12 In Vegan Travel

Vegan Vienna Guide: The 24 Best Vegan Restaurants in Vienna

vegan chocolate cake

Last Updated on February 7, 2021 by Nina Ahmedow

As you know, I was in Vienna this spring which means that I was also on the hunt for vegan food. In my post on how to spend four days in Vienna, I already mentioned two of my favorite spots for vegan food in Vienna.

In this vegan Vienna guide, I am going to give you more details on the options for vegan food in Vienna.

Arriving from Bratislava (which is amazing for vegan food), I expected quite a lot as a vegan in Vienna. After all, Austria borders Germany which is one of the most vegan-friendly countries in the world. Read on for my experience as a vegan in Vienna.

The Best Vegan Food in Vienna

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is finding local foods that have been veganized. That’s why my favorite places as a vegan in Vienna were the ones that offered traditional food. The absolute highlight of the trip was Omas Backstube. This unassuming little bakery in Vienna’s Jewish neighborhood is full of vegan delights. What’s even better is that several of their treats are also gluten or sugar-free.

Case in point, the vegan sugar-free chocolate cake I had. This was definitely the best vegan cake I have ever had. The cake convinced me to also get a cinnamon and a vanilla bun for later, and I didn’t regret my decision. It was not a cheap visit, but you really have to consider the time and effort that goes into making all these delicacies. Definitely my favorite place on this vegan Vienna guide.
Obere Augartenstraße 70. Open Monday to Friday 12 pm to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 5 pm. (COVID-19 opening hours)

The other place for vegan sweets in Vienna is Maran Vegan Bistro. This is actually a bakery counter in a vegan supermarket, but there is plenty of seating available. And who knows, after buying your vegan groceries you may need to sit down with some cake and a hot drink. There are various sweet and savory options here, and you will certainly find something to try.

Sadly, I was a bit unlucky. First of all, I really wanted to try a Sachertorte, the epitome of Viennese chocolate cakes. I had never had one in my life and simply had to try it. Turns out I was not a fan (I also found out that even locals believe there to be better cakes than Sachertorte). However, I have to say I am thankful to have been able to get a piece of this traditional cake as a vegan in Vienna.

They also had these Raffaello pralines which I had to get because Raffaello is one of the few things I still crave now and then. Unfortunately, these Raffaello pralines were simply very sweet coconut balls but didn’t have the cream filling and almond inside. So they were rather disappointing.

Something tells me, though, that I somehow picked the only two things I didn’t like. If I go back to Vienna one day I will undoubtedly give Maran Vegan Bistro another try.
Stumpergasse 57. Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm, Saturday 8 am to 6:30 pm.

And now for the one thing every tourist in Vienna, vegan or not, will want to try: Wiener Schnitzel. I had to add this to my vegan Vienna guide, of course! Luckily, Loving Hut (the one at Neubaugürtel) has got you covered. They offer a Wiener Schnitzel with either fries or potato salad. I opted for the potato salad and really enjoyed both.

In general, Loving Hut is such a hit and miss chain. I’ve been to really disappointing ones, and then there is this little gem for vegan food in Vienna. The restaurant was quite busy when I was there so the waitress had a lot of work which slowed down the service. However, she totally made up for it with her friendly and professional attitude.

For dessert, I decided to get a chocolate cake which was very tasty as well.

And now, for my international travel ladies: The best part was that the crowd here was so diverse. We all know that vegan spots can sometimes be lacking in this aspect. Not so Loving Hut. It’s an Asian-owned business with Asian staff, but on top of that several of the guests were women from visible minorities. As a Muslim woman, I felt very comfortable here. It was the perfect spot for vegan women from marginalized communities!
Neubaugürtel 38/5. Open Tuesday to Sunday 4:30 pm to 9 pm.

As a vegan in Vienna you will not have to do without fast food either. In fact, I thought there was too much of it. I may have been right because one vegan fast food place closed down shortly after my visit. The thing is that there is an entirely vegan fast-food chain.

Yes, you read that right: There is now a major vegan fast-food chain. Swing Kitchen has nine locations in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland – five of them are in Vienna. Imagine walking around aimlessly exploring the city, and suddenly you’re really hungry. But you’re a vegan in Vienna, where are you going to find a place to eat now? Fret not, Swing Kitchen has got you covered.

I love burgers, but I also get bored when a city doesn’t have much else to offer. But this experience was something else. It’s been ages since I last went to a regular fast food place. Swing Kitchen looks more elegant than any of those places (but maybe that’s because it’s in Vienna?), but everything else is pretty much the same. A huge space, you order at the counter, wait for your meal, and sit down somewhere.

I came here twice: The first time I had the Vienna burger with sweet potato fries, and the second time I opted for the kitchen wrap with regular fries (tip: go for the sweet potato ones!!). Of course, they also have soft drinks.

I will say that they were quite pricey for a fast-food restaurant, especially given that the food isn’t exactly creative (soy meat replacements for the most part). What really makes them a great choice, however, are their opening hours. Restaurant opening hours in Vienna are a bit inconvenient. Finding a place on Sundays or later than 9 pm proves rather difficult, but Swing Kitchen has got you covered.
Schwedenplatz 3-4. Open Sunday to Thursday 11 am to 10:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 11 pm.

Possibly Worth a Visit

There were three places in Vienna that were decent but didn’t exactly blow me away. I wanted to include them on this vegan Vienna guide nonetheless. Depending on the length of your trip you may want to give these a try.

Veggiezz is a restaurant with two locations in Vienna. I went to the one on Am Salzgriess and thought it was trying a bit too hard to appear like a fancy wine bar which is also reflected in the prices. To me, the options were really only mediocre. I had a pumpkin quinotto (risotto but with quinoa instead of rice) and a homemade lemonade. The quinotto was extremely oily and lacked flavor. The lemonade, on the other hand, was very tasty and refreshing.

I could have been unlucky with the food which is why I would say you could still give it a try, but in my opinion, the quality of the food didn’t justify the high prices. The waiters could have also been friendlier which was the case at several of the places on this vegan Vienna guide.
Am Salzgriess 9. Open Sunday to Thursday 11 am to 10 pm, Friday 11 am to 11 pm, Saturday 12 pm to 11 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 10 pm.

The second mediocre place for vegan food in Vienna was Venuss. It operates like the big chain Vapiano’s where you get a card upon entering and then choose items from the different buffets. The prices get charged to your card, and you pay when you leave. I have never seen the point in this system as it doesn’t make anything easier at all. It seems to merely serve as a novelty factor, but even that is over now.

But I digress. The prices here are very high because Venuss is located in the center, but for a self-service restaurant, it’s definitely too expensive. However, I have to say that the coconut rice pudding with sour cherries that I had was absolutely delicious. The hot chocolate was decent but nothing to rave about.

The staff impressed me with their friendliness which seems to be a rare characteristic among Viennese waiting staff. Another pro is the fact that this is one of the few vegan places that serve breakfast. Overall, I think it’s a nice option if you’re okay with spending a little more money.
Herrengasse 6-8. Open Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm.

Finally, there was a Taiwanese vegan restaurant that definitely had its pros and cons. Formosa Food had some of the nicest staff in all of Vienna. You can’t help but fall in love with these wonderfully warm-hearted and friendly people. This alone makes Formosa Food worth a visit.

The interior is very small and seemed to be undergoing renovations, but maybe by now it looks a bit nicer and has a cozier vibe.

The menu is huge so there’s definitely something there for everybody. I started off with a soup which was decent and then had the savory pancakes with a ham and vegetable filling. Certainly one of the more creative vegan dishes I’ve tried. Sadly, the filling was too salty even for me. There’s a German saying that if the food is too salty the cook must be in love so I hope that’s the explanation.

Yet, despite the atmosphere and the saltiness of the food, I think the kindness of the staff would make me give Formosa Food a second chance. And it’s also a nice addition to this vegan Vienna guide simply because it’s another non-fast food place.
Barnabitengasse 6. Open Monday to Saturday 11 am to 9 pm.

Vegan in Vienna: Where Not to Go

I came across three restaurants as a vegan in Vienna that I wouldn’t recommend. This does not mean that these are generally bad restaurants, but I didn’t have a good experience there, and, as you know, I like to give honest reviews. Two of those have since closed down, but I’ll mention the other one in this vegan Vienna guide so you know what to expect if you go there..

Simply Raw is a bistro located in the Old Town and has a very nice and cozy interior, but it ends there. There’s a long wait for breakfast, and it seems that because they are so popular the staff are quite overwhelmed. In fact, a new waitress was being trained the day I was there, and I overheard a senior waitress tell her to be harsher with people and tell them to wait if they try to talk to her! So much for the place’s service mentality.

The bistro was generally very nicely decorated, but when I found a table there was absolutely no decoration on it. I wouldn’t normally mind, but if what you’re selling is cute and cozy you can’t simply serve a boring porridge on a completely empty table.

The porridge was okay, but nothing out of the ordinary, and it certainly didn’t justify the hefty price.

If you’re a vegan in Vienna you’ll soon realize the city doesn’t have a lot of vegan breakfast places so Simply Raw benefits from being one of the few options, at an excellent location. But I really don’t see anything worth going here for aside from the very cozy setting. I hope I can update this vegan Vienna guide in the future with more breakfast spots.

Vegan Vienna Shopping Tips

Apart from the restaurants there are two vegan places that I wanted to add to this vegan Vienna guide. The first store is great for people who want to self-cater, and the second one would be great for souvenirs..

The first one is Maran, the vegan supermarket with a bakery counter I talked about before. It’s not that this was a huge vegan supermarket, but it was definitely bigger than any other vegan supermarket I have ever seen. Of course, we can always get our fruits and vegetables as well as staples like quinoa or beans at any regular supermarket. But if you are looking for specific vegan products like nutritional yeast, nut butters, or more exquisite plant milks, you may need to go to a specialized store.

Maran has everything you could ask for as a vegan in Vienna, and I’d love to live in a city that has such a big vegan supermarket.
Stumpergasse 57. Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 7:30 pm, Saturday 8 am to 6 pm.

Then there is the Zuckerlwerkstatt which I thought was perfect for souvenirs. They make vegan candies of different varieties. I got several bags of candy for family and coworkers, and everyone really liked them. The lady behind the counter could have been friendlier, but that was somehow a common theme in Vienna (and it’s actually a stereotype about Viennese people).
Herrengasse 6. Open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm.

Places I Look Forward To

Since I wasn’t too impressed with Vienna I definitely want to go back to give the city another chance. I’m excited to see that there are other vegan restaurants in Vienna that I could visit during a future stay.

Ausnahmsweise: This vegan café and bakery is located in a neighborhood that I didn’t visit at all, but given the amazing reviews and delicious looking cakes it looks like they serve some of the best vegan food Vienna has to offer. Aside from sweets, there’s a weekly lunch menu. Hofmühlgasse 18. Open Tuesday to Saturday 12 pm to 6:30 pm.

bröselei: This vegan Vienna spot only opened in May 2020 and serves gluten-free and organic food. The focus appears to be on delicious cakes, cookies, and brownies, but they even offer cooking classes. Strudlhofgasse 1. Open Monday to Friday 11:30 am to 3 pm.

Couch Potato: This vegan bar serves pub food, milkshakes, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. It’s located by the Danube in an area not very popular for tourists, but if you’re trying to get away from all the tourist hotspots this sounds like a lovely place. Handelskai 94-96. Open Sunday to Thursday 5 pm to 1 am, Friday and Saturday 5 pm to 3 am.

Das Suess’Kind Veganery: This vegan restaurant offers a daily lunch menu as well as soups and stews, and various desserts. All the ingredients are organic so if you’re looking for healthy vegan food in Vienna head here. Sparefrohgasse 1. Open Monday to Friday 11 am to 3 pm.

Forky’s: This place only opened in late 2019 so I couldn’t add it to this vegan Vienna guide right after my trip. The kitchen makes dishes as diverse as kebab, hot dogs, burgers, and bowls. According to online reviews, it is one of the best vegan restaurants in Vienna. Währinger Straße 33-35. Open Monday to Saturday 11 am to 9 pm.

Juicedeli: I’m not usually the biggest fan of juice bars, but this one is fully vegan which is reason enough for me to add it to this vegan Vienna guide. After all, you won’t have to worry about things like honey or dairy here. Mariahilfer Straße 45/20. Open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm.

Bio Paradies: This restaurant is located inside an organic grocery store. They offer a daily menu as well as pastries. Altgasse 23a. Open Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 9 am to 3 pm.

Pepper & Ginny: This place focuses on vegan cheeses and carrot salmon. It’s one of the top-rated vegan restaurants Vienna has to offer. Ballgasse 5. Open Tuesday to Saturday 11 am to 6 pm.

Superfood Deli: This deli chain makes things like bowls and sandwiches alongside a daily menu. All four outlets have really good reviews. Lerchenfelder Straße 63. Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 3 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm. Maria-Theresien-Straße 5. Open Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. Mariahilfer Straße 45/17-19. Open Monday to Friday 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10 am to 3 pm. Operngasse 34. Open Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm.

Tau: This vegan restaurant focuses on Asian cuisine but also serves the Beyond Burger. The reviews online are excellent, and the dishes on the photos look really mouthwatering. If you’re a vegan in Vienna who wants to venture beyond the Danube this place is for you. Erzherzog-Karl-Straße 38. Open Monday to Sunday 11 am to 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm to 10 pm.

The Lala: This vegan restaurant offers salads, bowls, and sandwiches. The reviews are really good, but the food is a bit pricey even by Viennese standards. I’d still love to try some of their dishes. Neustiftgasse 23. Open Monday to Sunday 9 am to 7 pm.

Tolstoy: The pizzas and salads I saw of this place online look really tasty so I’m not surprised that it’s one of the best-rated restaurants that are vegan in Vienna. Rechte Wienzeile 1b. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11 am to 9 pm.

Velani: This vegan restaurant only opened in the summer of 2020 so I couldn’t add it to this vegan Vienna guide sooner. From salads and pasta to veganized Austrian dishes they offer a variety of food. Schönbrunner Straße 235. Open Tuesday to Saturday 4 pm to 10:30 pm.

Vevi: I love Vietnamese food, so any fully vegan Vietnamese restaurant will pique my interest. It’s also one of the best-rated vegan restaurants in Vienna. Stollgasse 5. Open Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am to 10 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 10 pm.

Gelateria Vegana: The weather was awful when I was in Vienna so there was no opportunity to try one of the vegan ice cream spots there. That’s definitely something I would want to focus on when I next travel to Vienna. Währinger Straße 9. Open Monday to Sunday 11 am to 10 pm.

The Art of Raw: This vegan café offers several raw vegan cakes that look super tasty judging by the photos. The reviews are really good as well. Gumpendorfer Straße 40. Open Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 7 pm.

Veganista Ice Cream: This vegan ice cream chain has eight outlets throughout Vienna so if you’re a vegan in Vienna, and the weather is good, you’re never going to be far from a location. Each of them have excellent reviews, and I can’t wait to try them.

Sevie: If you’re looking for natural beauty products then you may want to try this place which even offers products for dogs! Everything is vegan and cruelty-free. Hohlweggasse 44/1a. Open Thursday 10 am to 1 pm, 2 pm to 6:30 pm.

Tips for Vegan Travelers in Vienna

Overall, I found it a bit disappointing to be a vegan in Vienna arriving here from Bratislava. But there are things you can do to make your trip more successful.

As I had bought some bread at a lovely vegan, zero-waste bakery in Bratislava, I didn’t have to go for breakfast every day.

It’s also really easy to find vegan smoothies or other nutritious juices as well as any other vegan ingredient in Vienna’s supermarkets. If you have accommodation with a kitchen it’s a good idea to have breakfast at home so you save some money. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of money when you’re vegan in Vienna.

Nobody will starve as a vegan in Vienna. Veganism is very widespread, but I would probably suggest you cook at home once or twice because there are too many places that are not worth their money. Instead, I’d probably get cake once or twice more from Omas Backstube because that was the place that really stood out to me of all the places on this vegan Vienna guide.

vegan vienna guide pin lemons and luggage

Have you ever traveled as a vegan in Vienna? Do you agree with the choices on this vegan Vienna guide?

12 Comments

  • Reply
    Caroline
    September 9, 2019 at 4:02 pm

    Finding yummy vegan food is one of my fave things to do when traveling! Just got back from London and had tons of deliciousness lol. Would love to go to Vienna.

    • Reply
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      September 10, 2019 at 11:57 am

      London must be amazing for vegans!!

  • Reply
    Janja
    September 9, 2019 at 10:07 pm

    These sound like wonderful places. Thank you for sharing!

    • Reply
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      September 10, 2019 at 11:57 am

      Definitely check out the first few when you go to Vienna.

  • Reply
    Under Flowery Sky
    September 10, 2019 at 11:14 am

    Great tips, I hope I will be in
    Vienna soon.. Looks delicious..

    • Reply
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      September 10, 2019 at 11:56 am

      I hope you get a chance!

  • Reply
    Liz | The Spectacular Adventurer
    September 24, 2019 at 4:09 am

    Great tips and the deserts looked amazing!!!! Thanks for sharing!

    • Reply
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      September 24, 2019 at 2:52 pm

      Thank you! The chocolate cake, in particular, was amazing!

  • Reply
    Matej
    September 29, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    Thanks for honest and detail advices. I am planning to go there soon but this wasnt very encouragging 😀

    • Reply
      Nina | Lemons and Luggage
      September 30, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      It’s not that bad and really depends on what you are used to, but there are some gems that you should definitely check out.

  • Reply
    beyaztavsaninizinde
    August 15, 2022 at 1:41 pm

    Hello! I really liked your blog post. I went to Vienna 2 months ago and I published a blog post too. I would be very happy if you would like to take a look at my blog post 🙂

    • Reply
      Nina Ahmedow
      August 21, 2022 at 12:16 pm

      Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found this post helpful.

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