Just how closely Vienna and wine are linked is evident from the name. The city has around 400 winegrowers: no other metropolis has so many vineyards and such a vibrant wine culture. An integral part: the Heurigen. Traditional wine taverns, often located in the centre of wine-growing areas. They have been sung about in songs, served as the backdrop for romantic films and are a popular destination for excursions for young and old.
Heurige and Buschenschänke (the latter only serve cold dishes) are an elementary part of Austrian culture and contribute to Austria's reputation as a country of cosiness and slowing down. Some Heurigen are open all year round. Others only when it's "aus'gsteckt".
The name goes back to the twig that used to be placed above the entrance to indicate that the bar was open. The Heurigen culture was founded by none other than the Emperor. Joseph II, who in 1784 granted winegrowers the right to sell their own wine on their own land without a special licence.
However, the word "Heuriger" not only refers to the tavern but also to the wine of the current vintage. This is "baptised" every year on Martini, 11 November. Reason enough to stop by the Heuriger for a cosy glass of wine and enjoy the warm autumn days. And when it gets cooler? Then the Heurigen beckon with rustic parlours and often a warm and cosy fireplace.
We have compiled a small but fine selection of Vienna's most beautiful wine taverns. For all those who like to combine enjoyment with a walk, we also recommend the Vienna Wine Hiking Days, which take place every year at the end of September and where many wine taverns are represented with a stop.
Click on the orange marked names to find out more about the individual locations!
Celebrities such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Leopold Figl stopped here for a glass of wine. Beethoven even lived here for a while - his flat can still be reached today via a hidden staircase from the guest garden. The Mayer am Pfarrplatz is one of the oldest wine taverns in the city. The inn in the 19th district has been around since 1683. The romantic, listed walls have been preserved to this day. Most of the vines for the wine grow on the nearby Nussberg, one of the city's top vineyards. The buffet serves hot and cold Viennese specialities. Seasonal specialities are also on the menu, including the traditional Martini goose and game dishes in autumn. If you come in the evening, you can look forward to live Viennese Heurigen music from 7 pm.
Mayer am Pfarrplatz |
Pfarrplatz 2 | 1190 Wien .Monday to Thursday from 4:00pm
Friday, Sunday, and National Holiday from noon.+43 1 370 12 87 | mayer@pfarrplatz.at
The Zawodsky winery is still an insider tip, mainly because of its somewhat hidden location at the Grinzing cemetery. The journey may be a little longer, but it's definitely worth the effort because nowhere else can you sit among the vines as beautifully as at Zawodsky. Especially in the late afternoon, when the sun is already low and Vienna is bathed in a beautiful golden light. All that's missing is a glass of wine and a few savoury delicacies from the Heurigen buffet. At this point, at the latest, you feel that there can be no more beautiful place in the world than this one.
Weinbau Zawodsky |
Reinischgasse 3 | 1190 Wien.Thursday & Friday from 5:00pm
Saturday from 3:00pm
Sunday & National Holiday from 1:00pm
Winter break from 27.11..+43 1 320 797 82 | office@zawodsky.at
The 10er Marie is a Viennese legend. Not only is it the oldest wine tavern in the city - first mentioned in 1740 - but it is also one of the most architecturally charming and easy and convenient to reach, as there is a stop on the 44 bus line right outside the door. The 200-year-old house, with its many wooden beams and beautiful courtyards, is a wonderful place to relax and forget the time. In addition to the excellent wine from their own vineyards, unlike other wine taverns, they not only serve food from the buffet but also schnitzel and fried chicken.
10er Marie |
Ottakringer Str. 222-224 | 1160 Wien.Tuesday to Saturday: 3:00pm - 11:00pm
Reservation recommended!. +43 1 4894647 | heuriger@10ermarie.at
It is, above all, the beautiful courtyard that we like so much about the Fuhrgassl-Huber. While three sides of the courtyard are enclosed, the open side faces the vineyard and draws the eye to the vineyards and the Vienna Woods beyond. The restaurant is located in the heart of Neustift am Walde, which has retained its village character on the southwestern outskirts of the town. As the courtyard is divided by different levels, hedges and trees, the Fuhrgassl-Huber also offers the opportunity to find a private corner, even in large groups and still be in the centre of the action. Due to the size of the rustic courtyard, the Fuhrgassl-Huber is also ideal when the weather is not quite perfect, as you can always find a dry place in the smithy, the Press-Stuberl or the Stadl.
Fuhrgassl-Huber |
Neustift am Walde 68 | 1190 Wien.Tuesday to Thursday: 2:00pm - 11:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 2:00pm - midnight
Sunday: 2:00pm - 10:00pm.+43 1 4401405 | buschenschank@fuhrgassl-huber.at
For all those who don't have the time to travel further afield, Weinschänke Josefstadt is a perfect opportunity to find a little peace and tranquillity of the countryside in the city centre. Situated in the seventh district and virtually invisible from the outside, you enter through an inconspicuous door into a small but beautiful backyard oasis where, after the second glass of wine at the latest, you forget that you are in the centre of the sometimes hectic city.
Weinstube Josefstadt |
Piaristengasse 27 | 1080 Wien.Monday to Sunday: 4:00pm - midnight
Reservation recommended!.+43 1 406 46 28 | weinstube-josefstadt@a1.net
This, too, is a much-loved traditional establishment. After four generations and a change of tenant, a breath of fresh air has recently blown through the restaurant. The Heurige boasts a romantic courtyard where you can sit between huge old trees. The cosy, wood-panelled parlour is no less pleasant. The buffet focuses on excellent homemade products: Hearty classics such as "Blunzenstrudel" and "Krustenbraten" are available, as well as finely seasoned spreads, fresh salads and crunchy pickled vegetables. Tip: There is delicious goose at Martini time, and the christening on 11 November is celebrated in style.
Heuriger Muth |
Probusgasse 10 | 1190 Wien.Wednesday to Sunday: 4:00pm - 11:00pm
Reservation recommended!
Women's power in Mödling: the Pferschy-Seper winery has been run by women for four generations. The fifth is already waiting in the wings: daughter Anna was voted "Young Winemaker of the Year" by Falstaff in 2022. You can taste the excellent wine in the spacious wine tavern that the family runs in the centre of Mödling. The visit can be wonderfully combined with a trip to the suburbs, which is just a short train journey from Vienna. The roots of the winery date back to 1718, and it is one of the oldest in the city. The courtyard is lined with tables and benches under tall, spreading trees, while the décor and names in the labyrinthine dining room tell of its long history: the "Rudolfstüberl", for example, commemorates Crown Prince Rudolf, who was once a guest here.
Heuriger Pferschy-Seper |
Friedrich Schiller Straße 6 | 2340 Mödling Wien.Open several times a year, dates can be found online, the next time "aus'gsteckt" is from 9 to 26 November.+43 223 689 28 45 | wein@pferschy-seper.at
