Please note: This article was first published on The Vegan Tourist and last updated March 29, 2011. I updated the links on February 24, 2021.
I recently had dinner with friends at Xu’s Cooking, a vegetarian (primarily vegan) restaurant in Vienna, Austria, which serves Vietnamese food and specializes in dishes with mock meat/fish (made from soybeans and tofu). I love the food at this restaurant, and come here both for lunch and dinner. A few of the dishes contain milk products and the majority of the desserts are not vegan either, but well over 90% of the food at this restaurant is vegan.
During lunch hours, you can choose between cheap specials from the lunch menu, or the buffet. I always choose the buffet; they have a huge selection of dishes, all very tasty. During the week, the buffet costs 6.90 Euros. It’s a bit more expensive on the weekend.
Unfortunately, they don’t label the food on the buffet table, but ask the staff if you’re not sure about a certain dish. They are very friendly and will point out to you which dishes are not vegan.
You can check out the menu on their website (both in German and English). All the non-vegan dishes are clearly marked, so you can get a good idea in advance about what to expect. There are also a lot of photos on their website.
Xu’s Cooking is conveniently located for tourists. It’s close to the Westbahnhof, one of Vienna’s major train stations. The buses to and from the airport also leave from Westbahnhof, and several youth hostels are located in the area. If you just arrived (or are about to leave) and are looking for a place to eat, Xu’s Cooking would be a good choice. They’re open every day for lunch and dinner (but closed in the afternoon).
The restaurant is located in the back of a courtyard, and they have open-air seating – very nice during the summer.
Address: Kaiserstrasse 45 (at the back of the yard), 1070 Vienna
This street crosses Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna’s busiest shopping street.
From Westbahnhof, take the number 5 tram, and get off at the third stop. The restaurant is located across the street. (The # 5 tram has its final stop at the Westbahnhof, so it only goes in one direction.)
Opening hours: every day, 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, and 5:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Phone: +43-1-5231091