When Vienna comes into bloom in summer, life moves outdoors. Terraces fill up, evenings stretch long, and one thing suddenly matters most: the right spot under open sky. Vienna has plenty of those, though not all are equal.
Hidden and romantic: inner city secrets
For something romantic and discreet, Zum Finsteren Stern at Schulhof 8 has one of the prettiest hidden garden terraces in the inner city. The restaurant, set inside Palais Collalto, opens its garden to forty guests. Reservations are required, and rightly so. The menu is small, changes regularly and is served as a sharing menu for the whole table.
Also in the inner city, but with an entirely different character, is Wirtshaus Zattl at Freyung 6. Drinks have been served here since the 15th century: its garden is considered one of the most beautiful in the Inner City and was voted Austria's most beautiful beer garden in 2010. Pilsner Urquell straight from the tank, organic Zwickl, and exclusively Austrian wines.
Green in the Seventh
Those who prefer to sit surrounded by greenery in the 7th district have several excellent options. Café Kandl on Kandlgasse opens its charming courtyard in summer, shaded by plants and magnolia trees. Glacis Beisl on Breite Gasse 4 is a green retreat you'd hardly expect in a location wedged between the Museumsquartier and Mariahilfer Straße.
And Käuzchen on Gardegasse 8 has brought neighborhood romance to the Seventh for more than thirty years: rustic Austrian cooking, a broad drinks selection and an atmosphere that can't be manufactured. Open until two in the morning, which counts for more in this city than you might think.
Institutions: Palmenhaus and Skopik & Lohn
Palmenhaus in the Burggarten is an institution that needs no introduction. The historic glass structure, the setting right inside the park, the terrace open daily from nine in the morning. Some places just always work.
Nearby is Skopik & Lohn on Leopoldsgasse 17 in the second district. In warm weather, the restaurant spills onto the sidewalk with white-clothed tables and plenty of greenery, ideal for a dim, easy summer evening.
With a view: Am Roan on the Dreimarkstein
For those who want to trade a garden terrace for a view, head up to Am Roan on the Dreimarkstein in the 19th district. At 454 meters, in the middle of the Vienna Woods, the restaurant serves Austrian cooking without frills: regional, seasonal, with influences from around the world. The view over the city makes every plate taste better.
Urban and relaxed: Ulrich and Café Europa
At St.-Ulrichs-Platz 1 in the Seventh, Ulrich has established itself as one of the district's finest addresses: a terrace that fills the square with just the right lightness, without overwhelming it.
For those who like it urban and easy, Café Europa on Zollergasse 8 delivers exactly the right mood for a long summer evening with its terrace tucked into a side street off Mariahilfer Straße: an extensive drinks list, fair prices, and a kitchen open late into the night.
A hidden courtyard, a scenic terrace on the edge of town, or sidewalk romance in the middle of a neighborhood: Vienna's outdoor terraces have the right answer for every summer evening.