A guide for internationals looking for a taste of home in Vienna: 14 expat food stores

Food from: Africa, America, Latin America, Asia

This is Vienna’s mother of all supermarkets. Set in the ethnic diverse area of the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th district along the Gürtel, one sees the whole world going through the checkout here – this is what makes it such a special place.

We’d say this place stocks the most extensive range of foods from faraway lands – from beer, beans, salsas to curries, African plantains and herbs and spices from around the world.

This Asian market offers a broad variety of foods from across the region, including Thai curry pastes and Japanese snacks. Lili Markt has what you need if you’re craving Asian flavors.

Just be careful not to mistakenly grab a container of wasabi peas for regular peas because your taste buds might not be prepared for that level of heat!

When you can simply travel on the U-bahn to Nakwon, why buy a plane ticket to Korea? You can lose hours fooling yourself into thinking you’re in Seoul when really you’re just walking up and down the aisles in a grocery store in Vienna.

Plus, even if you have no clue what they’re called, it’s always fun to sample new snacks and candies!

Food from: literally everywhere you can think of

Etsan has a total of 27 (!) shops around the city and provides expats with a variety of food they might be craving but can’t find in regular supermarkets in Austria.

With more than 5,000 international and fair-priced products, Etsan is your go-to shop if you need any specific ingredients to spice up your meals.

Are you feeling daring? Why not give some of Asia Food Center’s exotic fruits and veggies a try? The spiky fruit might appear cool, but it might not taste as good as it looks, so be prepared for some surprises.

And if you don’t like spicy food, you might want to stay away from the sauce area because the labels that say ‘extra hot’ don’t mess around.

Food from: Poland

From the outside, this place looks a little empty, but inside you’ll find all the Polish favourites. And if you don’t know what they are, the friendly owners will take you on a tour of the country’s specialities – Twarog Wiejski cheese, pickled gherkin (Ogorki Kiszone) and even typical homemade Polish cake (Polskie Ciasta, szarlotka, sevnik).

And yes, of course – there’s vodka.

Food from: Asia (in particular China)

If you’re looking to source ingredients from the Chinese kitchen, from dried fungus to seaweed, this is the place to look.

They also stock plenty of staple beans and lentils and have one of the largest ranges of soy sauce we came across. You’ll also find hard-to-find fresh Asian vegetables, including Thai basil.

Food from: Greece

Those distinct Greek smells of garlic and oregano will pinch you in the cheeks like a Greek Yiayia as soon as you walk in.

With Greek flatbread piled high behind the counter and a cabinet full of homemade marinated olives, and of course feta, it’s like a Greek grandma’s pantry in here. There’s of course also plenty of Ouzo on offer.

Food from: Central and South America

With its stark white front and the piñatas hanging from the ceiling, you’ll feel an uncontrollable urge to Fiesta when entering Casa Mexico.

This place is your headquarters for all things Latin American. So if you’re looking for that particular salsa or tequila you’ve been craving all along, your best chance is here.

Food from: UK, America, Australia

We have no bloody idea who Bobby is, but we know that he’s the guy to go to if you’re a homesick Brit or American. Here, Americans can get their favourite soda from home, Hershey’s bars, and plenty of other kinds of American chocolates.

Meanwhile, there are pork pies and crumpets in the fridge and Cadbury chocolate and baked beans on the shelf for the Brits. They even have Vegemite for the Australians or uhm any other brave human beings.

Food from: Turkey (Halal)

This very friendly neighbourhood supermarket in the third district is a great source for your Turkish goods and other staples from the Arab kitchen.

There’s even a butcher attached, offering halal standard meats and poultry. This place is your most convenient option if you live within the inner districts, considering most Turkish supermarkets are located in the outer districts.

Your sugar dealer for the ultimate sugar rush! Five stores dedicated to international snacks will get you straight into candy heaven.

If you’re looking for brands such as Cadburys, Reese, Wonka nerds, pop tarts, cheetos etc. (the list could go on forever) then this is going to be your favorite spot.

Food from: literally everywhere you can think of

Julius Meinl used to be one of the largest supermarket chains in the country, but now the lone survivor sits at the fancy district’s shopping avenue, the Graben.

This place is a rich person’s bazaar. With three levels full of shelves stocking food from all over the world, while pricey, this place is an experience to browse around in.

Food From: France

If you want to eat like the French, check out this little French delicatessen in the seventh district.

Amongst the goods on its shelves are the brave food inventions that only the French dare to create – black olive and ginger jam, Crème de Salidou (caramel and salted butter paste), traditional herbs from the province, mustards, confits as well as hard-to-get French apéritifs, beers, and spirit.