Vegan in Austria – Your ultimate guide

Veganism is getting more and more popular in Austria. As a producer and exporter of milk products and a heavy meat diet it does offer increasingly more and more vegan products. Vegans do not have it that hard anymore – whether you look for products in the supermarket or you are looking for an eating out experience. In 2017 the population of vegetarians and vegans was 6 % and in 2021 it was at 11 %, according to statista.

However finding vegan options or Austrian veganized dishes can be still tricky as a traveler exploring a new country. This comprehensive guide not only shows you how to eat out in Austria as a vegan, but also what you can find in various supermarkets across the country. This will make your vegan travels in the cities of Austria but also the countryside easier.

Resources to use to find vegan food in Austria

You are traveling through Austria and doing your research on where to have dinner. There are some resources that will help you to find the vegan-(friendly) restaurant that you are looking for. The app or website happy cow is a great tool. You simply type in the city that you want to go and it shows you all the restaurants that have vegetarian and vegan options. You can also narrow your search with searching for only vegan restaurants or set different filters like farmer market or cafe shop.

Another tool that should not be overlooked is Google maps or let’s say the reviews. It especially helps if you want to know if this place is vegan friendly. Once you select the restaurant go to the review section where you can click on the loupe and search for vegan. It is great because sometimes it is hard to find a menu online or see if they are open to adapt their vegetarian dishes. Other resources that you can use but are in German language, is the blog 1000things, they have various vegan listicles. The websites of the Vegan community of Austria also have various listicles, such as a list of restaurants on their website, additionally you can find information about vegan events there.

Supermarkets and their vegan offers in Austria

Sometimes when you travel as a vegan it is better to book a self catering apartment and cook something basic for lunch or dinner. But how will you know in which supermarket you find the vegan products that you are looking for? Here is a list of the most popular supermarkets and the vegan offer. 

Usually, every supermarket chain has the same selection, but there can still be variations. Especially since vegan products are slowly becoming more common in supermarkets. 

Most of the vegan products have the yellow vegan sign on it. But you do not find it on every product that is vegan, for instance bread or sweets (chocolate). And you need to take care because there is a vegetarian sign that just looks like the vegan sign, but there is written vegetarian.

Supermarkets with good or great vegan product range

If there isn’t any organic supermarket around Billa has the broadest vegan product range. Here you can find tofu, cookies, yogurt, cheese, v. meat products. The Billa plus has even a bigger selection than the Billa. If you are looking for something specific (e.g. silk tofu) and you are in the countryside of Austria try to find a Billa plus.

The DM is a drugstore that also has food, but nothing fresh like veggies and fruits. There you can find oats, spaghetti, tofu, milk, flour, sweets and such things. They have a great vegan selection. Very delicious vegan cookies and vegan energy bars. 

Hofer is a well distributed discounter supermarket. Belongs to the German supermarket company Aldi Süd. Besides cheap import products they also have Austrian produced fruits and veggies. There you find the following vegan products: joghurt, minced v. meat, milk (soy, oat, almond), v. butter, tofu, v chocolate. Unfortunately there are no vegan signs at the bakery section, so you need to go through the ingredient list. But most normal bread or rolls do not have any milk products in it. 

Maximarkt is a bigger supermarket, it  might be comparable to big American supermarkets, Similar to Interspar it also has lot’s of non food related items. Since it is a bigger supermarket it offers a wider variety of products. There you can find many vegan items, such as milk, butter, tofu, and vegan replacement products.

Basic and Denns are organic supermarket chains have the broadest vegan product range. Starting from vegan joghurt, cheese, sausages, tempeh, seitan, bread and cookies as well as cosmetics and even dietary supplements. Reformstark Martin – there you can’t find fresh veggies and fruits. But also the above mentioned items. 

Pflanzilla is the only 100 % vegan store in Vienna. For every vegan this is your vegan heaven. No more reading through the ingredients. Because this shop, Pflanzilla in Vienna, has 100 % vegan items. There you can find a salad buffet (for takeaway), lot’s of convenient food, danish pastry, tofu, tempeh, chips, mayo, and so on. 

Spar and Interspar are usually found in small towns in Austria. There you can find pretty much all basic vegan articles. Cheese, yogurt, milk, tofu, vegan butter, spreads and much more. Interspar is a bigger version of spar and has a bigger variety of products, so there you find products like vegan cheese, vegan sausages and sweets. At interspar you can also find vegan convenience food like frozen pizza.

Supermarkets with less vegan options or expensive vegan products

At Adeg you can find  a few vegan items such as milk or tofu. The prices of the vegan butter for instance is higher than at supermarkets. They do have a few vegavita products.

At Lidl the selection of vegan items is also good, similar to Hofer. You can find there vegan milk, yoghurt and cheese or vegan minced meat. 

Mpreis is an Austrian supermarket chain found in the states Tyrol, Salzburg, Cainthia, Vorarlberg and Upper Austria. There you can find vegan yogurt, milk, tofu and spreads. The selection of vegan products is slightly less than in a Spar supermarket.

Nah & Frisch is also an Austrian supermarket chain. It is usually a very small convenience store. I would not count on a big selection of vegan products. 

The Penny supermarket chain has its own vegan food brand called food for future. There you can find vegan cheese, yogurt, tofu, sausages, minced v. meat, milk and convenient food. However, not all of these products can be found in every Penny supermarket, depending on the region. In rural areas, the range may be smaller. 

Unimarkt has vegan products such as tofu, yogurt and milk. However these products are overpriced. You can find pretty much the same items at other supermarkets for a cheaper price. 

Vegan bakery products in Austria

Most of the bread you find at bakeries is vegan. As well as the different kinds of rolls, like Semmerl or Kornspitz. The sweets like croissants and Danish pastry are not vegan. Also there is a roll which is yogurt roll that’s also not vegan. But if you stick with classic rolls or bread you are fine. 

In many supermarkets you find pre-packed bread and rolls. Usually there aren’t any vegan logos on it, so you need to check the ingredients list. I recommend that you buy your bread products from bakeries, as they are of better quality. But not the chain bakeries like Anker, Ströck, Resch & Frisch, Der Mann and so on. You will find real bakeries mostly in smaller towns. 

Cozy plant-based cafes in historical towns

Vienna 
Ausnahmsweise is a small cafe in Vienna that offers vegan and gluten free baked goods. The offer of their cake varies every day/season. Of course you can enjoy your cake with a coffee, a smoothie or lemonade. 

Equilibrium Cafe is a unique coffee spot with randomly assembled interior. Hot drinks and lemonade, vegan quiche, bagels, breakfast and of course cakes. 

Salzburg
The heart of joy is an alternative coffee that only serves vegetarian or vegan food. It has excellent cakes that are partly sugar and gluten free. It’s a great location for going for breakfast. 

Tyrol 
Café Laurens & Lena in Fieberbrunn. The cozy atmosphere inside is perfect for rainy days. They have a few vegan dishes but it is amazing for coffee or hot cocoa. On sunny days you can enjoy the sun at the outdoor seating area.

Colours Bar.Bistro in Innsbruck is great for either small or big bites to eat or just drinks. The inside area is not so special but the small outside seating looks lovely. There you can enjoy cake and fresh juices.

karaffu | coffee culture is another vegan friendly cafe spot in Innsbruck. The cozy atmosphere is perfect for a traditional Austrian coffee and cake break – the vegan version. 

Styria 
Cafe Erde and KF Erde are two coffee spots in Graz. They not only offer coffee and cake but also have a great selection of meals and a daily lunch menu.

Austria’s traditional yearly festivals as a vegan

Austrians traditional yearly festivals that include traditional dishes or are around the topic food. 

St. Martin, who is known for his mercy, is celebrated every year in November with traditions such as parades and goose eating. Throughout the autumn you can find many restaurants offering goose and increasingly more offer a vegan version. Here you can find the vegan dish in autumn: Stiftskeller St. Florian, Tisch in Vienna, Stanihof St. Pölten and the Virtskuchl near Graz.

At the Kellergassenfest/wine fest wine producers offer their products. The celebrations are held in so-called cellar lanes, small houses that lead to a wine cellar. At the wine fest is not only wine but also additional entertainment and snacks. It’s a very common festival in the region of Lower Austria. Some towns where you can find the Austrian wine fest are in Poysdorf, Jedenspeigen, Mailberg, Langenlois, Perchtoldsdorf and many more. The best is to ask the organizers or facebook groups about their vegan offer. But most likely there are a few vegan wines and basic snacks. 

During carnival (in German: Fasching) in February it is pretty common to eat doughnuts (in German: Faschingskrapfen). They usually are filled with apricot jam and have icing sugar on top. You will find the vegan version of the doughnuts at the bakeries in Vienna Gradwohl, Anker (here the doughnut is a square), at the Pfanzilla in Vienna and at the Billa supermarket. 

At Christmas Austrians do have their traditional meals, however they vary in each federal state. In Salzburg for instance it is common to eat sausage soup. Then again in Vienna and Lower Austria they eat fish. In Tyrol it is also sausage soup and roast pork. Christmas is a big holiday in Austria. Usually families come together, cook and eat at home. You can get inspired by the Austrian traditions and make a vegan version of the traditional meals. Or if you want to go out, make sure you make a reservation in advance. Many restaurants are closed during Christmas.

On New Year’s Eve there are no very traditional meals. Most people celebrate with their friends, compared to Christmas it is not so much a family celebration. So the food varies, some people like to have a raclette or a fondue. 

At Easter it is very common to hide a so-called easter-nest in the house or garden and kids have to find it. The easter-nest is filled with candies or Easter eggs. At supermarkets you can find all kinds of Easter related candies, more and more of them also for vegans.

Veganized Austrian Food

Traditional Austrian dishes are very meat and egg heavy. The most famous dish is probably the Schnitzel, followed by Kaiserschmarrn, Sacher cake, Apple strudel and much more. Potatoes are also a common product in Austrians’ kitchens. 

Buschenschank – vegan wine and snacks

A so-called Buschenschank is a farm that serves its own food and drinks. Often found in Styria, Lower Austria or Burgenland. They are mostly wine farmers, selling wine or grape juice. 

At the Buschenschank Otto Knaus you can find a vegan “Brettljause” – a wooden plate literally translated. It is a cold snack in between meals. It consists of spreads, cheese, veggies and bread. The Buschenschank is located in the Sulztal at the Styrian wine street.

Buschenschank Zweytick in Retznei is also located in south Styria. They have also a vegan Brettljause and they have vegan Apfelstrudel.

You can find Buschenschanks in the area of Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria. For Styria you 1000things have collected a range of Buschenschanks. 

Heuriger – vegan wine and warm dishes

A Heuriger is similar to a Buschenschank but it does also serve warm dishes. The word Heuriger comes from heuer which means this year. Back in the days the wine farmers presented their young wine. Nowadays a visit to the Heuriger or Buschenschank is part of East Austrian culture. It is a place for social gatherings.

Bio-Landgut Esterhazy in Donnerskrichen is a farm that has a lot to offer, a tour through the farm, a bicycle rental and a market hall. Their restaurant has a few vegan options.

At Heuriger Platz-Schwayer in Zellerndorf you can find a small selection of vegan dishes. This might be a great pitstop if you are keen to explore Austria’s smallest Nationalpark Thaya valley.

The Weinbau Schuster in Fels am Wagram markets itself with the first vegan Heuriger. They offer a “Brettljause” on occasion. You can find the days were they offer vegan snacks on their website. 

Veganized Austrian dishes in Austria

Zur Allee at Schwarzenbergpark uses local produced products for their dishes. Such as seitan, patties with potato salad, vegan cakes and strudels.

At Gasthaus am Predigtstuhl you can find Austrian vegan dumplings, vegan cordon bleu, ice coffee and vegan wine.

In Kaisersdorf in Burgenland at Dorfgasthaus “Naturkuchl wia z’haus” you find seasonal Austrian dishes and every Sunday they have a midday brunch.

The Burgstueberl in Heidenreichstein in Lower Austria offers a big vegetarian selection of meals. Lot’s of seitan specialties and grill plates. 

The quaint Austrian restaurant Gasthasu Grossvenediger at Prägraten am Grossvenediger offers various vegan dishes such as vegetable or herb soups, fresh salads, curry, tofu steak or crispy baked tofu. 

Tisch restaurant in Vienna has a great selection of plant based meals and it offers seasonal dishes. 

Velani in Vienna got rewarded with the 1st place from 1000things (Austrian blog) for the most popular Schnitzel, referring to their vegan Schnitzel.

Vegan on an Austrian mountain hut

One of the amazing Austrian adventures is going on a hike in the alps with an overnight stay in an Austrian alpine hut. You can find various beautiful hikes, if it includes an alpine lake it guarantees you unforgettable experiences. 

Even the remote mountain huts have begun to adapt their menus to the growing demand for vegan food. Each year more huts change or adapt their menu. Recently, the hut on the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, on the border with Austria, announced that it would no longer serve meat. It has changed its menu to only vegetarian and vegan options. 

One of the first huts that completely resigned from serving meat is the Franz-Fischer-Hütte in the federal state of Salzburg. The hut only offers vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Here you find a list of vegan friendly mountain huts. To be on the safe side, call the lodge before you go or check their website/online presence for vegan friendliness. 

Carinthia

• Sadnighaus
• Oberwalderhütte
• s’Hüttenplatzerl
• Aichingerhütte

Lower Austria

• Enzianhütte Kieneck
• Terzerhaus
• Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben
• Veigl-Hütte

Upper Austria

• Gjaid Alm
• Gablonzer Hütte
• Hofalm
• Ebenseer Hochkogelhaus
• Hochschleckenhaus

Salzburg

• Tom Almhütte
• Franz-Fischer-Hütte
• Steinbockalm
• Zachhofalm
• Karbachalm
• Tiergartenalm
• Kürsingerhütte

Styria

• Schiestlhaus
• Tonnerhütte
• Karl Ludwig Haus
• Gleinalm Schutzhaus
• Fahrlechhütte am Duisitzkarsee

Tyrol

• Neue Regensburger Hütte
• Nördlinger Hütte
• Glungezer-Hütte
• Lucknerhuette
• Berliner Hütte
• Greizer Hütte
• Langtalereckhütte
• Gaudemushütte
• Tribulaunhütte
• Bremer Hütte

Vorarlberg

• Göppinger Hütte
• Sarotlahütte
• Heilbronner Hütte
• Frassenhütte
• Douglass Hütte
• Palüdhütte

Vegan hotels and accommodation providers

There are also increasingly more accommodations that offer great vegan options or have changed their business to total vegan offers. At this list you can find a few of those establishments. You can check out vegan hotels in Austria and vegan vacationing in Austria for more selection. 

Loving Hut Pension at the Kloppeinersee in Carinthia has a lovely outdoor seating area. It is not far from the lake and the promenade. On the menu you find many asian dishes. 

The restaurant Alpenhotel Boedele in Vorarlberg lies in the middle of the alps. The restaurant offers high quality organic vegetarian and vegan dishes. Currently it is closed. 

The Keep Residence in Salzburg is offering eco-friendly holidays. The Keep Eco Rooms have been awarded the EU Eco-label. It is also a vegan paradise for foodies visiting Austria. They have a great breakfast buffet and delicious lunch and dinner dishes. 

The Sishaus – Hostel & Café in Graz is a social, integrative and sustainable hostel. For instance they employ people from all nationalities, have social projects or use sustainable materials or upcycle items for the hostel. Their café offers breakfast, snacks and brunch at the weekends, all of it vegan. 

In South Styria is the Varm, an organic farm with an animal sanctuary. The Varm offers a few rooms and has a small shop with vegetables, apple juice and wine. The accommodation is vegan friendly but suitable for self-catering travellers. The hosts are helpful in recommending nearby restaurants with vegan options.  
The Moa Alm is in the middle of the mountains, in East Tyrol near Lienz. It is not easily accessible, they offer a transfer. Craving calm and relaxing holidays in the middle of the alps? Then this is the place to go.

Vegan events in Austria

The Vegamania is a vegan Summer festival. It is held in various locations in Austria. For instance in Vienna at the MuseumsQuartier or in Vienna on the Danube island, which is the biggest. Each year it varies if it is going to happen in any other city outside of Vienna. 

The Vegan Planet is a vegan fair with many exhibitors, workshops and talks. It takes place every year in November at the MAK Vienna.

The Vegan Ball is a formal dance that takes place during the official ball season in Vienna. Other than an event for formal dance you can expect a vegan Gala Dinner. 

Additional:
At Katharinas Veganer Naturgasthof in East Tyrol you can find vegan cooking classes. 
In Wels in Upper Austria you can join a vegan games meet up at the Vegan Wiritin.

Important German phrases for vegans

Although Austria is a tourism country, the majority of people speak English. In case you find yourself in a very remote place here are some German phrases that you can use if you want to tell someone your dietary restrictions.

I’m vegan – Ich bin vegan

I don’t eat meat, fish, dairy products nor eggs. – Ich esse kein Fleisch, Fisch, Milchprodukte oder Eier.

Do you have something without meat – Haben Sie etwas ohne Fleisch

Without cheese please – Bitte ohne Käse 

I don’t eat… butter, cheese, eggs, meat. – Ich esse kein(e) … keine Butter, kein Käse, keine Eier, kein Fleisch

Can I have something with only vegetables? – Könnte ich etwas nur mit Gemüse haben.