Restaurants in Vienna

This former café attached to the Museum of Modern Art (MAK) was given a revolutionary culinary makeover when one of Austria's seminal chefs, Helmut Österreicher, took charge of the kitchen in early 2006. Now the menu resides in the 'modern Viennese' category, which equates to new takes on old plates; you'll still find wiener schnitzel , tafelspitz (boiled beef), and zwiebelrostbraten (beef and onion roast) here, but they're lighter versions of grandma's recipes in both size and calorie-count. Dishes employ ingredients in season (pumpkin and wild meats feature heavily in autumn, asparagus in spring), and the sleek décor only helps smooth digestion.

With an antique Spanish décor and a large open fire during the colder seasons, Bodega Española harks back to the days when the Hapsburg dynasty had strong connections to the Spanish throne. Located near the Belvedere Galleries, this is one of the finest tapas restaurants in the city. The menu features many small dishes, as well as excellent main courses, like bacalao á la malagueña (a fish speciality from Malaga) and lamb steak with lemon-rosemary potatoes. Closed Sunday. Reservations recommended.

Of the many beisl (traditional beer taverns) that dot Vienna, Ubl ranks among the finest. It still retains the heavy dark-wood wall and floor panelling reminiscent of such establishments, but there is also a refined, dining atmosphere with a good list of quality Austrian wines. Order from a small but well-thought-out menu filled with Viennese classics - it's hard to go wrong with the tafelspitz or wiener schnitzel here.

Vienna's top vegetarian restaurant and (designer) bar, Christian Wrenkh serves excellent seasonal food to a young and trendy crowd. Expect dishes such as miso soup, Greek fried rice with vegetables, feta cheese and olives and wild rice risotto with mushrooms. Closed Sunday.