***********AS OF 2013 THIS GLUTEN FREE RESTAURANT IS REPORTED TO BE COMPLETELY CLOSED.******************
If you like me you grew up in the 1980s, Vienna will mean one thing; a song by Ultravox. Who could possibly forget Midge Ure’s performance of this haunting song at Live Aid in 1985? Wow. And if you’re too young to remember Live Aid a) lucky you and b) watch it on YouTube!
In researching our trip to Vienna I contacted the Austrian Coeliac Society for assistance on recommended places to eat. They very kindly sent me a list running to numerous pages of Vienna’s cafes, coffee houses and restaurants all offering gluten free options. At the top of this list was Cafe Sinfonia offering another Viennese classic, (gluten free) schnitzel.
Cafe Sinfonia is located at Schubertring, 4 on the edge of the old town (Innere Stadt). It was easy to find thanks to this sign. Surely a sign to warm the heart of any coeliac/gluten intolerant?
Cafe Sinfonia is a very friendly cafe with an interesting 1960s decor.
We had a seat in the window which afforded us a great view of the retro style trams whizzing passed us on the boulevard.
Mr D and I both fancied the schnitzel but unfortunately they only had one portion left so Mr D gallantly agreed I could have it. Probably fortunate, I’m not sure he would have enjoyed his afternoon otherwise!
How did it taste? The meat was thin, the coating crispy and well seasoned. I genuinely don’t know if you could tell the difference between this gluten free schnitzel and the regular one, the batter tasted so good. I was glad the schnitzel came with a lightly dressed green salad which made it the perfect lunchtime meal.
Address:
Cafe SINFONIA, Schubertring 4, 1010 Vienna (Wien), Austria
Telephone: +43-1-512-6713
Cost: Under EUR 35 for lunch for 2 with soft drinks
Rating: 8/10 – Cafe Sinfonia is a must visit for any Coeliac / gluten intolerant visiting Vienna to try the gluten free schnitzel.
Opening hours:
Mon / Tues / Weds – 08:00 to 22:00
Thurs / Fri – 08:00 to 24:00
Saturday – 13:00 to 21:00
Closed on Sundays and public holidays
Please notify Cafe Sinfonia in advance if you require gluten free food in order that preparations can be made in the kitchen for strict separate preparation of food.
Dear Mrs. D,
Thank you for sharing. Now, I can dream about traveling to Vienna gluten free! Vienna is my favorite city in the world.
I pinned this post on my board “sans gluten au monde”…
Author
Hello – thanks very much for stopping by and commenting. Vienna really is a beautiful city and it’s great that you can find gluten free versions of schnitzel and also delicious gluten free cakes.
I just took a look at your blog – really enjoyed reading the post on Bio Sphere Cafe in Paris. I must remember that for my next trip!
Went to this reataurant last night and it has closed, apparently for good.
Thanks very much for letting me know, I’m sorry to hear that it was closed when you visited. Another commenter on this post understands the restaurant is closed for renovation rather than totally closed. Let’s hope it re-opens soon.
I ate here last year when I was in Vienna for a work trip, and it was FABULOUS! The proprietor was extremely kind and helpful, and the food absolutely delicious.
I am back this year (for work again), and was looking forward to eating here every day, except they are closed for renovations. 🙁 I hope it’s because they are so popular that they need to accommodate more (happy) customers!
In the meantime, I am thrilled to discover your blog, and am looking forward to going out to sample some gluten-free serious cakes!
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Sorry to hear Cafe Sinfonia is currently closed. There is another person who has commented below to say the cafe is closed for good. I’d be really interested to hear if this is definitely a closure for renovation, rather than total closure? Let’s hope it’s just for renovations, I really enjoyed the schnitzel there.
I visited this restaurant today – sadly they are closed for good, with the window sign saying a restaurant with a different name was opening up. Thanks for your posts, however – i have had a piece of Viennese gluten free cake that is fabulous thanks to your blog!! 🙂
June 12, 2013 Cafe SINFONIA, Schubertring 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria has closed — much to my disappointment.
We read about Cafe Sinfonia on your very good blog, but unfortunately not the comments. After some difficulty, we finally found Schubertring 4 and found that another cafe is indeed open there and they do not do any gluten-free food. The owner said that he had quite a few disappointed potential customers looking for Sinfonia including “two car loads of Hungarians”. Please remove the article on Sinfonia so that no one else goes looking for it in vain.
I’m so sorry that you had a wasted journey to Cafe Sinfonia. It’s a shame that the owner of the new cafe doesn’t see the benefit of offering gluten free items on his menu, even though he has customers arriving and asking for it. Hope that you had a wonderful time in Vienna otherwise.