Vienna, Salzburg & Tirol Guidebook
Best and worst restaurants:
Best: Triangel; Stiftskeller St. Peter; Afro Cafe
Why: In Salzburg: We had very good dinners at Triangel (not in the guide) and Stiftskeller St. Peter (a little pricy, but worth it). Triangel is popular with the locals and university crowd, so you need to reserve a table a day ahead. The Afro Cafe is good and inexpensive. Cafe Tomaselli is fun for lunch.
In Vienna, Schnitzelwirt is as described in the guide: a local place, smoky, huge portions, inexpensive. The cafe under the rotunda in the Kuntshistorischesmuseum is good for lunch or late afternoon tea or coffee. We had an excellent lunch and superb pastries at Demel, which appeared to be full of locals the day we visited (out doing their holiday shopping). For a break from schnitzel and wurst, there's a Vapiano just off the Marialhilferstrasse; it's written up in the Scandinavia guide (see places to eat in Stockholm), and is a good place of pizza, pasta, or a salad. Finally, I highly recommend Cafe Sperl for the ambience, if not the food.
Steve Macfarlane in Carmichael, CA USA 01/16/2012
Best: Zirkelwirt
Why: Tasty food, good service, quiet, pleasant dining experience.
R. Kanazawa in Saratoga, CA USA 10/27/2011
Best: Zirkelwirt
Why: Exactly as described -- good food, good service, good variety in the menu.
John Warner in Lambrecht, Germany 09/25/2011
Best: Palmenhaus, Cafe Demel
Why: P - fantastic setting Demel - the most decadent and delicious of all the cafes we tried as we ate our way through Vienna
Philip Braverman in New York, NY USA 09/05/2011
Worst:
Why:
R. Hawkins in Seattle, WA USA 07/28/2011
Best: Danieli
Why: Friendly welcome, great service, fine food and wine...and not too touristy or pricey.
Bill Gordon & Nancy Weiss in Miami, FL USA 07/17/2011
Best: Stern Brau in Salzburg
Why: We heartily disagree with Rick's assessment of this restaurant. We found the food to be tasty and priced reasonably and the service was very good.
Karen Lee in Calgary, AB Canada 06/10/2011
Best: 1. Augustiner Keller, Vienna; 2. Gutshof Zum Schluxen, Reutte; 3. Gruner Baum & Gasthof Zauner, Hallstatt
Why: 1. Not fancy but good food, nice setting outside (sometimes a bit fragrant with the horses), friendly service at a reasonable price. Everybody in the family like their food. 2. Good food, kids menu that gave them a break from schnitzel or sausages, friendly attentive service. 3. Well prepared but a bit expensive. Warning to conservative people, the artwork in the Gruner Baum is art, but reflects an, um, European sensibility. Nice balcony and good food, but smaller portions at Zauner.
Worst: Plachutta Restaurant, Vienna
Why: Dishes were well prepared and tasty, but WAY overpriced - particularly for boiled beef. Lots of little tack on charges too.
Lloyd in Mill Creek, WA USA 09/23/2010
Best: Balkan Grill
Why: Rick was right on with this small, take-out Wurstelstande. The wieners were absolutely delicious and cheap.
Worst: Gyros (Vienna)
Why: This restaurant was not really that bad- but it was a little disappointing given the review. I thought the food was overall very average. The owner was very friendly and charming, and that made up for some of our disappointment.
Mike Atamian in San Diego, CA USA 09/19/2010
Best: Restaurant Zauner in Hallstatt
Why: Great food, friendly atmosphere (we ate there twice)
Diane and Bill in Carmel Valley, CA USA 07/27/2010
Best: La Cantinetta La Norma
Why: Thank you for recommending this restaurant. Hany saw the book in my hand and showed his picture to other regular Viennese customers. He was touched when I asked him to sign my book. We were welcomed there with warmth and good food.
Lise in montreal, QC Canada 06/25/2010
Worst: Gulasch Museum (Goulash Museum), Vienna
Why: My wife and I lead culinary tours to Europe, so we know about food there and what we can expect for our money. We visited the Gulasch Museum at 20 Singerstrasse, Vienna, Austria in January 2010 and proceeded to order based upon the appetizing photos and descriptions in the menu. What we received for about $24 per bowl was basically Dinty Moore beef stew without most of the beef. I was additionally brought a flat (stale) beer that the arrogant, smooth-talking proprietor refused to replace, and charged me for. His rationale? "If it's bad, that's one thing, but if you don't like it, you don't know what is good, and that's too bad". Yes, that was his statement, and his English was superb, no doubt because of the frequent need to justify his restaurant's outrageous practices. Oh yes -there's a 2 Euro "cover charge" per person that's not mentioned in the menu, and... it's CASH ONLY -- which the waiter/manager didn't mention until he handed us the bill. This practice obviously prevents people from back-charging their credit card after feeling ripped off. STAY AWAY from the Gulasch Museum! There are many great places to eat in Vienna -- don't be ripped off at this clip joint!
James K. Fowler in Houston, TX USA 01/30/2010
Best: Bamkraxler
Why: It was the only restaurant opened in Nussdorf. All three wine stubes were closed for the holidays.
Worst: Augustinerkeller
Why: The tafelspitz tasted like corned beef. Th beer was good, though.
Lynne Dillingham in Columbia, MO USA 01/13/2010
Best: Norma Vienna
Why: Great food geat service.
Raul Sahagun in Hacienda Heights, Ca USA 10/18/2009
Best: Saran in Salzburg
Why: A beautiful restaurant with friendly staff and wonderful food.
Paula Harris in Milwaukie, OR USA 09/04/2009
Best: Cantinetta La Norma and Zanoni & Zanoni
Why: Hany was our server when we went to Cantinetta La Norma and he was just wonderful. The food was delious and the price was reasonable, but I do have to say Hany became a friend and we went there several times during our 6 day trip in Vienna. As for the gelato at Zanoni I had to go every night there for my dessert I don't think I had ever had such a rich ice cream before.
Patricia Koutouzis in Marietta, GA USA 07/05/2009
Best: Saran Essbar in Salzburg (sp?)
Why: Have a vegetarian in the family. Good food friendly host, fun decor
HELEN STEELE in KESWICK, VA USA 06/07/2009
Worst: See below
Why: Extremely disappointed with dining recommendations: too simple with not a one allowing for experiencing true Vienese cuisine. While cheap eats are great every now and then, other guidebooks have offered at least a few nice restaurants; not just cafeterias and pub grub. Recommendations for Cafes leaves out one of Vienna's oldest - Cafe Central where history was made in the late 19th century: Leon Trostky was a regular.
Augusto Aguilera in Bremerton, WA USA 05/27/2009