Four times top rating

These are the best restaurants in the country

Top marks for Thomas Dorfer and Lisl Wagner-Bacher for Landhaus Bacher in Lower Austria.

(Bild: Markus Christ)

After serious accusations against celebrity chef Konstantin Filippou, the country's top gastronomy was only recently in the headlines with a sour aftertaste. So it's time for some good news: "Falstaff" magazine has once again chosen the best restaurants in the country and - among other things - the chef of the year.

Tastes are known to differ, but the more than 20,000 members of the "Falstaff" gourmet club, who put over 2,050 restaurants and inns throughout Austria through their paces last year - in the categories of food, service, wine list and ambience - are likely to have come to the same conclusion in terms of taste. The most comprehensive "Restaurant & Inn Guide 2025" to date has just been presented at Vienna City Hall - with many old acquaintances and a few surprises. "Despite challenging times, Austria can look forward to an extraordinary gastronomic diversity that only a few European countries can boast. However, it is not only the breadth, but also the top level that continues to develop encouragingly," says publisher Wolfgang Rosam, alluding to the "newcomer" at the top of the ranking.

Neuzugang an der Spitze

Die besten Restaurants

These are the best restaurants in the country by federal state.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

For the first time, "Landhaus Bacher" in Lower Austria was awarded the highest score of 100 points, sharing first place with "Steirereck am Stadtpark" (Vienna), "Amador" (Vienna) and "Ikraus" (Salzburg).

„Mit großartigen Ideen“

Koch des Jahres

He is someone who doesn't always take everything too seriously - especially himself. According to "Falstaff", there is hardly a chef who knows how to meet the challenges of top gastronomy with "more great ideas, more wit and quick-wittedness combined with impeccable technique and great creativity on the plate than the young man with the beard." We are talking about Lukas Mraz (Restaurant Mraz & Sohn in Vienna), who was honored as Chef of the Year 2025.

„Strahkraft“

Lebenswerk

Zum-Schwarzen-Kameel and Campari bar operator Peter Friese.

(Bild: Schnegdar Karin)

Peter Friese, who also runs the Campari Bar, no longer owns the Schwarze Kameel in Vienna's city center alone, as the restaurant's cult status has long made it a household name and an integral part of the gastronomy scene. Friese was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his "remarkable charisma".

„Leitfigur“

Gastro-Unternehmer des Jahres

(Bild: Mörwald)

From the inconspicuous Feuersbrunn in Lower Austria, he has made his name an integral part of the local culinary scene over more than three decades. As a chef, restaurant operator, catering entrepreneur, cooking school operator and author of numerous cookbooks, Toni Mörwald has secured the title of "Gastro Entrepreneur of the Year" this year.

„Ansteckend coole Art“

Internationaler Botschafter

Standing up for local cuisine: Sepp Schellhorn.

(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

In addition to his restaurants, he also promotes Austrian cuisine to an international audience politically and digitally as "Pepssch" and with formats such as "Sepp, was machst du". With this and his "infectiously cool manner", Sepp Schellhorn is recognized as an "International Ambassador".

„Aufsehenerregend“

Neueröffnung des Jahres

The newly opened Belétage in the Hotel Post in Traunkirchen.

(Bild: Georg Kukuvec)

Grandmaster Lukas Nagel works in the sister establishment Bootshaus, and he has sent his sous chef Max Deuker to the Belétage. This, and the "sensational extension" at the Hotel Post in Traunkirchen, Upper Austria, have given the Belétage the "new opening of the year".

„Bewusstsein für lokale Zusammenhänge“

Nachhaltigkeit und Innovation

Focuses on local producers and seasonality: Hannes Müller.

(Bild: Martin Lugger)

Many preach it, he lives it: Hannes Müller from Forelle am Weissensee relies on local producers, strict seasonality and creative nose-to-tail processing. With his "awareness of local connections", the chef has won the award for "Sustainability and Innovation".

„Kompetenz“

Sommelier des Jahres

It is no coincidence that the Almhof Schneider is one of the finest addresses on the Arlberg. It is the expertise of those involved that makes this possible. One of them is Josef Neulinger, who has not only been working as a sommelier here for more than two decades, but is now "Sommelier of the Year".