Eat Wienerschnitzl at Vienna’s Figlmüller

Vienna  has to be one of Europe’s best walking cities – and thank goodness for that, since it allows visitors to work up an appetite before sampling the city’s mouth-watering specialties.

For me, no visit to Vienna is complete without eating Wienerschnitzl – breaded veal cutlet-  at Figlmüller.

Figlmüller has been serving up Wienerschnitzl in Vienna since 1905 and, as its sign (not so modestly) points out, it boasts the city’s most famous Schnitzl. It has a great location, on a little passageway behind St Stephen’s cathedral.

A second Figlmüller opened a few years ago, just around the corner. It lacks the charm of the original establishment, but when your stomach is growling and the queue seems endless, it’s best to check for availability at the second restaurant. There is actually a third Figlmüller, in the charming Grinzing district.

You are unlikely to leave Figlmüller’s  feeling hungry. Accompany your extra large Schnitzl with potato salad and green salad. There is no beer served, but there is wine. When visiting Austria, I always enjoy my red or white wine gespritzt. Mixing wine with sparkling water would seem sacrilege back home in Italy, but tastes just perfect in Vienna.

If you’re traveling with kids, it’s not likely that you’ll hear any complaints about this meal.

So arrive hungry and enjoy your Wienerschnitzl at Figlmüller’s. Then go and walk off all those calories in order to make room for the Sachertorte you’ll have to try later that day. Yes, thank goodness that Vienna is such a wonderful walking city!

For more Vienna tips, see my earlier posts about the  Palmenhaus, all the plague art in the city, and the wonderful tradition of the performances held at the Spanish Riding School.

The original restaurant is at Wollzeile 5, open daily 11am – 10pm. The second restaurant is at Bäckerstraße 6, open daily 12pm-11pm.