Zum Schwarzen Kameel

"The setting alone is a huge draw: the first floor of a 1901 Jugendstil building in a super-central location. The interior decor is at once elegant yet cosy, and the front-of-house team is experienced and pleasingly laid back, while operating in the classical style, like a well-oiled machine. And, of course, there is the exceptional food: a celebration of Viennese classics, elevated by creative seasonal additions. There is a well-curated à la carte selection with a set menu option – diners are spoilt for choice, with dishes such as the rustic hand-carved ham being just as tempting as the oven-baked pike-perch with a ginger and citrus butter." - Michelin Inspector

"Zum Schwarzen Kameel's unusual moniker, which means At the Black Camel, grabs your attention. It’s a play on the name of founder Johan Baptist Cameel, who opened the establishment back in 1618. Appointed a spice purveyor to the Hapsburg court in 1825, Zum Schwarzen Kameel is today a restaurant, with a separate delicatessen that makes good sandwiches and a gourmet shop selling fine cheeses and wines. The Kameel interior is justly famous as well, with a wood-paneled art nouveau dining room that (of course) postdates the era when Beethoven frequented the restaurant. The area around its Bognergasse location is now a stone-paved pedestrian zone with luxury shops, which makes the Kameel’s front terrace a delightful place to stop for a drink or meal."

"Owner Peter Friese has headed this Viennese institution since 1977 but Kameel (as it’s affectionately known) has been around for almost four centuries. Kameel remains “one of the most egalitarian places in Vienna”, says Friese. “Here a president can sit next to a labourer.” The restaurant had a makeover in 1901 and today is a wonderful example of art nouveau décor, with its tiled walls, hanging half-moon lamps and wood panelling."