Vienna’s Cafe Sperl has been a century and half favorite of military officers, politicians, artists and about anyone favoring comfortable surroundings over a cup of coffee and strudel. Whether you visit for a pastry and coffee, a hearty egg and sausage breakfast, or one of the many traditional savory Austrian favorites for lunch or dinner, you’ll surely appreciate this historical domain.
Grunspan offers Austrian classics from the respected restauranteurs at the more formal Plachuttas gastaus restaurants. Dine in a shady beer garden or an indoor lodge-like dining room. Menu is similar to the restauranteur’s more formal restaurants with the additional sausages and an emphasize on jovial beer drinking. It’s a bit of the beaten path but worth it for a quieter setting away from the city center.
Need a burger fix? Or maybe a good steak that won’t break the bank? Casual dining spot, Mama und der Bulle (“Mama and the Bull”) has managed to keep the price right by offering just three cuts of beef. And they’re all quite good and prepared perfectly on each of my visits.
Edvard Restaurant, in the Grand Kempenski, Vienna, offers your choice of a 5- or 7-course tasting menu or dining a la carte. Chef de Cuisine, Thomas Pedevilla, offers a menu with an enticing mix of texture and molecular magic. A satisfying tasting menu with plenty of variety and spot-on service. The ambience is a bit subdued but improves as the room fills with the quiet chatter from nearby tables.
Café Central, despite being slightly more hype than substance, is worth a visit for pastry and a cup of coffee to see this historic piece of architecture. But skip the savory meal. There are dozens of better restaurants serving schnitzel and boiled beef in Vienna. On a recent visit, service was good, but the food was sub-par.
Vienna’s Café Westend recently changed ownership who spared little or no expense to bring this historic location back to its original luster. The execution of the Austrian classics and the service has also vastly improved. Opens at 7 am with an assortment of breakfasts to satisfy any appetite. Great for a meal, coffee and pastry or an afternoon or evening cocktail.