ESCToday in collaboration with Vienna Tourist Board (Wien.info) will be bringing you a series of articles leading up to the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in order to showcase and introduce the 2015 Eurovision host city Vienna to our readers. Today we will have a look at Vienna’s gay cafes, restaurants and bars.
Cafés, Restaurants and Bars
Café Berg and Löwenherz (Lionheart) Gay Boo-shop
Close to the university, you can find one of the brightest stars in the (coffee) skies over Vienna: the chic Café Berg and the adjacent gay book store Löwenherz (Lionheart). Giant windows and comfortable seating with a view show that people here want to see and be seen. It is not just a café but also an excellent restaurant. We recommend: Sunday brunch. It opens early at 10 am and is the first gay and lesbian daytime café in Vienna. www.cafe-berg.at
The Löwenherz (Lionheart) Bookstore is a very good place to purchase gay, lesbian literature and books. You can find both national and international publications, catalogues, books, movies etc.
Bar Restaurant Café Willendorf
The heart of the gay and lesbian scene in Vienna is the so-called Rosa Lila Villa (Pink-Purple Villa). This gay and lesbian center on the Linke Wienzeile hosts one of the best-known queer restaurants in the city. The Café Willendorf, located on the ground floor, is a modern café-restaurant with a great kitchen, big portions, reasonable prices and an enchanting small garden in the courtyard. The menu changes frequently and offers everything from starters to desserts. Most tourists start their bar tour here at the Villa, which is the colloquial name of this building. www.cafe-willendorf.at
Motto
This is the ultimate “in”-place in Vienna. Everyone who deems themselves important and beautiful will meet at Motto for a drink in the stylish, yet comfortable, bar, or exchange the latest news over a quiet dinner. The wine and drink selection is enormous, prices are adequate for the quality served. The clients are mixed gay and straight. The Motto is a good place for celebrity spotting. Designer Helmut Lang was once a waiter here before he rose to fame in the fashion world. The Motto Imperium also includes the Motto am Fluss on the Danube Canal and the “Halle” in the MuseumsQuartier. www.motto.at
Conchita loves Motto am Fluss on the Danube Canal- video courtesy of Vienna Tourist Board.
Sixta
The restaurant on Schönbrunnerstraße in the fifth district combines rustic charm with modern accents. In short: Sixta is very cozy. The menu offers everything that fans of Viennese cuisine desire. The two operators Zeljko and Dragan also ensure that seasonal treats land on the plates. The historic inn invites you to enjoy a nightcap. www.sixta-restaurant.at
Village Bar
The new design of the Village Bar (located in a side street just off the Naschmarkt) attracts an eclectic crowd; the atmosphere is relaxed and communicative. Friendly staff and excellent drinks ensure a good crowd and the people are always open to meet a new face. www.village-bar.at
Café Savoy
This traditional Viennese coffeehouse dates back to the imperial era – quite obvious in the plush furnishings and stucco. On Saturdays, when an eclectic flea market takes place on the adjacent Naschmarkt, the Savoy also opens in the morning. (6., Linke Wienzeile 36)
www.savoy.at
Felixx
Since it was founded in 2004, the Felixx has been a fixed item on the Viennese scene. The bar on lower Gumpendorfer Street, in the sixth district, is open daily and impresses with a sophisticated ambience, a large cocktail menu and excellent music. www.felixx-bar.at
Fett+Zucker
This popular café cum restaurant in the second district (Hollandstrasse 16) is a well kept secret. The excellent menu also features vegan and gluten-free dishes. www.fettundzucker.at
Restaurants and bars can also be found in the Vienna Tourist Board’s Gay & Lesbian Guide, which can be downloaded here
You can even find out more information on the gay and lesbian scene and events on Gayfriendly Vienna’s official Facebook page.
For more information on Vienna you can visit Wien.info and for the latest news on ESC 2015 in Vienna ORF’s Eurovision website in German.
You can follow our forthcoming series of Discover Vienna articles with photographs and videos on ESCToday.com and on our official Esctoday Instagram and ESCToday Facebook pages.