Last updated: 25 June 2023
Updated October 2022. If you’re planning a visit to Vienna Austria soon then there’s one meal you must have during your stay, a Wiener Schnitzel! Yes, this fantastically delicious dish is an absolute MUST HAVE and you should add schnitzel in Vienna to your list! In fact, I had three during our last visit! And the best thing about Wiener Schnitzel (or wienerschnitzel) is that there are so many places where you can order. Here’s our top 3 recommendations.
What is Wiener Schnitzel?
Wiener Schnitzel is a popular Viennese dish. The Wiener Schnitzel is a thinly pounded cutlet of meat dipped in flour, then dipped in egg, and then coated with breadcrumbs and then fried until golden brown. The schnitzel is then garnished with lemon and often served with potato salad.
What’s the Difference between Schnitzel and Wiener Schnitzel?
That’s a good question. The term schnitzel refers to a cutlet of meat which has been placed in flour, dipped in egg, then coated in breadcrumbs, and finally fried to perfection. The wienerschnitzel specifically refers to a veal schnitzel. This is an important distinction to understand before placing your order. In Austria (and Germany) your schnitzel choices will either be veal or pork. The chicken schnitzel is not something you will find on many menus, however if you ever travel to Australia then it’s a pub classic!
Huth Gastwirtschaft
Located slightly off the tourist trail, Huth Gastwirtschaft is casual-style restaurant with a rotating monthly menu in addition to the standard options. We ordered the Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad and washed down with Ottakringer beer.
It’s a generous proportion of schnitzel served with lemon wedge wrapped in gauze, accompanied with a creamy potato salad and cress. Complimentary bread, pate, and butter is served to your table alongside drinks.
Verdict: Service was good however breadcrumb casing separated from the veal which made it a little fiddly but overall delicious and should be on your schnitzel in Vienna list.
Read more: Heading to Austria? Is Feldkirch on your list?
Figlmüller
There are two Figlmüller restaurants within two blocks of each other so just make sure you know which one you’ll be dining at, especially if you’re planning on meeting friends there.
Figlmüller serves the biggest Schnitzel I’ve ever seen! The one we ordered, a Pork Figlmüller-Schnitzel, was over 30cm in diameter and was larger than the plate it was served on! Served with simple lemon wedge. Salads and sides are extra cost. We learned during our dining experience that browned potatoes are like rosti but not as good and fried potatoes are cubed fried potatoes. The potato salad was slightly more tart and creamy, easily the we had during the trip to Vienna. We ordered the Gold Fassl Wiener Pils to accompany our giant pork schnitzel.
Verdict: The schnitzel was very good and we were very full! On our visit the restaurant was quite warm and slightly uncomfortable. I’m unsure if this was normal so if you’re planning a visit then perhaps dress in layers, just in case. Reservations are highly recommended at any of the restaurants or be prepared to queue. It’s definitely a popular restaurant and and whilst it may not have been our absolute favourite schnitzel in Vienna, it is still worth visiting.
Grienschenbeisl
Dating from 1447, this is Vienna’s oldest guest house. Famous names such as Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart all dined here. There’s al-fresco dining at the front, or inside within the warren of rooms you’ll find authentic creaky floorboards, vaulted rooms and age-old wood panelling.
We ordered the classic Wiener Schnitzel which was accompanied with a green salad. A Viennese-style potato salad was ordered for the side and all washed down with Gösser and Urquell beers.
Verdict: The schnitzel was cooked to perfection and the over experience was pleasant and efficient. The side of potato salad was great! Service was pleasant enough and efficient. One of the tastiest schnitzels in Vienna, a must visit!
Where to go for Schnitzel in Vienna?
- Huth Gastwirtschaft
Schellinggasse 5, 1010 Wien
- Figlmüller
Bäcker/straße 6, 1010 Wien
- Griechenbeisl
Griechengasse 9 , Fleischmarkt 11, 1010 Wien
Final Thoughts
One of the highlights of our visit to Vienna was taking the time to visit various restaurants and order Wiener Schnitzel! The veal and pork schnitzels that we ordered were delicious and we happily recommend them to anyone heading to Vienna for a short break. However, we’re aware there are plenty of other restaurants serving delicious schnitzels that we didn’t get to visit so we want to hear from you. What are your recommendations for the best schnitzel in Vienna. Let us know in the comments below!
I went to Figlmueller (but wasn’t aware that there were two branches) by accident. At the time of my visit, I wasn’t aware of its popularity so I stumbled across it after they opened after lunch, so I was one of the first people in. I found it incredibly touristy and it annoyed me that you had to order everything separately. If I pay 17 EUR for Schnitzel I expect at least some potatoes and gravy but they didn’t even do that. I had a Cordon Bleu (a Schnitzel filled with ham and cheese) but let’s put it this way, it was the start of my flexitarian/vegan diet 😀
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
Oh no! That sounds like a real terrible experience! We do hear you about potatoes and gravy though! It really says something about a meal when you can pinpoint it as the start of a whole new diet! Here’s hoping that the next meal you have in Austria is a considerably better experience. (and thanks for leaving it a comment, Carolin. Much appreciated).