Italian dining in Vienna

Vienna and Italy share a long history: Trieste, Friuli, the Veneto and Lombardy were at times part of the Habsburg Empire, and Italian customs came to the Danube along with goods, wines and cooks. Today fine Italian dining is concentrated mainly in the Innere Stadt, around Stephansplatz, Tuchlauben and the Ring. The range extends from an urban restaurant with a bar to the Tuscan wine estate’s restaurant and Sicilian cooking in a grand hotel.

Besides pasta fresca, freshly made pasta, the menus often feature classics such as vitello tonnato (cold sliced veal with tuna sauce) or risotto. The wine list is worth a look: depending on the restaurant, Austrian wines are on offer alongside Italian ones. If you want to dine in the city centre in the evening, it is best to book ahead, especially at weekends; in summer much of the action moves outdoors to the Schanigarten, as the Viennese call a pavement terrace.

Tip: In summer a table in a Schanigarten is worthwhile; for evenings in the city centre, book a few days in advance.