12 Best Restaurants in Day Trips from Vienna, Austria

This historic covered market still has a handful of fresh fruit, vegetable, and seafood stands, but most people come today for the varied dining and drinking options. Whether you're in the mood for Spanish tapas, Chinese noodles, or Austrian leberkässemmel (a kind of meatloaf sandwich), you'll find it here—along with great stops for coffee, cakes, beer, and wine. Most of the dining options close between 6 and 8 pm, so it's a better option for lunch than dinner.

Tucked away inside the historic Kremsmünsterhaus, this elegant restaurant rocks a mod-retro look with cozy tables, muted lighting, and attractive stonework. The cuisine is Austrian with a touch of Asia, as evidenced by the selection of wok dishes and an excellent sushi bar. Main courses include mouthwatering variations of fish (the panfried tuna is a favorite) as well as meaty treats (the rib-eye steak is to die for). If the weather is nice, you can opt to sit outside in the inviting, enclosed courtyard. The bar is open late, often hosting famous DJs.

It's some way out of town, but the exquisite food, intimate atmosphere, and gorgeous views at this fine dining restaurant make it worth a special trip. Passionate owner-chef Erich Lukas crafts clever, seasonal set menus that combine Austrian and Mediterranean influences to great effect. Unusually, it's also possible to order dishes from the menus individually. For budget conscious travelers, the neighboring Verdi Einkehr bistro shares the same kitchen but serves more standard Austrian fare. If you don't have a car, you'll need a taxi to get here as it's located close to Lichtenberg, about three kilometers (two miles) north of the town center.

The Schandl family of Rust is one of the best-known wine growers of the Neusiedl Lake area; their devotees come for wine tastings and stay for dinner. The simple but satisfying menu includes fish soup, pork schnitzel, and cabbage stew, as well as various cold cuts, cheeses, and other snacks designed to complement the wine.

In the heart of the medieval Altstadt is this storybook stone cottage run by Ulli Amon-Jell (pronounced yell), who serves the tried-and-true recipes of her grandmother and great-grandmother, with a bit of her own modern flair added to the mix. Snails au gratin in garlic herb butter, roast kidneys with bacon and onion, and gazpacho with buttery Parmesan dumplings are popular items on the menu. There are always lighter fish and vegetarian dishes, too, but the chef's motto is "no one goes home hungry from my tavern." Leave room for dessert if you possibly can, as the homemade marillenknödel (warm, apricot-filled dumplings) are a delight.  Book ahead in summer for a table under the grape arbor in the small, secluded outdoor dining area.

A short walk east from the heart of town, this popular restaurant and wine bar serves inventive twists on Austrian classics: think spinach and feta cheese strudel with garlic sauce, chanterelle mushroom goulash with bread dumplings, and spicy turkey cordon bleu with cranberries and salad. The portions are hearty, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. Choose from an extensive list of Austrian wines to accompany your meal.

At this landmark in Krems's Old Town district, you'll find excellent regional cuisine along with an outstanding wine selection (some of these vintages come from the backyard). Owner-chef Haidinger learned his skills at Bacher, across the Danube in Mautern, so look for fresh river fish on the ever-changing set menus, along with locally-hunted wild boar and venison. The set menus start from three courses (€42.50; soup, main, and dessert) and go all the way up to six (€72.50).

Tasty, good-value tacos, burritos, and nachos are the orders of the day at this popular little snack bar near the lakeside. There's a good mix of meat and vegetarian options, with your choice of toppings and salsas, as well as children's portions. Sit at one of the park benches beside the water or take your snack for a stroll.

It's hard to imagine a more idyllic setting for a memorable meal than this lovely restaurant in Unterloiben, a five-minute drive southeast of Dürnstein—especially if the weather is nice and tables are set out in the fragrant apple orchard. One of the oldest restaurants in the area, its kitchen offers inventive variations on regional themes, like Wachau fish soup, crispy roast duck, and foie gras parfait.

The atmosphere here is that of a spacious, contemporary gasthaus, with a fabulous roofed garden filled with flowers. The varied menu of regional cuisine is reasonably priced and has a touch of the Mediterranean, with plenty of vegetarian options available. Nevertheless, the highlights are traditionally Austrian and meaty; the steak tartare, the Tafelspitz (boiled beef), and the size-of-your-head schnitzels. The place is easy to find; just look for the theater in the heart of the Altstadt.

This lovingly renovated burgher's house—the town's oldest, built in the 1500s below the even-older Fischerkirche—houses an excellent and imaginative restaurant run by owner and head chef Michael Mooslechner. The menu depends on what's fresh but typically includes local specialties like Wiener schnitzel, Styrian fried chicken, and Esterhazy goulash with spätzle (egg noodles). Finish with the delicious cheese-curd and apricot strudel with whipped cream. In summer, sit out front for views across the main square, including the stork nests on the roofs of Weingut Conrad and the Rathauskeller. There are also four light and spacious apartments available to rent from €160 per night.

This riverside bar-restaurant, overlooking the landing station from which the Danube to Melk cruises depart, makes a lovely spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Local specialties like freshly-caught fish and flammkuchen (a pizza-like pie slathered in crème fraîche, onions, and bacon bits) sit alongside no-fuss favorites like burritos, burgers, and steaks. Come in the evening to watch the sun slowly set over the river as you eat.