Tafelspitz and Wiener Schnitzel at Restaurant Plachutta and After-dinner Drink at Café Hawelka in Vienna, Austria (2023)

During our week-long tour of the wine regions of Austria in February 2023, see:

Checking, Fine-tuning, Researching, Pre-gaming in Austria in February 2023 - Wine & Culture Tour to Austria by ombiasy WineTours: May 28 - June 08, 2023

we spent 1 night in Vienna and had dinner at Plachutta in the Wollzeile. Annette had Tafelspitz, I had Wiener Schnitzel.

When we come back at the end of May on Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours, the group will also have dinner at Plachutta. I definitely will have Wiener Schnitzel again and Annette probably Tafelspitz. 

 

See: 

Annette Schiller: This exciting tour is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience Austrian wines and Austrian culture at their best! For detailed information on the tour please visit: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/wine-tours/austria/austria-itinerary

This tour is 90% booked. At this moment there are two slots left. You can register here: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/wine-tours/austria/austria-registration

 

After dinner at Plachutta we walked over to Café Hawelka for an after-dinner drink.

 

Plachutta - Frommer's 

 

This local institution suits everything from a business dinner to a family lunch. The interior is low-key, in a sophisticated country style, with wood paneling and an airy winter garden. Plachutta has become a place of legend for their Tafelspitz. They offer 10 variations of the boiled beef dish, which was adored by Emperor Franz Josef throughout his prolonged reign. Variations of the dish can be with a Schulterscherzel (shoulder of beef) or Beinfleisch (shank of beef), but if you're in doubt, the waiters are knowledgeable. Potatoes, chives, and an enticing mixture of horseradish and chopped apples accompany each order. Other Viennese staples like goulash soup, calf's liver, and braised pork with cabbage are also available. Despite the bustle, the staff is cordial and keeps a healthy sense of humor.

Tafelspitz

 

Tafelspitz is boiled beef in broth, served with a mix of minced apples and horseradish. It is a classic dish of the Viennese cuisine and popular in all of Austria. 

 

Tafelspitz is the Austrian name of the meat cut which is used, usually from a young ox. This cut is typically known in the United States as the Standing Rump or Top Round.

Tafelspitz is simmered along with root vegetables and spices in the broth. Once done, you serve the boiled meat in slices, accompanied by a range of possible side dishes, all of which err on the “hearty” side of the culinary palate: horseradish, apple sauce, liquified spinach, potatoes, cabbage, chive sauce, etc..

Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener Schnitzel is a type of schnitzel made of a thin, breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet. It is one of the best known specialities of Viennese cuisine, and one of the national dishes of Austria. 

Tafelspitz and Wiener Schnitzel at Restaurant Plachutta 

Café Hawelka

This time-honoured Vienna coffee house isn’t elegant. No chintz-and-chandelier décor here but it’s the real deal. Well-worn floors and table-tops that have seen a bit of traffic create an ambiance that will catapult you back to the post-World War II years.

Café Hawelka has been family-owned since 1939. Here you’ll find lots of grad students working away at small tables and a relaxed vibe. Order the house specialty called Buchteln, a jam-filled Austrian yeast bun, to go with your melange (a close cousin to a cappuccino). You can have your pick of international newspapers.

A common fixture in many Viennese coffeehouses, such as Café Hawelka, are “newspaper sticks,” which hold news dailies from around the world. Just remember to return your paper when finished. 

See also: 

Wine and Coffee with Guenther Hawelka at Café Hawelka (and at Buffet Trzésniewski) in Vienna, Austria

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