Honored with the Muvamo Award for its authentic Austrian cuisine and idyllic garden terrace.
Pfarrwirt: Timeless Viennese Dining in Vienna’s Oldest Restaurant
Pfarrwirt, tucked behind St Jakob’s parish church on Heiligenstadt’s Pfarrplatz, traces its story to the late 12th century and is widely regarded as Vienna’s oldest restaurant still in operation. Medieval masonry survives in the vaulted cellars and stone portals, while later Baroque rooms and a 19th-century veranda layer on extra charm.
For generations the house was the village tavern, pouring local wine for farmers, boatmen, and travellers. Even after the surrounding wine-growing hamlets were folded into Vienna’s 19th district, Pfarrwirt kept its rural character and loyal clientele.
Ludwig van Beethoven lodged just across the square and often wandered the nearby Beethovengang, a woodland path that still bears his name – one of many reminders of the neighbourhood’s artistic past.
Today the restaurant, together with its sister tavern Mayer am Pfarrplatz, is run by Pfarrplatz Gastronomiebetriebs GmbH. The menu leans on unfussy, seasonal Viennese classics and house wines from the adjoining vineyard, while thick walls, timber ceilings, and a leafy courtyard offer a deliciously tangible slice of local history.
For anyone looking to understand the heart of Vienna beyond the Ringstrasse, a meal at Pfarrwirt offers a rare and genuine window.
