Vegan & Vegetarian Holidays in Austria

It’s not all about schnitzel! If you are vegan, vegetarian, or just keen to get more veggies into your system, you surely won’t regret a holiday in Austria. Even before plant-based cuisine went mainstream, Austria, and especially Vienna, made itself a name with its meat-free cookery. Today, 11% of the locals are vegetarian, 2% are vegan and 30% are flexitarians (following primarily a vegetarian lifestyle but occasionally eat meat and fish) according to statista. And the plant-based movement, boosted by an increasing number of people looking for ways to make their lives more sustainable, continues to rise.  

Steak houses and the likes aside, it’s hard to find a café or restaurant in Austria these days that doesn’t have any vegan and vegetarian options; most have plenty. And city trippers in particular will be delighted to find many fully plant-based restaurants. Even better, a vegan or vegetarian holiday doesn’t stop with lunch and dinner choice. There are also vegan mountain huts, vegan farms, vegan hikes, and food festivals. Let us show you some examples below.
 

PLANT-BASED RESTAURANTS IN AUSTRIA

Unsurprisingly, Vienna has more vegan and vegetarian cafes and restaurants than any other place in Austria, ranging from high-end dining experiences to casual eateries. On the top end is Tian, a Michelin-awarded vegetarian restaurant in the prestigious first district, offering à la carte as well as six to eight-course dinner menus (they also have a more low-key bistro at Spittelberg). More casual are the fully vegan Tisch Restaurant (serving a mix of Austrian and international delights and – once a month – a vegan brunch), Suess’Kind (with a daily changing menu) or Harvest Café (burgers, salads and vegan versions of traditional Austrian dishes). Love Asian food? Look no further than Xu’s Cooking, a long-term institution for meat- and fish-free Chinese cuisine, and the popular Vietnamese VEVI (four restaurants across Vienna). Swing Kitchen is a fully vegan burger and fast-food chain frequented by celebrities such as Bryan Adams or Pamela Anderson. Sweet tooth? Veganista has been the go-to chain for vegan treats for over a decade!

In Salzburg, The Heart of Joy café, just 10 minutes’ walk from the centre, made itself a name with its vegan and vegetarian breakfast, curries, soups, salads and omelets, while Gingko (fully vegan international cuisine with a focus on Indian dishes, served buffet style) and Gerüchteküche (multi-course vegan surprise dinners) are among the most popular places in Graz. When in Tirol, try Olive in Innsbruck for vegan brunch and lunch. The province’s only Michelin-awarded vegetarian restaurant can be found in the heart of Zillertal though. Guat’z Essen serves set meals with nine to 13 courses, depending on the day, and 80% of the ingredients used come straight from the restaurant’s very own garden.
 

FULLY VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN HOTELS

Holidaymakers won’t have issues finding plant-based options in most accommodation options. However, those preferring a fully vegan or vegetarian stay are also catered for:

aufatmen Naturhotel Tirol in the Seefeld region is a fully vegan hotel, serving plant-based versions of traditional Tyrolean delights at their in-house restaurant. Besides their à la carte menu, there’s also a four-course dinner menu five times a week. In addition to their popular cuisine, guests can enjoy hiking, mountain biking or skiing straight from the hotel’s doorstep and relax in the spa afterwards.

Strandhotel am Weissensee in the southern province of Carinthia is Austria’s first vegetarian 4-star-hotel. Both its restaurant and beach café (right on Lake Weissensee) serve plant-based regional delights minus the meat and fish. The Strandhotel also scores with its extensive sports activity options and wellness world. Another lake hotel, the Loving Hut Pension on Lake Klopeinersee is equally worth noting. Part of the international franchise of the same name, its rooms are 100% free from animal products and eco-friendly, and their in-house restaurant, serves plant-based breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Vienna does not yet have a fully vegan or vegetarian hotel, but Hotel Harmonie, Boutiquehotel Stadthalle and magdas Hotel are especially popular with the plant-based community.  
 

A VEGAN FARM AND A MOUNTAIN HUT

Farm stays might not be the most obvious choice for vegans. But Varm – The Vegan Farm in the South of Styria, about one hour by train from Graz, offers exactly that. Here, up to three guests stay in a refurbished press house, complete with shabby chic furniture and their own kitchen. They can either cook themselves (fruit, veggies, spreads and more are sold right on-site) or add a fully vegan breakfast, full or half board to their booking. Ulli and Michael, the hosts, are both vegan and share their home with dogs, cats and sheep. Guests are welcome to bring along their own dogs too.

Vegans and vegetarians heading to the Alps should check out the Regensburger Hut in the Stubai Valley, Tirol’s first fully vegetarian mountain hut at 2.286 m. Less than an hour by bus from Innsbruck, it offers comfy beds, stunning views and a daily menu up until 4 PM. While most of the dishes are Austrian, you’ll also find the occasional internationally inspired delight. Vegans have plenty of choice too.  

A NEW VEGAN HIKING TOUR & AUSTRIA'S LARGEST PLANT-BASED FESTIVAL

Styria has opened Europe’s first vegan mountain trail in the Gesäuse national park this year. The tour is around 90 km long and takes seven days to complete (the stages can also be hiked individually). Six huts along the way offer at least one vegan dish which can be booked in advance – think of it as the perfect combo of hiking in stunning nature and sampling through traditional local cuisine vegan-style!

Vienna hosts Veganmania several times a year, Austria’s largest streetfood. Established in 1998, it celebrates all things vegan. Expect tons of food stalls, vegan clothing and beauty products, books, talks and live music. Entry is free! The next festival takes place on 12-14 September at the Vienna Danube Island.    
 

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