Julia Heiligenbrunner (1982)

This really is an awesome place for lunch! A while ago I had decided not to eat out so much and rather make use of my own kitchen and skills but Tongues made me change my mind – again.

The cool concept of the place changed recently, the vinyl record shop now moved a few streets further. I recommend a stop there before/after lunch! On the left, when you enter, are plenty of organic vegetables, herbs, teas, … in case you’re like me and planning on actually cooking in your kitchen.

Each morning the spontaneous team here chooses the menu for the day. You may then check it on their homepage or on Facebook, though most customers know what to expect: absolutely delicious & varied food. Many fans of Tongues’ come to take-away their delights which might be because space to sit and enjoy your meal is a bit limited.

This very red, yet cozy bar used to be a place for b-girls, a long time ago! The former house of pleasure still successfully brings joy to its visitors today. Since it is a small place and locals know about its charm, it can get somewhat crowded in this cult bar. Coming before 23:00 usually assures you to get one of the small tables.

“Jenseits” is the German term for “afterlife”, but you don’t need to worry, I assure you everyone of the well mixed crowd in here is absolutely friendly! Daily differing DJ-lines make sure many kinds of genres are being brought to you. The dance floor is small nevertheless it’s definitely a dance bar – especially after midnight.

Here they do not only have a special cocktail and wine but also a cigar menu – everything for an extravagant night. There’s really not much more to say about the Jenseits, go there yourself in order to spend an unforgettable evening!

I like coming here for (late) breakfast or a shake in the afternoon. Here you can mix your own muesli out of fifty different ingredients and add toppings like smarties, gummy bears or marshmallows. They also have a cereal of the day and weekly changing dishes for lunch, including vegetarian and vegan delights.

The owner is very much looking out for organic and healthy ingredients for her cakes, bagels, soups, milkshakes and all the other great stuff. For example, have you ever heard of sugar that is not exactly sugar, but has got less calories and is even healthy? Ask for “Birkengold” if you are looking for a healthy alternative.

Until the 23rd of December you can also purchase their goods at Spittelberger Christkindlmarkt!

I truly love this shop ever since I accidentally stumbled upon it a few years back. Honestly I had never known there were so many products one can make from honey! For sure you find all sorts of delicious honey here, but also fine truffle commodities. Furthermore different kinds of Propolis products as well as sweets, candles and cosmetics.

My personal all-time favorite is “Honigbärchen”, honey gummy bears with passion fruit flavor. I must warn you, they are highly addictive!

There is another shop with only slightly shorter opening hours just around the corner of Westbahnhof (check out the Bahnhofcity article!), and recently they established their brand new third branch in the first district, Wollzeile 19 (2 min walk from St. Stephans Cathedral). On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays they also sell their goods at Naschmarkt, additionally you can find their products 24/7 in an online shop (see their website for details on it!).

And now before Christmas you can also look for their stalls on many Viennese Christkindl markets, like the one in front of the city hall, Spittelberger Christkindlmarkt, at Freyung, Stephansplatz or Maria-Theresien-Platz.

Here’s where you can get away from the snow slush in the streets & have some fun!
or slow things down while walking in peacefully covered white parks, take a deep breath, enjoy the fresh winter air! Türkenschanzpark (check out the article!) is what many of my friends, but me too , call the most beautiful park in the city. It has it all: ponds, rolling hills and rare botanical plants!

The two biggest recreational facilities in Vienna are Donauinsel and Prater. Danube island is perfect for endless walks (with your dog). Prater, more centrally located, is to Viennese what Central Park is to New Yorkers. Here you may want to find Jesuitenwiese, where you can go tobogganing even in the night! You can rent toboggans there for free. Find the collected list of where to slide down snowy hills in Vienna here!

You can even ski in Vienna – yes, outdoors! Hohe Wand Wiese is a small yet easy to reach – located only 35minutes from the city center – skiing facility.