Best Kaiserschmarrn in Vienna 2026: 7 Places Ranked

Open in the 1st district since 1977, this kitchen is built around the dish rather than serving it as an afterthought. Five regional versions are on the card, including Tiroler Nuss-Schmarren with caramelised walnuts and lingonberries and Salzburger Topfenschmarren with apricot compote. Flour comes from Austrian mills, sugar from Vienna, salt from Bad Ischl. Portions arrive in the pan; a 2026 guest report lists the plate at EUR 18.90.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "The institution if you want to eat the best palatschinken in Vienna."

Best for: Widest choice of variations

The Reitbauer family's casual kitchen sits one floor below Steirereck and holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Its Kaiserschmarrn is baked to order in roughly 30 minutes, served with damson ragout and listed as a portion for two, with single servings possible on request. Around 150 matured cheeses share the menu. Open 08:00 to 23:00 Monday to Friday, closed Sundays, with a terrace on the Wien river.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "Nice ambience with limited seating - reservations are a must."

Best for: Made to order at Bib Gourmand level

Founded in 1786 and a former imperial court confectioner, Demel added Kaiserschmarrn street sales during the Covid period and kept them. The dish is sold from a window at Kohlmarkt 14 in a paper cone in two sizes, which removes the queue problem entirely, and a second counter operates in the Haas Haus at Stephansplatz. The neo-baroque salons are the reason to sit in instead.

Best for: Takeaway from a historic Konditorei

Vienna's most cited literary coffeehouse, open since 1876 in Palais Ferstel, sells the dish at scale: the operator reported 16,500 portions a year around its 140th anniversary, behind 55,000 apple strudels. The kitchen holds AMA Genuss Region, Eurofins and Austrian Ecolabel certification. Live piano runs daily from 17:00. Reservations are strongly recommended because walk-in queues on Herrengasse are routine.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "The Cafe Central is a true institution that you have to experience."

Best for: Historic setting with certified sourcing

Open since 1873 opposite the Burgtheater, Landtmann is the flexible option: you choose raisins or no raisins, then stewed plums or apple sauce. The Schanigarten faces the Burgtheater and City Hall, which makes it the best warm-weather seat of the group. Café Museum and Café Mozart belong to the same operation. Vienna Welcome Card holders get 10 percent off coffee, cake and mineral water.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "... would gladly come again (especially for breakfast) to Café Landtmann"

Best for: Choice of raisins and toppings

Falter's Best of Vienna round-up singled out the Prückel version for house-made Zwetschkenröster, a light citrus note and a batter that is not greasy. The café opened in 1904 at Stubenring 24, opposite the MAK, and its interior dates from a 1955 redesign rather than the imperial era. It is the quieter 1st district alternative when Central and Demel are full.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "The Café Prückel is a very nice café with friendly staff."

Best for: Local pick away from the queues

A franchise chain that sells nothing but Schmarren, from 12 Vienna locations open daily 11:00 to 22:00, including Favoritenstraße 83 in the 10th district. The classic comes without raisins with apple sauce or stewed plums, in two sizes, and the batter can be made with spelt or corn flour. Topping editions such as Raffaello coconut push it away from tradition, which is why it ranks last here.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "Very tasty Kaiserschmarren, good portions at fair prices."

Best for: Cheap, fast and open late