Ah, the city of art, music... and amazing food.
Vienna may have lots of traditionally meaty cuisine going on, but don't think this means that there's nowhere for vegans to eat. In fact, Vienna has a really rich vegan foodie scene just waiting for you to drop by and taste it.
We spent four days in Vienna and honestly could have stayed there much longer - there was so much to see, so much to do, and so much to eat.
Eating Vegan in Vienna
"Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.” – Frederic Chopin.
We didn't really know what to expect when arriving into Vienna - but it turns out that there are lots of vegan options, especially when it comes to fast food. But when you look a little closer, many Austrian national dishes can be found here in plant-based form too!
Here are some of our favourites:
1st: Swing Kitchen
Schwedenpl. 3-4/4-5, 1010 Wien, Austria
Swing Kitchen have a handful of restaurants in Vienna but our favourite is this one, beside the Donaukanal: it was super convenient to pop by while running around Vienna.
Swing Kitchen serve a range of burgers, wraps, salads, sides and desserts within a fully vegan environment. The food is fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced - with several dishes recreating traditional Viennese recipes. What really impressed us about Swing Kitchen - as well as their amazing nuggets - was their commitment to sustainability. Screens in their restaurants display live data about the amount of water, grain, CO2 and agricultural land saved by eating their vegan burgers - rather than meat equivalents - since 2015. Amazing!
2nd: Figlmuller
Bäckerstraße 6, 1010 Wien, Austria
If you want to try proper Viennese food without the meat, head to Figlmüller. The home of the Wiener Schnitzel, they offer a delicious plant-based Schnitzel alternative made with pea protein. The waiting staff are very knowledgeable and helpful and the restaurant has a cosy yet welcoming upmarket vibe.
Though there aren't many vegan sides, the ones they have are so delicious that it really makes up for it. You probably wouldn't eat here every night, but Figlmüller is perfect for one fancy dinner when you're visiting Vienna.
3rd: Wurstelstand LEO!
Döblinger Gürtel 2, 1190 Wien, Austria
Leo's is the oldest hot dog stand in Vienna, founded in 1928. It is located just a little out of the centre of Vienna, and has kept with the times in offering a plant-based alternative to their traditional hot dogs.
They use a Beyond Sausage to recreate the Austrian Bosna (a hot dog with curry mustard ketchup, served with diced onions in white bread).
The Beyond Sausage Bosna is delicious but not ideal for strict vegans, as separate cooking surfaces were not used. Leo's cook the Beyond Sausages to order so there might be a little wait, but this also means that your sausage will be super fresh!
Which is your favourite vegan restaurant in Vienna? Are there any new places or old favourites that we've missed? Leave us a comment to let us know (and others who might be visiting too!)
Recommendations
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Where should I stay?
If you're looking for a friendly, conveniently located hostel in Vienna, top-rated Hostel Ruthensteiner might be exactly what you're looking for, with both private and dorm rooms at really reasonable prices.
If a hotel is more your style, why not check out Safestay Vienna Margaretenviertel, which is only a five minute walk to the Naschmarkt area - its reasonably priced and attracts consistently high reviews from its guests.
Tours & Experiences
Vienna has so much to offer, and if you're short on time we recommend the Big bus hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour to explore the city at your own pace, without having to walk miles. See the sights from the bus or hop off to see them on foot, then hop back on with your ticket that is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours. There's free wifi, and audio commentary in 13 languages! Or why not try one of the top-rated Viator tours below?
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