5Cafe Kandl
If you’re curious about the hottest address among Viennese hipsters currently, head to Cafe Kandl. Fans of natural wines, staches, white socks, beanies, and wire-framed glasses will find themselves at home in this buzzing restaurant located in a District 7 side street. Both the food and the wine program fit right into the global zeitgeist: Kandl's vegetable-forward shared plates and easy-drinking natural wines would be familiar in places like northern Williamsburg, Brooklyn (its prices, too).
A highlight is the faux gras, a phony liver pâté made from mushrooms and wine gel and perched atop soft and crispy brioche. I like that updated takes of Austrian classics appear, such as the savory Germknödel and the roasted liver with creamy potato. Kandl isn’t cheap: a few small bites and two glasses of wine can quickly run up to €60 or so. A final note of caution: as is often the case with such self-conscious establishments, the servers can be uncomfortably "edgy."
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