Hello fellow travelers,
In December, I was lucky enough to head to Vienna, Austria for a few days. I was so excited to see the beautiful, old architecture and landscapes. But what about vegan food? After all, Vienna is the land of the sachertorte cake and schnitzel. I was pleasantly surprised by a wealth of vegan options almost everywhere I went and a solid number of vegetarian/ vegan-specific restaurants. Below is my brief round up of the fantastic vegan food I tasted during my trip and some mouth watering photos, too!
Enjoy, fellow vegan travelers!
Jocelyn
- Schottenfeldgasse 3, 1070 Wien
- Mo – Su, 11:00 – 22:00
Do you love a good veggie burger? Interested in a vegan take on the traditional schnitzel? Well, you’re in luck! Swing Kitchen has you covered for all of your vegan, fast food cravings. The menu is limited – simply burgers, wraps, a few sides, and a handful of desserts. But the food is good and the portions are generous.
For around €8 you can get a burger or wrap and their “best fries in Vienna,” cole slaw or a salad plus a soft drink. The set up of the restaurant is casual. You walk up to order and then you wait until your order number appears on a TV screen on the wall before collecting your food.
I have to admit that I may have eaten at Swing Kitchen more than once during my week-long trip. Hey, it was a five minute walk form my hotel, 100% vegan, and tasty. Can you blame me? The vegan schnitzel was fantastic, and I can’t really say it reminded me of any vegan-faux meat I’ve had in the US. Additionally, the fries are perfectly crispy, the slaw was good, and their desserts could fool any non-vegan!
- Stand 285-289/ A7/ 1060 Vienna
- Mon – Wed.: 8:00am – 11:00pm; Thur. – Fri.: 8:00am – 11:30pm; Sat.: 9:00am – 11:30pm; Sun.: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Yamm! at Naschmarkt is a must stop. First, the market is such a nice afternoon stroll. You can buy local goods from rows of vendors as well as purchase many different food items, such as fresh brewed coffee/ tea or dried fruits. Plus, the architecture in the area is gorgeous. It’s basically art.
The Yamm! stand has very limited meal options compared to the stand alone shop. I lucked out and visited the stand on taco day. I honestly couldn’t tell you what veggies and sauces were used on the tacos, but they were delicious! They didn’t taste anything like a a traditional taco but boy were they satisfying! This place is well worth seeking out if you are looking for vegetarian/ vegan food in Vienna.
- 1070 Vienna, Kaiserstraße 45, in the yard
- 11:30am – 3:00pm; 5:30pm – 11:00pm
Xu’s is an all-vegetarian, gluten-free asian restaurant. The menu includes classic vegetarian dishes and asian cuisine which look like meat or fish but are made of soybeans or tofu. The gem of this restaurant is their all you can eat lunch buffet which runs from 11:30am – 3:00pm daily.
The buffet includes a number of appetizers like spring rolls or wonton soup, as well as, five main course options, salads, and desserts. Some dishes do include dairy. Simply, ask the waitress how you can identify the vegan/ non-vegan items at the bar if you visit. Interestingly, when I visited the vegan items were marked with a star on their name placard.
I filled up on Szechwan tofu, mango curry, steamed vegetables, tempura, and way too many spring rolls. To round out the meal, they even had vegan red bean sesame balls! The best part, this filling, all you can eat meal is just € 8,90 or € 10,90 on weekends/ holidays. You don’t want to miss Xu’s Kitchen if you’re looking for a vegan-friendly meal in Vienna!
Ahhhhh, Vienna. While sipping hot wine at a Christmas market I stumbled upon … vegan waffles! I couldn’t believe my eyes. The small stand had the international vegan symbol, and even though the writing was all in German, I could tell some of the signs were discussing vegan options! I felt like I hit the lottery!
After much consideration, I opted for a vegan cinnamon and sugar waffle, and it was delicious! I should have gone back for seconds… Unfortunately, I don’t think the company has a stand alone restaurant, as it seems like they may only service pop up shops. If you head to Vienna during the winter, be sure to visit the winter market outside the Belvedere palace and get some vegan waffles!
