13 of the best burgers in Vienna

You’ll think you’re at the wrong place when approaching the original Weinschenke location in the 5th district for the first time – it looks more Beisl than burger bar. The kind of Beisl filled with crotchety old men giving you the stink eye for daring to enter. But the only crotchety old man you will encounter here is the larger-than-life painting of Gerard Depardieu on the wall. The interior is eclectic and besides the large painting of a now Russian icon, there is another large painting of Clint Eastwood aged 21 and looking anything but crotchety. I am guessing both actors are fans of burgers. While the name speaks of wine, the legend of this place speaks of the burgers.

There are 9 different burgers to choose from, 1 of which is vegetarian and another is vegan, which is a polenta bun stuffed with hummus and other veggie goodies. Exciting names such as Tijuana Picante and Billy the Kid draw attention, and the plates piled with burger and little flying saucer fries draws a fierce hunger. We tried the Billy the Kid which came with a surprisingly wonderful whiskey cranberry sauce. The choice of sauces is plentiful, with a homemade BBQ sauce, Thai curry and truffle mayonnaise sauce in the mix. We love the odd marriage of wine and burgers in the brand. It’s formed because of it’s original location’s roots as an old Weinlokal (wine bar), with over 50 quality wines on the menu.

While the legend of the Weinschenke burgers was began a while back in the 5th district, another intimate location, Weinschenke am Karmelitermarkt, opened up a few years ago in Vienna’s 2nd district where the burgers are just as legendary, and made with fresh ingredients from the market where it’s housed. Also, in 2017, they opened another larger location in the hipsterville of the 7th on Siebensternplatz. At all locations, the burgers and fries are consistently delicious. We highly recommend reserving a spot at all of their locations of an evening.

How to put this simple…eat a burger at Burger’s Bar and life will simply be better. Bold claim, but we stand by it. With more burger creations on their menu that are fantastic & wildly imaginative as a Walt Disney film, you’ll spend a lot of time with the menu narrowing down your burger of choice – ‘Shall I get the ‘Wagyu 2.0’ with a fat patty of A-grade Japanese cow in it, or the towering Ultimate Mac & Cheese burger, that is a tower of mac & cheese, burger and cheddar cheese)? The choice ain’t easy, but once you make it, you’ll be happy with whatever monster of a burger ends up in front of you. We mean the word ‘monster,’ by the way – all of the burgers you go for here are big.

Burger’s Bar in all of its grungy urban beauty is absolutely one of the best places in this city to go when you get those rumbling burger cravings in your belly.

We also recommend… if you’re a beer lover that you make the most out of the Hoegarden and Franziskaner on tap!

We love… that they have a new burger creation to try each month

Good to know… with big flat screens all around the bar, this is a top spot to catch a game (no matter the sports). Be sure to reserve on game day as it’s already known amongst sport junkies.

Also good to know… during the warmer months, they have a kickass alfresco area where to feast on all of this comfort food goodness

Rinderwahn definetely has earned some street cred’ for its burger game. At both of their 2 Vienna locations (one in the fancy first district and the other at the Naschmarkt) their burgers come out like a beautiful burger should – substantial meat patty – which is obviously made by hand – smothered in creative mixes of toppings, wrapped tightly in a immaculate brioche bun. T

hese burgers are manageable by hand, from their simple, but delicious cheese burger, to their juicy steak-packing Elsa burger, or their gut-busting monster, Der Rinderwahn burger. They’ve also got a few chicken variations. We’ve never met a burger we don’t like at Rinderwahn. Oh, and we’d suggest you go with a side of their sweet potato fries – well worth it. Their first district flagship location is a sit down and restaurant kind of affair, while their Naschmarkt burger bistro is better in summer, with a plenty of outside seating, but very little inside.

Omnom serves up burgers in a basket that you create, step by step. First, you choose between the so called ‘nomVeggie Burger,’ or ‘omMeat Burger’ pattys, and then work your way through the sauces (the usual suspects and all of them are homemade and super tasty), and the plentiful (and original) extras to choose from, like feta cheese, jerky turkey, bacon, hot jalepenos, or an extra meat patty.

Everything here is made from fresh ingredients and by hand, from the buns (baked fresh daily by Felzl bakery) to the hand cut fries. There’s a lot of thought and hard work being put into this burger bar, which grew out of a startup. They also make you question why a burger has always been round with their daring design of a more oval-shaped burger, which fits comfortably in a hungry grip. The meat patty is cooked medium, unless specified otherwise, and the homemade fries are floppy and crunchy – just how we like them.

The space is small, but the service is personal and the low down stool seats make you feel like you’re sitting at the kids table, where all burgers should be eaten. This is not a straight up American-style burger, but has a awesome Austrian twist to it.

This handsome looking outfit serves up American-style brews & eats in the 9th district. The Beaver Brewing Company became a favourite immediately after it opened, and this might have something to do with it packing 2 of the greatest things humans have ever invented – brilliant beer brews and burgers. And the burgers are legendary.

Stacked high, with a fat meat patty and plenty of filling, these burgers are hard to get your mouth around so it gets messy, but who’s ever kept it clean when eating a quality burger. Their vegetarian burger, the smokey black bean, is a creative work of burger-enius (wait, does that word play work?), while the inclusion of another veggie option – the seiten burger – makes this one of the best options when there are vegetarians amongst your burger buddies. There’s also a burger of the month that they mix things up with each…well, month.

The shiny retro beetle-like caravan parked outside the hipster hotel, 25Hours Hotel, is serving up a mean, no-fuss burger in a summer lovin’ setting. The 6 breeds of burgers come in two sizes – single and two-storey – and which ever you choose depending on your hunger, do note that they’re not the kind of burgers you have to dislocate your jaw to take a bite.

Their Jalapeno Burger has a mild zing, the Bourbon BBQ Burger harbours a sensational secret sauce and the pulled pork pulls a punch.

The buns (and we’re not talking about the butt of the cute waiter) and other ingredients are fresh, as you would expect from a boutique burger. And instead of a vegetarian burger trying to be like its popular meat brother, the veggie alternative here is put together with a dream combo of grilled portobello mushrooms, capsicum and haloumi, along with a sun-dried tomato aioli.

The sides are nothing to write home about, but the fries are moreish. But don’t bother with the Italienische Pommes no matter how good they sound – the sad sprinkle of parmesan and rosemary adds nothing to the experience.

As this is a street food truck set up outside, Burger de Ville only really works throughout the warmer months.

Flatschers is one of those really busy places where you might want to make a reservation a couple of days before. But even if you don’t, you will be well tended to at the bar until one of the really courteous waiters set you up with a table. One can sip on a Hugo Spritzer or an Augustiner Helles beer on tap here while flipping through the menu in its newspaper format and choosing between the 6 burger options, one being a veggie option loaded with a couscous-based patty.

The easy listening, old days New York music makes the short wait rather pleasant and once the tables are ready and your mind is made up, the burgers come out in lightning service speed. The meat patty is grilled to medium and is elegantly served in a freshly baked bun with a side of home-made steak cut fries, and a big smile from the smartly dressed waiting staff. The burgers are as classic and live up to the high expectations that the atmosphere inspires: 100% beef, grilled on lava stone and spiced only with a pinch of sea salt. A pinch might also be felt in the prices as well, with burgers starting at 14.50 €. While it disguises itself as a diner, it’s got too much class to be one.

We also recommend… you try their steaks. And for that 2-in-1 experience go for the Steakhouse Burger, juicy steak stripes that come with all the perks of the classic Burger, plus a Whiskey-BBQ dip.
They also have… fresh prawns and scallops everyday, for that classic surf & turf adventure.

This place is trying to tell you something every which way you look. Wrapped up in a highly stylised concept of ‘obey the food chain’ – right down to the butcher-like leather aprons on the waitresses to the ceramic pig hooves and ears protruding from the wall, the slaughterhouse cage-like entrance, or the coat hooks resembling meat hooks.

And while the personality of the place aims to tap into our primal, wild carnivorous urges, diners civilly and obliviously work away on their burgers with a knife and fork on paper placemats, with the sign blazing on the wall above them – ‘your life made my day.’

The burgers look like they’re a whole dish served up between a sesame seed bun, with each stuffed full with an original collection of ingredients for a burger. Wrapping our hands around ours – the Surf and Turf – we attempt to take a bite, but fail. It’s too big so we give into the knife and fork. The patty is perfectly grilled and topped with sizeable prawns, spinach and a sweet chilli sauce. And who thought a black sesame seed roll could lend such a pleasant subtle flavor to a burger.

The bland steak fries are out of place alongside this babe of a burger. However, take it from an avid cheesecake fan – the Caramel Fleur de sel Cheesecake is worth finding room for once you’ve slaughtered your burger.

In its fourteen years of existence, the slightly hidden Hawidere in the 15th district has turned into quite an institution. The beer and burger Beisl (translation: pub) is a typical Viennese Gasthaus with a twist. In terms of its burgers, they have their own bold interpretation away from the hipster clones out there – it’s served up in a flat bread with a medium-grilled meat patty. Steak fries accompany it with a delicious garlic dip. The selection is vast and creative here, with a burger boasting blue cheese (Blue Burger), another housing 400g worth of meat (the Big Apple XXL burger), and another coming smothered in a delicious honey mustard sauce.

Hawidere is not only known for its mouth-watering and monster burgers, but also for its vast, and equally mouth-watering, craft beer collection. Hence, there’s a craft beer recommendation that goes with every burger. Besides the lush and inviting Schanigarten (complete with self-grown tomatoes in beer crates), the interior will have you discovering plenty of fun, subtle details (we advise you go looking for the Craftkammer). If it’s beer and burgers you’re craving, head to Hawidere.

Plus: every Monday is the Monday Burger Club when they bring out the big guns of burgers, as they grill premium cuts of meats, like Wagyu, tenderloin and Angus beef to go between their buns – it may get expensive, but it’s worth it for those so hardcore about their burgers, they’d join a club dedicated to them.

On of the first eateries dedicated solely to the burger in Vienna you’ll find hidden on Burggasse under a sign proudly reading, die Burgermacher (translation: the burger makers). And since breaking Vienna’s burger seal, they’ve served up a burger voted best in town by some guy who likes burgers (so we heard). It’s an unassuming place with young, welcoming staff and a hip clientele. Back in 2008, two friends opened its doors with a mission: ‘to prove that a burger is more than two pieces of bread with some meat stuffed in between.’

The extremely succulent innards (all organic we’re told) of the NY Blue Cheese Burger has its juices dripping through our fingers and pooling on our plate. The homemade sauces only add to the meaty taste of the handmade beef patties, rather than drown it out. Straying from the crowd, they use solid, whole grain buns at die burgermacher, making for a welcome change to the typical brioche bun. Oh, and go big, and double up on those patties!

Apart from beef and chicken patties, they also cater to the vegetarians amongst us, with a changing and creative menu of veggie-inspired burgers, like the quinoa burger, for example. The beer selection of some 25 bottles in stock complete the perfect burger and beer combo.

Sure, the selection of the so-called ‘Bakery Burgers’ is short compared to the rest of the places on this list (they serve up more than just burgers here), but the four on offer are top of the bill. We tucked into the turkey burger for a bit of a change, and WOAH momma! They were succulent and had us cackling around the place like a bunch of horny hens. Once we settled, we took note of the fluffy American-style buns, and the generous cheesiness melted over the patty, all combined into a masterpiece that brought us into a state of burger bliss.

Stepping into Hotel Daniel’s restaurant, you feel like you’ve walked into an extension of the botanical gardens situated right next door. It’s a thing of shabby, chic beauty. The setting is full of mismatched furniture, including a swinging sofa, and a bunch of plants, while the spacious al fresco setting is surrounded by the greenery of the hotel’s front garden – where you should grab a spot if the sun’s out. Beware, the burgers come as part of a whole package, and the prices are set accordingly at one flat rate. You’ll get a big-ass burger, a healthy serving of coleslaw and some crunchy fries on your full plate for a cool 15€.

Cavallo definitely deserves a shout-out for its Insta-sexy “Black Burger” creation. This trendy take on a burger is served with a side of fries and onion rings and a little prawn skew stab through the top of the burger. Inbetween those scary-looking buns is fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles and tons of cheese and a juicy meat patty.

Besides this black beauty, Cavallo also offers more normal creations like their own cheeseburgers, and more.

Looking down at the towering Ulrich Burger on your plate, you’ll wonder how you’re going to eat it without making a mess of it. A pristine brioche bun (sourced from the boutique bakery, Joseph) frames a filling of a thick 220g of beef patty, melted Gruyère cheese, a spicy mayonnaise and rockin’ relish. At its side is a cup of Ulrich’s signature fries, which are hand-cut fat potato wedges topped in sea salt. The Ulrich Burger is the one and only burger on the menu, yet it’s reputable calibre amongst burger lovers has earned it a spot in this list for the laisser-faire, cosmopolitan café, Ulrich.

A good vegan burger can make the world a happier place. But sometimes, it may be hard to find one that doesn’t make you miss the meat. So we went out there for you guys and gals to find the places serving up meatless burgers that make for some of the best burgers in the city. We’ve come up with a list of 6 outstanding vegan burgers in Vienna that even meat eaters swear by.

In our list, you’ll find, among others, the likes of Le Burger, Mendez’ Beyond Meat Vegan burger, and the all-vegan burger chain, Swing Kitchen.