Habibi & Hawara on Kundmanngasse in Vienna's 3rd district is the surviving branch of the refugee-run social-enterprise kitchen, the falafel sandwich and Levantine carte at Platz der Sozialen Sicherheit.
Tip: Sit-down menu and takeaway counter both run the falafel; the inner-city Wipplingerstrasse flagship closed in 2023 after the group's insolvency.
Address: Kundmanngasse 21-27, 1030 Wien, Vienna
Umarfisch at the Naschmarkt in Vienna's Mariahilf is the market's go-to fish counter and small kitchen, the grilled sardines and oyster bar a stallside lunch through to evening service.
Try: Grilled sardines
Tip: The fish-shop counter (Stand 38 to 39) runs separate retail hours; sit-down service runs Mon to Sat from 11:00 in the restaurant at Stand 76 to 79.
Der Wiener Deewan on Liechtensteinstrasse in Vienna's Alsergrund runs a pay-what-you-want Pakistani buffet, the curry-and-rice carte one of the city's most-loved student-budget rooms.
Try: Pay-what-you-want Pakistani buffet
Tip: Pay-what-you-want for food only; drinks are charged. Cash welcome and most appreciated.
Kent Restaurant on Brunnengasse in Vienna's 16th district near the Brunnenmarkt is the city's longest-running serious Doener counter, the Turkish-Viennese borough's canonical kebab address.
Try: Doener Kebab
Tip: The grilled-lamb skewers and the Iskender are the local-order alternatives to the Doener wrap.
Pizza Mari on Leopoldsgasse in Vienna's Leopoldstadt has fired Neapolitan pizza since 2011, the wood oven and short carte the 2nd district's go-to pizza-only room.
Try: Neapolitan pizza
Tip: No reservations; the kitchen runs lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday. The Marinara is the regular order, no cheese, no fuss.
Trzesniewski on Dorotheergasse in Vienna has served unpronounceable open-faced rye sandwiches since 1902, the 21-Aufstrich carte and small Pfiff beer the city's most-photographed counter snack.
Try: Aufstrich-belegte Brote
Tip: Order at least three sandwiches per person; the egg-and-bacon Aufstrich is the regular's pick.
Naschmarkt Deli at the centre of Vienna's Naschmarkt is the all-day breakfast and Levantine counter, the shakshuka and sabich the brunch crowd's most-photographed plate.
Try: Sabich and shakshuka
Tip: Open every day; the breakfast carte runs all day, useful for jet-lag arrivals from outside the EU.
