Austria · DINNER EXPERIENCES
Good dinner experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend three hours aboard an MS Blue Danube, MS Vindobona, or MS Wien evening cruise. You’ll enjoy an elderflower sparkling aperitif, a three-course dinner, and views from Vienna’s canal and Danube. Choose pork, red mullet, or a vegetarian main course, with German and English-speaking staff onboard.
“We had a lovely evening cruise on the Danube and the food served was delicious. Hope to see you again sometime.”
Ride Salzburg’s funicular to Hohensalzburg Fortress, dine at the Panorama Restaurant, then hear Mozart, Strauss, Bach, and other masters performed by professional musicians in the Golden Hall. Choose Classic or VIP dining, and note that the concert requires smart-casual dress and many stairs.
“Wonderful food and service. Incredible location. Excellent performers and very spirited!”
Enter Schönbrunn Palace after closing, explore its imperial rooms with a self-guided audio tour, eat a three-course Austrian dinner nearby, then hear Mozart and Strauss in the Orangery. Choose VIP or standard concert seating, and request a vegetarian meal in advance.
“The palace is lovely and the after hours tour was nice. I'm assuming we skipped a long line. However the meeting place was not described well. Inside the gate to the left of a huge court yard a palace was a terrible way to describe the meeting point. We had to ask a few people where to go. Just a few more sentences about going through the gate, all the way through the courtyard, go inside the tour office which is on the left of the main building entrance.. etc. Also, we were told the tour started at 5. It started at 5:30, so we all just sat there waiting…”
Meet at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium in Salzburg’s Old Town for a 150-minute evening of Mozart arias, duets, and instrumental music. Opera singers and the Amadeus Consort perform in period costume while you eat a candlelit three-course meal based on 18th-century recipes. Drinks cost extra.
“Perfect evening, fabulous music, meal and entertaining from start to finish and a beautiful venue. Very enjoyable, highly recommend”
Begin with a self-guided Schönbrunn Palace tour using a 16-language audio guide, then enjoy semolina dumpling soup, Austrian roast beef, and apple strudel. Finish with Mozart, Strauss, and two opera singers at the Orangery. The evening lasts about six hours.
“We wish to say it should have been explained more clearly about having to pick up tickets. I was under the impression that all I needed was my mobile voucher. A lot of time was wasted running around finding the place to pick up the tickets.”
Spend three hours at The Mirage in Vienna’s Prater with a 20-piece orchestra, soprano, ballet dancers, violin soloists, and a lively conductor-host. Enjoy a freshly prepared four-course Austrian dinner, interactive moments, and a festive finale. Choose classic, vegetarian, or children’s dining.
“Excellent food, fabulous show. The violinist at the end was incredible.”
Meet at Hard Rock Cafe Vienna on Rotenturmstrasse for priority seating and a set meal. Choose the two-course Acoustic Menu or three-course Electric Menu, then browse Vienna-only merchandise and Hard Rock Couture. Expect friendly service, generous portions, and a possible short wait at busy times.
“Everything was great! Lovely place to eat! The staff is very kind!”
Ride the funicular to Fortress Hohensalzburg, dine above Salzburg, and hear a 90-minute Best of Mozart concert in historic rooms. Choose Classic, VIP, or Golden VIP dining. Expect smart-casual dress, stairs, no hotel transfer, and drinks included only with Golden VIP.
“We were expecting a fairly cheap touristic experience but it was way worse. I can think of a 1000 ways to better spend your money. Dinner was awful, food was dry and tasteless.”
Spend two hours in Vienna City Hall’s historic Rathauskeller for a three-course Austrian meal and a lively musical revue. Expect Alpine dances, operetta arias, polkas, waltzes, folk songs, and music from *The Sound of Music*, performed by singers, dancers, and musicians.
“Came in late but I had an awesome experience the dancers, music and the place was amazing. I love Austria and would definitely worth the trip all the way from Mexico and Texas.”
Begin with a three-course Viennese dinner near Schönbrunn Palace at 6:30 PM, then hear Mozart and Strauss at the Orangery from 8:30 PM. Two opera singers join the orchestra. Choose standard, Category A, or VIP seating, with extra drinks and priority access in the higher categories.
“One can skip the dinner. The concept is of a much better quality”
Begin with a 40-minute Salzach River cruise, then make your way to Hohensalzburg Fortress for dinner at the Panorama Restaurant and a Mozart ensemble concert. The funicular ride is included, but expect walking, stairs, separate meeting points, and no included drinks.
“This is a great way to combine 3 experiences in one. A boat ride, great dinner with a wonderful view and a concert! We loved this combined event!”
Spend about three hours with 20 performers presenting Strauss favorites, opera, dance, comedy, and audience participation at Vienna’s Mirage venue. Dinner includes bread, beef tartare, Viennese roast onion, and Kaiserschmarrn. Drinks, cloakroom, and program booklet cost extra.
“Absolutely beautiful show. Amazing food and drinks. Our highlight was the ending. Tears in my eyes. Thank you.”
Spend an evening moving from a 40-minute Salzach cruise to dinner at Hohensalzburg Fortress, then hear Mozart in an intimate castle hall. The $136.37 package includes the funicular and concert, while VIP adds a program booklet and sparkling wine at intermission. Expect smart-casual dress and many stairs.
“Overall we had a lovely evening but while the meal and concert in the grounds of the fortress was fabulous we did not enjoy the river cruise as the boat was enclosed and like a greenhouse very hot with limited viewing”
Begin with a three-course dinner near Schönbrunn Palace, then hear the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra perform Mozart and Strauss with opera singers and ballet dancers. Choose from four seating categories, or upgrade to VIP for priority access, drinks, a program, and a sparkling wine at intermission.
“It is overrated based on what someone expects to see and to hear. The chair distribution is unacceptable creating many rows where only the expensive front vip rows have better view and acoustical access to the concert. The diagrams given when you buy the tickets are unclear”
Start at Restaurant Mirabell in the Sheraton Grand Salzburg at 6:00 PM for a three-course Austrian dinner, then walk five minutes to Mirabell Palace for an 8:00 PM classical concert in the Baroque Marble Hall. Drinks and the optional hotel-bar nightcap cost extra.
“The food was great and we had good service from the staff at Restaurant Mirabelle. The concert was phenomenal! We were blown away by the talent of the musicians and enjoyed the small crowd in the beautiful palace!”
Pick a palace, a lake or a concert hall.
