Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. How does contemporary cuisine in Vienna taste? To try local beef tartare, grilled fish and the likes head for one of these relaxed restaurants. While they all excel in quality food each boasts a distinctive menu and interiors. Since the eateries are based in the center or in lovely neighborhoods you can integrate them easily into your walks. Price ranges provided are indications for one main course.
1. O Boufés
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. What happens when an inspired Austro-Greek chef blends Mediterranean and Central European ingredients to create simple luxury on your plate? At Konstantin Filippou's O Boufés guests lunch and dine amidst unpretentious industrial chic: for example, Ox tartar with asparagus, mushroom and hazelnut; or “Danube lamb” soutzoukakia with arugula and mountain cheese. All washed down with the kind of natural wine that Filippou has made himself a name of in Vienna.
Price: EUR 18 to EUR 25
Location: Dominikanerbastei 17; A-1010 Vienna
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm;
kitchen closes at 10.00 pm; closed on Sundays and most bank holidays.
2. Artner am Franziskanerplatz
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. Artner is a very popular quality grill restaurant on one of the loveliest little squares in town. By combining simply set tables with rough naked brick walls Artner's stylish interior scores high on atmosphere. Here, your grilled steaks come from mature Austrian dairy cows and are dry aged: best enjoyed in the company of chives purée or rosemary potatoes. Fish lovers should find at least two options of grilled fresh seafood on the menu. And there are always some Viennese dishes if you get cravings. In the summer, sitting outside on the square makes you feel you are in Rome.
Price: EUR 16 to EUR 25
Location: Franziskanerplatz 5; A-1010 Vienna
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays 12.00 pm to midnight; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 6.00 pm to midnight
3. Restaurant Lingenhel
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. In a dairy-rich country like Austria a cheese restaurant, manufactory and shop was all we needed. Yet, relatively young Lingenhel in the third district Landstrasse remains Vienna's only urban cheesery. Beneath the vaulted ceilings of a 200-year-old building guests tuck into Europe's best cheeses from small manufacturers as well as home-made buffalo mozzarella and ricotta. In the adjacent show cheesery located in the former horse stables visitors observe the art of cheese making. Apart from dairy, the menu includes Mediterranean-style cold platters, fresh fish and small snacks like braised asparagus with succulent ham and Hungarian goulash.
Price: EUR 14 to EUR 22
Location: Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 74; A-1030 Vienna
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays 9.00 am to 5.00 pm; Saturday 8.00 am to 3.00 pm;
4. TIAN Bistro
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. While a confirmed heaven for vegetarian or vegan, this green power plant will convince even the most die-hard meat eaters. Specifically, the relaxed sister of local Michelin star restaurant TIAN creates excitement around plant-based food. Because the menu is selective guests easily enter new culinary territory, for example through the TIAN tartare with corn bread and wild garlic mayonnaise. Or through the saffron risotto with peas and sliced king oyster mushrooms.
Like the menu, the bistro's simple wooden interiors focus on the essential. In the summer, guests sit outdoors among climbers and more plants in one of Spittelberg's picturesque cobble-stoned streets.
My Tip: If you are a group or just two people, go for the Sharing Chef's Garden surprise menu.
Price: EUR 10 to EUR 16
Location: Schrankgasse 4; A-1070 Vienna
Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm; Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am to 10.00 pm
5. Motto am Fluss
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. Located at the Danube Canal's Wien City docking station where the Twin City Liner departs, Motto am Fluss soaks up the canal's rough charms. While the space itself resembles a ship, its 50's style interior represents a bold combination of black-and-white checkered floors, chrome globe lamps and mid-century-style wooden furniture. When the weather is warm, its outdoor terrace provides a welcome breeze on most days. Among its contemporary cuisine you will find excellent beef tartare with herbal mustard salad, a dry-aged prime rib and grilled salmon with asparagus.
For an even hipper dining and bar experience try Motto am Fluss' sister restaurant Motto in the fifth district of Margareten.
The restaurant is very popular. Book in advance.
Price: EUR 11 to EUR 26
Location: Franz-Josefs Kai/Vorkai; between the bridges Marienbrücke and Schwedenbrücke
Opening hours:
Restaurant: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; 6.00 pm to 2.00 am
Bar: 6.00 pm to 4.00 am
Café: 8.00 am to 2.00 am
6. Restaurant Hansen
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. Quite informal financial business type restaurant with good quality contemporary Viennese and Mediterranean cuisine in the lovely vaulted Roman market hall at the Old Vienna Stock Exchange. Even though the menu changes regularly you will always find fresh seasonal produce, such as asparagus and mushrooms, as well as grilled steak, fresh fish and at least one type of risotto.
Good to experience local business life without feeling displaced as a traveller. The exuberant plant and gardening decorations of adjacent garden shop Lederleitner create the feeling of lunching in a nursery, lovely!
Price: EUR 9 to EUR 14
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 11.00 pm; Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm; closed on Sundays and public holidays
Location: Wipplingerstrasse 34; A-1010 Vienna
7. Skopik und Lohn
Contemporary Vienna Restaurants. Serving uncomplicated food in Michelin star quality, this relaxed tavern blends French and Italian cuisine with a few inspired Austrian recipes in between: For example, steak with caramelized charlottes, crunchy baby potatoes, baby spinach and sauce béarnaise; or ombrina with potato and lemon purée, courgettes and braised tomatoes. To spice up the wooden interiors, artist Otto Zitko masterfully doodled across Skopik und Lohn's ceiling. This Vienna eatery is a great dinner spot after a visit to Augarten in the second district (Leopoldstadt).
Price: EUR 10 to EUR 26
Location: Leopoldsgasse 17; A-1010 Vienna
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 6.00 pm to 1.00 am
My Tips: If you want more good restaurants and like a 30 percent discount off your bill, try this amazing restaurant booking tool. To easily find each restaurants, use the Wien Mobil app.
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