Plachutta

Don’t be put off by the photos of celebrity visitors decorating the walls and the cookbooks on sale at the entrance of this restaurant near the Stubentor: the initial impression may be “tourist trap,” but in fact Plachutta is frequented by locals who come for the excellent Tafelspitz (boiled beef). This Viennese specialty, a favorite of Emperor Franz Joseph, may not be everyone’s cup of tea—a food-critic friend of mine calls it “wet meat”—but trying it at Plachutta is an authentic Viennese experience. Guests choose from a long list of different cuts of meat as well as an array of side dishes, including creamed spinach with roasted potatoes and apples with horseradish sauce. A throng of waiters in hunter green vests delivers the orders in shiny copper pots that come in all sizes and are placed in the center of the tables, a congenial touch. The two dining rooms are long, loud and buzzing; if you’re coming with a group and want privacy, request the table with banquette seating in the back. Also, it goes without saying that vegetarians will not be happy here. Open daily.