its excellent natural wine, it would be a
mistake not to settle in for chef Martin
Schmid’s tasting menu. Simple-sounding
dishes like potato rosti, char roe, chives
and sour cream, or slow-cooked veal belly,
caper and spring-greens puree, puffed
rice and charred lettuce are executed with
serious culinary flare.
Since the 1800s, meaty snails (originally
marine creatures) have been so adored by
the Viennese that they were conveniently
slipped through a Lenten loophole
substituting fish. Go ask Gugumuck
how they’re farmed and book at the
bistro table for the ultimate slow-food
dining experience.
Lunch at leafy Glacis Beisl, on tender
golden schnitzel (it would be rude not to,
right?) before spending a
cultural afternoon in adjacent MQ
(MuseumsQuartier) and
its relaxing central
square. Still snacky?
Order three fingers
of Trzesniewski‘s
open ribbon
sandwiches with
your choice of
toppings (truffled egg, chicken liver,
paprika) or hunt down Eis Greissler’s
pumpkin-seed ice cream.COFFEEHOUSE RULES
Traditional Viennese cafes are
tremendously atmospheric, yet many have
lost favour with all but tourists who don’t
mind paying top dollar for sub-standard
coffee and cake. Vollpension, on the
other hand, resembling your granny’s
settee-strewn rumpus room circa 1971,
employs senior citizens for their
unbeatable homestyle-baking skills and
conversation. It’s a treat! Viola‘s coffee is
delicious and her contemporary take on
old-school treats, like rum-laden
Punschkrapfen pastry, and Sachertorte
chocolate cakes are the absolute bomb!
Just after a damn good espresso? Furth
Café has your back.MUST-DO
Dive deep inside the city’s food culture
with the help of Bianca Is(s)t’s Food
Safari. You’ll uncover more in half a day’s
tour than a week on your own. Taste your
way through raw cheese, cured meats and
small-batch wines at farmers’ markets (the
communal hub of each district), whip
behind the scenes at Gragger & Cie
bakery (nab some poppyseed crescents
for later) or learn about the Ottoman
empire whilst drooling over Turkish bread
rings, warm from the woodfire. AvoidpressingyourfaceagainstXocolat‘s glass
cabinetsfilledwithtrufflesin dessert-
inspiredflavourslikeLinzertorteorapple
strudel– justbuyoneofeverythingthen
takeyourself-curatedpicnictotheshoresof
theAlteDonau(OldDanube),hireanelectric
boat(nolicencerequired),andcontently
driftitscircuit,winein hand(withoutfearof
a fine!How’sthatforcivilised?).STAYA LITTLELONGER
Youknowthosedreamymoviescenesin
Parisienneapartments?That’swhatit feels
likesteppingintothespaciouslight-bathed
accommodationsofAltstadtVienna. As
withallSmallLuxuryHotelsproperties,
attentiontodetailis paramount.Although
individuallydecoratedin linewiththehotel
owner’seclectic,privateartcollection,
there’sa magneticcohesivenessthroughout,
includingchilled,friendlystaffwhobounce
withenthusiasm.EdithPiaf’svoicefloats
throughthebreakfastrooms,onelinedwith
freshlybakedloaves,house-churnedbutter
andsparklingwine,anotherlavishly
landscapedwithcheese,charcuterieandthe
componentsofeveryconceivablecereal
combination.Noonewillblinkif youlinger
overtheglossiesuntilafternoontea(also
included!)orwhenthehonour-systembar
opensat‘Wien’-o’clock.Smittenyet?The writer was a guest of Austrian National
Tourist Office, Vienna Tourist Board and
Altstadt Vienna.CITY GUIDE.