Brandauer’s Schlossbräu – A Vienna Beer Hall with Deep Roots
Brandauer’s Schlossbräu occupies the red-brick former inn “Zum Weißen Engel” at Am Platz 5, directly opposite the Hietzinger Tor – the main entrance to Schönbrunn Zoo and the palace grounds. The present building was erected in 1898, replacing an inn that had stood on the site since at least the mid-eighteenth century.
When the new structure opened, Hietzing was transforming from market-gardens into a leafy suburb. The Stadtbahn station beside the palace opened the same year, and electric tram links soon followed, bringing a steady stream of day-trippers. The inn quickly became a convenient rendez-vous for locals and visitors alike.
Through the early twentieth century it served as a ballroom-cum-Gasthaus. Its vaulted hall, shaded garden and regular live music drew social clubs such as the Hietzinger Jagdklub, and the house became known for generous portions and well-kept beer.
Business sagged after 1945, but the restaurant never closed and retained a modest neighbourhood following.
A decisive turnaround came around 2000, when restaurateur Thomas Brandauer invested heavily in a full refurbishment and reopened the venue under the name “Schönbrunner Schlossbräu”. The historic brick halls were restored and copper kettles installed by the entrance as a nod to brewing tradition. The house Märzen, Zwickl and seasonal beers, however, are brewed to Brandauer recipes by Privatbrauerei Zwettl.
Today the beer hall pours these Zwettl-brewed specialties alongside a broad Austrian draught selection. Roughly 400 guests can sit indoors beneath the vaulted ceilings, while another 480 fit beneath the chestnut trees in the garden. With its welcoming atmosphere and proximity to Schönbrunn, Brandauer’s Schlossbräu continues to buzz with Hietzing neighbours, zoo-goers and palace tourists throughout the year.
