Austria
Level 1 for Vienna and supermarket-supported travel; less forgiving in traditional Gasthäuser and Heurigen wine taverns.
Vienna ranks among Europe's top vegan cities; EU allergen law and V-Label supermarket labelling make grocery shopping fast and reliable. Traditional Austrian cooking tells a different story.
What the rank means. Austria ranks #15 globally — a solid Level 1 position built on Vienna's exceptional vegan restaurant scene, reliable EU allergen labelling, and supermarket infrastructure that performs well across all nine federal states. Vienna scores considerably higher at city level, ranking among Europe's top five most vegan-friendly cities. Graz and Innsbruck have meaningful dedicated scenes, but the national figure reflects the significant share of travel involving traditional Gasthaus dining, Heurigen wine taverns, and alpine resort food — contexts where vegan options are genuinely limited.
Coverage. This page covers the Republic of Austria only. The Principality of Liechtenstein, which shares Austria's western border, is ranked separately and is not included here.
Label law. EU allergen legislation requires the 14 major allergens — including milk and eggs — to be clearly emphasised on prepacked food labels, usually in bold, but sometimes by a different typographic style. Reliable for most packaged supermarket products. It does not apply to café blackboard menus, bakery cabinets, or restaurant cooking methods. Austria's V-Label certification is widely used across Billa, Spar, and Hofer — but it is a voluntary scheme, so always check labels rather than assuming any unlabelled product is safe.
Practical rule. Do not rely on vegetarian-looking pastries, dumplings, or alpine dishes without checking fat and dairy — Schmalz, Topfen, and egg-based preparations are invisible on the menu and present throughout traditional Austrian cooking. When in doubt, supermarket first, restaurant second.
Say This in the Restaurant
What Actually Works
Billa, Spar, Interspar, and Hofer carry extensive vegan ranges with V-Label certification that makes identification fast. Billa's "Ja! Natürlich" organic line and dedicated plant-based shelves are widely stocked. For self-catering or provisioning before heading into rural or alpine areas, Austrian supermarkets are among the most reliable in Central Europe.
Vienna has a large concentration of dedicated vegan and fully plant-based restaurants spread across the city. The districts around Mariahilf, Neubau, and the Naschmarkt offer the densest concentration. HappyCow listings for Vienna are comprehensive — use them as the primary navigation tool. A fully vegan restaurant eliminates the Schmalz and Topfen questions entirely.
In Gasthäuser and traditional restaurants, ask about cooking fat before ordering anything fried or roasted. A plain grilled vegetable dish with boiled potatoes (confirmed without butter) is usually achievable. Salads are generally safe — confirm dressings. Stating "Ich bin vegan" clearly at the start of an order makes kitchen adaptation more likely and establishes the conversation on the right footing.
EU allergen labelling requires milk and eggs to be clearly emphasised on prepacked supermarket products — reliable for grocery shopping. It is useful for packaged foods; it does not solve café menus, bakery cabinets, or restaurant cooking methods. V-Label certification adds a voluntary layer that speeds up most supermarket decisions considerably without reading every ingredient line.
Where It Gets Harder
Austria's Level 1 ranking is earned primarily by Vienna and the country's supermarket and labelling infrastructure — not by the traditional cuisine. Step into a village Gasthaus, a mountain hut, or a Heurigen in the wine country, and the picture changes significantly.
Heurigen (traditional Austrian wine taverns, concentrated in Lower Austria and the Vienna Woods) operate a cold-buffet model built around cured meats, Grammelschmalz, and dairy-heavy preparations. Wine is the draw — the food is deeply traditional. Expect very little suitable beyond bread and wine, and check whether lard spread is presented alongside the bread basket without labelling. Outside the wine regions: assume supermarket first, traditional restaurant second.
Alpine Berghütten and ski resort restaurants run on menus built around Schnitzel, Kaiserschmarrn, Gulasch, and Knödel — all non-vegan. English is widely spoken at ski resorts, but menus are designed for hearty alpine cooking, not plant-based adaptation. Visitors skiing Tyrol or Salzburgerland should provision from valley supermarkets or find a dedicated café in the resort town rather than relying on mountain hut menus.
Away from Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, and Linz, traditional Gasthäuser dominate and vegan awareness drops considerably. German phrases make a real difference — few rural venues have staff confident enough in English to explain cooking methods in detail. The reliable fallback: identify the nearest Billa, Spar, or Hofer before you need it. Austrian villages are reasonably well-served by supermarkets compared to many European rural areas.
Vienna's famous coffee house culture — Café Central, Café Landtmann, Demel — treats butter, eggs, and cream as the baseline for all pastry. Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, Esterhazytorte, and almost everything in the display cabinet contains dairy and eggs. Plant milk for coffee is increasingly available at independent cafés but less reliable in historic Kaffeehäuser. Dedicated vegan bakeries and cafés are the reliable alternative for breakfast and afternoon coffee.