Der Wiener Deewan on Liechtensteinstrasse in Vienna's Alsergrund runs a pay-what-you-want Pakistani buffet, drinks charged separately, the city's loved student-budget room since 2005.
Tip: Pay what you want for food; drinks are charged. The buffet is replenished through 22:00.
Address: Liechtensteinstrasse 10, 1090 Wien, Vienna
Kent Restaurant on Brunnengasse in Vienna's 16th district plates a serious Doener for under EUR 10, the Turkish-Viennese borough's canonical halal kebab counter open until 02:00 daily.
Try: Doener Kebab
Tip: Order the Iskender for under EUR 12; the lamb skewers are the local-order alternative to the Doener wrap.
Habibi & Hawara on Kundmanngasse in Vienna's 3rd district is a social-enterprise kitchen run with refugee chefs, the falafel sandwich plus a small mezze plate the cheapest serious vegan lunch on the Landstrasse side of town.
Try: Falafel sandwich with hummus
Tip: Takeaway counter at the side runs faster than the sit-down room at lunchtime; the inner-city Wipplingerstrasse flagship closed in 2023.
Pizza Mari on Leopoldsgasse in Vienna's Leopoldstadt fires Neapolitan pizza for under EUR 11, the wood oven the 2nd district's most-defended cheap pizza counter since 2011.
Try: Marinara pizza
Tip: No reservations; the kitchen runs lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday, with the dinner queue picking up from 18:00.
Schweizerhaus in Vienna's Prater serves half a Stelze with sauerkraut for around EUR 14, the cheapest serious pork-knuckle plate in town when the chestnut-tree garden opens mid-March to October.
Try: Half Stelze with sauerkraut
Tip: Order a small Krug of Budvar to start; the kitchen runs out of Stelze by 21:00 on busy summer nights.
Vollpension on Schleifmuehlgasse in Vienna's Wieden bakes Apfelstrudel under EUR 6 a slice, the grandmother-baker social-enterprise cafe a budget alternative to the marble Konditoreien.
Try: Apfelstrudel and Melange
Tip: Slice and Melange for under EUR 9; the Schanigarten on the corner opens from April.
Naschmarkt Deli in Vienna runs an all-day breakfast carte for under EUR 13, the shakshuka and sabich the Levantine-leaning brunch the cheap-eats option on the Naschmarkt.
Try: Shakshuka with pita
Tip: Open daily; the breakfast carte runs all day, useful for jet-lag arrivals from outside the EU.
