Schnitzel anyone? My top 5 places

The number one question I get asked when friends from abroad are in town: what´s your favourite Schnitzel place?

If there´s one thing Austrians truly worship, it is their Schnitzel. Some might say it´s only a piece of meat coated in breadcrumbs, but for us it is a source of comfort and well-being. Because whenever you eat (great) Schnitzel, you will automatically feel at ease with the world and all its bearings. That being said, not every Schnitzel is alike and you do not want to spoil all the enchantment and enjoyment a truly fantastic Schnitzel can make you feel with eating the wrong Schnitzel. But, do not fear, I have compiled the results of my life long search for the best Schnitzel and am willing to share them with you. Oh, and one easy basic rule first: real Wiener Schnitzel is veal Schnitzel, not pork. No matter what some might say. They are wrong.

Glacis Beisl (map)

Located in Vienna´s Museumsquartier, you will find a mixed crowd here. Tourists and locals alike make the Glacis Beisl an always busy place with a super-nice garden and one of my favourite Schnitzels. Apart from Schnitzel there´s also a variety of other Austrian and international dishes to choose from and I have never been disappointed so far.

Plachutta Gasthaus zur Oper (map)

Plachutta is one of Vienna´s big names when it comes to restaurants. The family owns several restaurants around town and specialises in traditional Austrian meat dishes. While in its other restaurants you´d be well advised to enjoy a typical „Tafelspitz“ (cooked beef in a soup, super tasty!), Plachutta´s Gasthaus zur Oper is famous for its fantastic Schnitzel. Granted, it´s on the slightly pricier side, but it will be well worth your wile.

Zum alten Fassl (map)

If you feel like having a real, oldschool and slightly scabby-looking gastronomic experience, we can highly recommend Altes Fassl where good old pop star Falco used to dine. It´s a bit off the usual tourist tracks in Vienna´s fifth district, but offers good authentic food at fair prices. We also love the shabby atmosphere.

Skopik & Lohn (map)

The first thing you´ll notice about this particular restaurant: the spectacular art work on its ceiling (which somehow looks as if a child with a thick black textmarker had gone wild). I regularly fall in love with Skopik & Lohn´s waiters because they are usually extremely friendly and I never seem to be able to decide whether to eat the world-class Schnitzel or some of the other delicious choices it has to offer. Plus, it is situated in one of my favourite parts of town, with quite a few hip restaurants around and an interesting, artsy crowd.

Gasthaus Pfudl (map)

This is a very oldschool choice, I admit. The restaurant itself is far from trendy or appealing to a younger crowd and might use a little touch-up (after its almost 100 years of existence), but the food is undoubtedly one of the best you can get if you really want to explore traditional Austrian cuisine.