horse radish, dark sourdough bread or a white bread roll (Semmel). Apart from that, you will find a rich choice of local Vienna sausage varieties to explore bite by bite.
Increasingly, some original sausage stands offer international fast food, too, from pizza and noodles to kebabs. However, to fight international fast food competition, some stands go back to their roots, offering a wider range of traditional recipes, such as Kaiserzeit Würstelstand.
Clearly, the most famous sausage stand in Vienna is Bitzinger’s Würstelstand between the Vienna State Opera and the Albertina. Not just because of its architectural design it is always busy, especially after performances at the Vienna State Opera. Curiously, tradition has it that opera visitors – and even opera ball visitors – conclude an elegant evening of classical culture at the sausage stand. Hence, you can even sip a glass of champagne with your Frankfurter at the stand. Since a few years, a 3D replica of Albrecht Duerer’s famous hare decorates the stand’s rooftop.
Just outside the historic center, the Alt Wiener Würstelstand topped the annual rankings of the best Viennese sausage stand in 2018. Located right next to elegant Volkstheater, this sausage stand has amassed a large local fan community, not least because of its Käsekrainer cheese sausage and home made curry chili sauce. Since the stand is open until 4.00 am in the morning, this is the perfect place for a post Vienna balls snack.
For another great sausage experience, head for the Würstelstand at Hoher Markt. Among the specialities of this award winning sausage stand are it meat loaves (Leberkaese) and the giant Vienna sausage hot dogs. Especially local professionals love have their lunch snack there. And travellers like it because it is on the way between Kohlmarkt pedestrian area and the Danube Canal
When hunger attacks right in the city center, go for another architect designed sausage box: For many customers, Zum Goldenen Würstel serves the juiciest Bratwürstel at a squeaky clean stand. On top, you can choose from several pickles, deliciously presented in large glass jars: from traditional gherkins to green hot peppers to tomatoes stuffed with feta cheese.
‘The best of the [Austro-Hungarian] monarchy was the food and drink’, claims local actor and writer Rudi Roubinek. Therefore, his recently renovated historic sausage stand Kaiserzeit serves sausage specialities and snacks from the golden days of Austria’s Empire. Far beyond the classical Vienna sausage you will find sausages made from Hungarian steppe cattle, white truffled pork sausages and a multiple award winning traditional blood sausage. In line with the stand’s historic focus, wash down your meal with beers from the traditional Habsburg Crownlands Czechia, Croatia and Hungary.
If you like it hot, visit sausage vendor René at his stand on Schwarzenbergplatz.
Officially ranking among the best local sausage stands, René’s stand Der Scharfe René made his name with furiously hot chili sauces that accompany his amazing sausages.
At the entrance of Stadtpark along Ringstrasse, the Würstelstand am Stadtpark has a little more down to earth audience. It attracts a mixture of students, blue collar workers, civil cervants, and local professionals. The location between Stadtpark and the Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art is great for killing your hunger during a walk in town.
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