He pulls on our ear in a playful way. We giggle. We’ve just met Filippo, owner for the last 25 years of Pizzeria da Filippo. Now, if you’re scratching your head wondering why we’ve included an Italian pizzeria in a list of tapas places, you’re enthusiastic head scratching is not misplaced. We were also confused when our Spanish friend announced as we approached the arched entrance, ‘this is the place’, while claiming that we had arrived at one of the best spots for Spanish tapas in the city. But once the table was covered in our selection of tapas (you’ll find them under the Vorspeisen/starters section in the menu) we were giggling again.
Within a typical setting you’d see in Spain – a white walled, massive courtyard, filled with big groups of people, floored with gravel, red and white table clothes – is like another world which one could easily walk by everyday along Thaliastrasse, without knowing it exists.
The servings here are big, so don’t be turned off by the prices attached to the tapas. The Pulpo a la Feira (octopus marinated in oil and parika) we order is tender while the fish soup is the best we’ve ever tasted in this city. The Salpicon de Mejillones(muscles in a lemon marinade) and the croquettes deserve a hearty ‘Ole!’. Every dish they put down on our table makes me grateful for having been introduced to this Spanish secret. This is the most authentic tapas we’ve had in Vienna, full of flavor … and garlic.
Oh, and it has the Italian theme because Fillipo opened the place 25 years ago when Italian restaurants were popular and familiar to the shy Viennese diners, so you could say it was a marketing decision. However, over the last 10 years, Filippo has integrated the kitchen of his homeland, Spain, which has earned the place its reputation amongst those who know of it.
They also serve up… some of the best, and most reasonably priced, seafood in the city.
We recommend… having a serve of the rosemary and garlic bread.
