260912 Thu Feb 14 08:47:55 -0800 2002 6 26 International 0 1378748 Sorry this is a last minute request but my friend and I have decided at the last minute to go to Vienna Austria for the weekend 15th-18th February does anyone have any recommendations for good value restaurants in the center of Vienna? We are blowing more than the hotel cost on two tickets to the opera so economies must be made! Thank in advance Snazzy Thu Feb 14 08:47:55 -0800 2002 0 Snazzy 1 1378753 If you want to have a nice dinner after the opera there are several options available, especially on a Saturday. Unfortunately, like in many large cities, restaurants in the city center tend to be closed on Sunday.I recommend the following places: 1. Meinl am Graben (Tel +43-1-532 33 34). This is the local equivalent of Fauchon in Paris. It is a short walk through the city. They have an excellent restaurant in the first floor, which offers four star quality food at reasonable prices. Reservation usually required at least two weeks in advance, but you might be lucky after the opera, Viennese eat early. If you cannot get a table there: 2. Do you like Italian food ? There are several good places in the city center. I recommend Cantinetta Antinori (Tel: +43-1-533 77 22), right in front of St.Stephen´s Cathedral. They are open every day, usually a reservation one or two days in advance are OK. 3. You want something down-to-earth, real chowhound stuff? Go to Beim Czaak (Tel: +43-1-513 72 15)in the Postgasse, right in the medieval center of town. A small pub owned by the fourth generation of innkeepers, has excellent Viennese food and Austrian and Bohemian beer and wonderful wine. And finally, places to avoid: Hotel Sacher and its restaurant (coffeehouse is OK), Restaurant Korso in Hotel Bristol, Restaurants Do&Co, Figlmüller, Stadtbeisl and worst of the worst, Rosenberger ;-) Michael (living and dining in Vienna since 1953) Thu Feb 14 11:17:36 -0800 2002 1378748 0 Michael 1 1378764 I want to recommend Korso. While we were living in Hungary, we had friends from San Diego come visit and our Viennese friends, concerned about what perception of Austrian food they took back with them arranged dinner for us at Korso. It was spectacular. So much good food in Austria. A place called Pistauer in Simmering was also really delicious, more downscale and filled with locals. I agree about avoiding places such as Hotel Sacher but you have to try a pastry from Demel. I am a big pastry eater and have never had any as good as theirs. Thu Feb 14 13:23:47 -0800 2002 1378748 0 Susan Blair 2 1378773 I agree with you about the pastries at Demel, but basically Demel is now just another tourist trap :-( Try instead Heiner at Kärnterstrasse and Wollzeile, or get a chocolate cake at Sachers coffehouse ;-) Korso is overpriced for its value, and only good if you have the luck that the chef Gerer is in the kitchen. Meinl has much more atmosphere and a great view out of the windows ! There are other top quality places in Vienna which provide better quality at lower prices than Korso, but they are not within walking distance of the State Opera: I recommend Kochwerkstatt, Mraz % Son, Hansen (for lunch !) Fri Feb 15 03:48:56 -0800 2002 1378764 0 Michael 3 1378776 I don't know what Korso cost for the 6 of us, our gracious Viennese hosts picked up the tab but based on how good everything was, I'd be willing to bet Gerer was in the kitchen. I know Demel is a tourist trap but that does not mean it is not excellent. We felt it took work to find bad food in that town. Fri Feb 15 11:20:40 -0800 2002 1378773 0 susan blair 4 1378803 There can only be one: Steirereck (two stars, I guess), about 15-20 mins. walk out of the center: great food, great wine-list, great service, great value for money especially at lunch-time (and world-class cheese trolley). Mon Feb 18 09:58:49 -0800 2002 1378776 0 Florian Becker 5 1378807 Yes, you are right. But Steirereck is also the most expensive place in town, and NOT within walking distance of the Opera. The question was for a low-cost place to eat after visiting the Opera !! For a location close to the Opera the Korso is still the best, but also as expensive as Steirereck ;-) Real chowhounds do not go for the stars, they are the ones who find the places who will have a star next year and still do not charge as much as the stars (My bet: Kochwerkstatt, a real treat !) Michael Mon Feb 18 11:47:26 -0800 2002 1378803 0 Michael