Either time was flying by; the clocks wasn't ticking; or I couldn't stop stuffing my face. I've been thinking about this moment for a while. Vienna? Well, of course! More so, the surprise dining experience at Al Borgo. It was here that I discovered clocks ticked a little slower. Traditional Italian cuisines was just as timeless as the city's baroque architecture. And, their fish soup is better than my southern favorite - She Crab Soup. In between the antipasto and the primo piatto di paste, they served a bowl of lemon water. LEMON WATER? Yes, Lemon water. To defuse the lingering, fishy smell on my finger tips from the fish soup. Have you ever tasted black salt? It was a weird but, delicious garnish on my swordfish rigatoni. I skipped the secondo piatto and dived into two shareable, dolce desserts (the classic tiramisu and a chocolate cake soufflé) with a cup of cappuccino. Quite impressive! Al Borgo is definitely a small spot of Italy. They pride themselves on serving first-class products but, I believe the first-class experience started with the chef and wait staff. read more

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Food was a little dry. I've defintley had much better Italian food. I felt like the staff was rude and honestly tried to rush us. We felt like we were treated poorly and it was a bad experience. Small restaurant stuck us in the corner. read more

Ristorante Al Borgo - Mixed grilled fish - Italian Near Me - Vienna, 9

This Italian restaurant should win awards. I read the previous reviews- and I will recommend you call ahead for a reservation. LUCKILY we showed up around 6:45 and they squeezed us into their last table. Elena was amazing. We trusted her to decide what we should order and the black truffle and Parmesan pasta was amazing. Btw, this is not on the menu- shhh! :) highly recommend. Ambiance is great, Small establishment, not pretentious, and my boyfriend and I played "price is right" on the bill, and both overbid! Great value. Well done!! read more

This restaurant is so wonderful . Our waiter Gacomo is amazing , he made us feel so special and treat us as royal with the warmest affection possible. We are celebrating our sister bd and recent bd for our brother in law . From San Diego and Dallas / Fort Worth, USA read more

Incredible service. So nice and they gave us a free drink and toasted with us. Fantastic Italian food. Beautiful restaurant. Make a reservation. You can email them or call. read more

Ristorante Al Borgo - Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Vienna, 9

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Good food. Lots of pasta and asparagus dishes. Wine choices of Italian reds are also great pairing with food. Little garlic bread rolls also yummy. read more

Fantastic restaurant! Fresh food! Friendly wait staff! Delicious! Nice ambience. Delicate and tasty meal. We had prawn salad, fish soup, scallops, sea bream and prawns - so yummy! The seafood soup had so many different kinds of fresh seafood and better than any bouillabaisse ever - so delicious! Highly recommend! read more

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I do not understand all the 5 star reviews! We made a reservation for a Friday night dinner and the place was almost completely empty, especially surprising because all nearby restaurants were packed. The owner was very friendly and checked on us often, could not fault the service. However, we were in and out of there in less than an hour, despite ordering 3 courses! Service was lightning fast- too fast, in fact. Food came out immediately (did they even have time to cook it?) and we were at dessert before we even finished our first drinks! We were really hoping to enjoy a leisurely meal, but it was way too rushed. Food was also quite mediocre, nothing special. I have had better Italian food in the U.S. It didn't seem like it could be freshly made, given how quickly it showed up at the table. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience and I cannot recommend this place. read more

Very solid choice for Italian food while in Vienna. We had a party of 6 and no one experienced any issues with any of the food or the service. Wine selection could be better, but that's not picking. The owner walks around and visits all tables and has a great sense of humor. Of note, the fettuccini Alfredo with fresh black truffles was amazing... we all had this as an appetizer for ~15 a head. Highly recommend. Great option for Vienna when you're sick of fried pork... enjoy read more

This has been my favorite restaurant on my visit to and Central Europe. I had no reservation, which now I know, even for one. I plead my case and Carlo the owner sat me at his personal tavolo degli amici right up front. From there on I didn't even need to order, he just kept sending food and drinks to my table which he took every drink and shot with me, maybe more than I bargained for, but this was the closest to eating with family I have felt in a long time. He presented different breads with butters, and a pumpkin potato and I think squash spread, unlike anything I've ever topped pan with. Pumpkin is in season now and the chefs are using it a lot. I ate all of it trying not fill up on bread. Next up was tomato soup, not bisque. Really nice thin soup, added pepper and seasoned to taste. Then a filet. Top notch meat. With paper thin truffles, cooked perfectly medium rare. He kept presenting custom shots and mini cocktails. Also sent a lime sorbet, and I had a dessert that I can't even remember but is pictured. I know for a fact he didn't charge full price, this meal would have costed over $200 in the states and the bill was less than half. After 10 minutes there I realized this is favorite among his neighbors. He is Michelin starred, and has won many award for best restaurant in the city. Man was I lucky that night. Make a reservation and eat here if you're ever in Vienna. read more

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So far... better service may be possible but I suspect it would be illegal! Have had very good professional service in various restaurants in Vienna, but this is on another scale, restaurant about 3/4 full. So far the bread brought at the start of the meal is the best table bread I have had in Vienna. Olive, olive oil and some sort of bean cream/butter also brought to the table without ordering are all excellent. By the way, the bread is made at the restaurant and the waitress stated it is often complimented. Menu is not the usual fare and communicates imagination on the part of the chef. A page indicates it is "strawberry week" and listed several interesting dishes of various types that incorporated strawberries in ways that I had not previously seen. We had a pasta dish, cream sauce, sausage saffron... excellent! And a veal with a wine reduction and pears... beyond excellent. Service continues to be above and beyond. Entire staff seems to speak Italian and English is quite good so far. I assume they speak German as well. Portions are not large and a good eater could eat a primi and secondi, I would think. No Vin Santo! Oh well can't have everything... dessert menu looked great, unluckily we were too full.... The maitre brought a sweet wine that was excellent... from South Africa! I am happy camper! Definitely highly recommended to all foodies! read more

One of the best Italian meals I've had! The service was great and the food was fantastic. There were four of us and we all felt the same about our dishes. read more

Food is great and atmosphere is fantastic! The owner, Carlos, has a great sense of humor which made the night even more enjoyable. Went there to try the first night and ended up going three nights in a row. I had the squid ink spaghetti the first night. The second night, Carlos recommended an off menu item, tagliatelle with cheese sauce and black truffles shaving . It was excellent. The penne with Italian sausages was excellent as well. We are heading back tomorrow and Carlos has told us that he will be preparing us shrill sea bass for dinner. The table beside us had it tonight and it looked delicious. We are looking forward to it. I have never written a review before but the experience has motivated fir me to do so. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

Ristorante Al Borgo - Squid ink spaghetti. - Italian Near Me - Vienna, 9

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Food and service were great! The staff all spoke Italian (and good English) and were full of energy. They were happy to serve us and were focused on providing top notch service. The food was good. We tried the seafood soup and a few salads to start--all were great. I enjoyed the seafood spaghetti, and my gf enjoyed the penne ragout. The tiramisu was delicious--it wasn't too sweet, which is nice. Would definitely come back! read more

Quaint, and hidden on a little off street, this restaurant looks at first glance like a true hidden gem. I wanted to love it, I did. But what I really ended up loving here was the owner, the wait staff and the service. Incredibly friendly and down to earth, Carlos (the owner) will do anything to make sure you have the best experience possible. He'll pull out a makeshift table for you (should there be no more tables, because yes, they do get pretty packed), he'll drink shots with you, he'll even dance around your table to the italian music playing in the background. Definitely no snotty stuffy service here!! We were there for dinner tonight and there was also live music (well, a keyboard player and a singer) singing music from the 70s all night. It was nice and added to the romantic italian atmosphere. Everyone seemed like they were enjoying themselves thoroughly (though the crowd was definitely in the 50-60 years old range on average. there was even a guy on the table next to us who was 104 years old. Go figure.) On to the food. The food was a disappointment... We were first served bread with a trio of dips (salmon spinach dip, olive oil and olives). The bread came out cold and average at best, the salmon spinach dip with too fishy, with the salmon overpowering it. It wasn't creamy enough either, nor did it have any sort of wow factor. The breadsticks that came with the bread basket came in a little plastic packet which was a little strange seeing as it's a somewhat "fancy" restaurant (they couldn't remove the store bought plastic wrapper for us? not that it was a problem) still, the breadsticks were pretty yummy and much thinner than the breadsticks I'm used to (a good thing!). We also got the Carrot Ginger Soup and the Zucchini Soup to start, both of which were good but I wouldn't say amazing. On to the mains, The beef with truffle sauce was not good. The beef was over cooked and tough and the truffle sauce was, well, okay. Just creamy with a taste of truffle, nothing to write home about. The Walnut Pear Ravioli (main) came out literally looking like an appetizer. It was 5 small ravioli pieces covered in a thick white sauces cheese and pear cubes. It would've been fine if it was delicious but it was most definitely not. The sauce was way too rich and thick (not even in a good way.) and the cheese was just WAY too sharp and overpowering for the dish. The Pear pieces and walnut pieces were kind of just sprinkled on top, adding absolutely no interest or compliments to the dish whatsoever. It was like a clash of flavors with way too much thickened cheesy cream blob-ed on top... To make things worse, the ravioli pasta was also a little undercooked (no not al dente, the edges were actually a little doughy, like how pasta is when it's not cooked all the way). Not impressed. Overall, this is the kind of restaurant you'd go to if you wanted to take your parents or grandparents out and make everyone feel at home. But not the kind of place you'd go to for good food. They also serve INCREDIBLY slowly (I guess it's a European wine & dine thing) so as long as you're mentally prepared for that, it should be fine. Sure, the prices are reasonable but for such small portions, I wouldn't say it's that cheap or worth it either. It was a good experience overall (hence the 3 stars), but lets just say, this restaurant (food wise) would never survive in LA. read more

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The staff and service here were friendly and great. I was seated without a reservation since I had arrived around 6 p.m., and the restaurant was mostly empty. On to the food...which was a disappointment. I asked my server for a recommendation and ordered the rigatoni with salsiccia and shaved truffle. The dish came out fast. And it also came out MUCH too salty--I was taking sips of water after each bite. When my server came around to remove my plate, he asked if everything was ok and I told him honestly that the pasta was much too salty. He apologized and offered me dessert on the house, so I opted for the lemon sorbet, which arrived half melted in a wine glass...and way too sweet. They also wound up charging me for the sorbet. I just didn't bother arguing about it since it was only 2€ and I was exhausted from walking all day. All in all, though I hate giving this review because the staff was so nice, I simply can't recommend this place. The food was beyond subpar. read more

We made a reservation for seven but brought along two colleagues to make nine; Carlo, the owner, was gracious and charming, seating us quickly and making us feel welcome. The wait staff was delightful and so accommodating, lots of laughs but not invasive or overbearing. The food was outstanding. The greens with goat cheese was delicious as a starter. Every person at the table commented on the quality of their entree from the simple (Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino) to the more mature (Rack of Lamb, Surf and Turf, etc). We enjoyed Limoncello before dessert... and the dessert! We highly recommend the chocolate soufflé! Jackamo.... we see you! read more

This is one of the best italian restaurants I know. The fish soup has been great and the steak excellent. Excellent meat quality. The staff has been going out of there way to provide excellent service. The desserts are also very nice and tasty. Reasonable prices! read more

Ristorante Al Borgo - Italian Near Me - Vienna, 9

Such a fantastic spot. Great food, drink and service. True gem. Worth going out of your way to dine there.

Trust me, go! You won't be disappointed. Food and wine were excellent! And the owner stopped by every table in the place to ensure you loved every bite. read more

Al Borgo serves absolutely fantastic, authentic Italian fare for a reasonable price. Hidden on a side street near the edge of the Innere stadt, this is the sort of Italian restaurant you see in movies. We showed up the first night of our four day trip to Vienna with no reservation and found the place packed. The owner sat us at a table near the door normally left unused. It helped that we had an Italian speaker with us, but he was such a kind man that I'm sure he would have done it anyway. Since he was embarrassed to seat us at the table (which was really quite fine), he offered drinks on the house. The Italian in our group joked with him throughout the evening and the two became friends. I ordered the Trofie pasta with truffled mushrooms and found it to be perfect. My cohorts all had the pesto and enjoyed its freshness. A wonderful tiramisu for dessert and we were on our way. The first meal was so memorable that we went back the final night of the trip. This time I tried the tagliata con rucola (entrecote with rocket). The beef was absolutely perfectly cooked, and the arugula (rocket in Europe) made for an excellent pairing. For dessert, the panna cotta was absolutely surreal. We all liked it so much that we ordered a second helping! And then a tablemate strongly considered ordering a third helping! This restaurant was a highlight of my trip to Vienna. If I'm ever back in town, I'll definitely return to Al Borgo. read more

Probably one of my favorite Italian restaurants. The ingredients are of a high quality and the dishes inventive and well-executed. A place I'd return to often if I lived here. Vienna has great Italian food and this is one of the best! Also, central location, reasonable prices and super-friendly Italian waitstaff. read more

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After much Viennese food we decided to go Italian for the night. This place did not disappoint. The staff was amazing and funny. They have a lot of deer in their food as well as hare and other game like meats. We loved every item we ordered especially the tiramisu and panna cotta. read more

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5 star Italian cuisine! Very nice place situated at very small street in the heart of Vienna. From the very entry you feel like at home ;) waiters laughing at each other and guests, speaking Italian. Nice smell of good food (this is NON SMOKING place, which is not obvious in Austria still allowing that!). And the best thing is, you don't even need to read the menu. Waiter just looks at you and tell you what he will make especially for you. And guess what, it works! I ate amazing fish and tortellini. Drunk really good Apperol Spritz and white wine. The place was full so it is better to book the table! I will happily be back every time I am in Vienna :))) read more

Immediately upon arrival to the restaurant, you are greeted nicely in Italian. We are American and spoke English to who appears to be the owner when trying to get a table. It did not seem like he understood, so I prompted to ask him in German if he spoke German. He seemed a bit offended by this and told me he spoke English, German, and Italian and that I should pick which one. Very weird first impression. Anyways, the oils and spreads with bread at the start of the meal is pretty nice. We had a carrot soup and spinach salad pie, both were ok. For the entree, we had a shrimp pasta, and a veal pasta. Both were also just ok. The shrimp pasta was just a touch underdone - a little more than al-dente. I wouldn't make the trek back over here - not really worth it. Definitely NOT a 5 star Italian restaurant - try Stella Marina for a good, homemade Italian meal. read more

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My cousin in law knew the owner so we went to dinner here tonight. The overall feel was very family oriented, it seemed like everyone knew the owner. He was a very cordial and jolly man but I didn't understand his broken English. Our first course was soups and other appetizers and I was thoroughly impressed. We got out mains and all of that went out of the window. I got the shrimp, squid and spinach. 2 pieces of shrimp, 5 pieces of small squid, and a tiny bunch of spinach. Wtf? For 22 €. If I knew the main was going to be so small, I would have gone to Mcdonalds. Also, I don't know if it's a European thing but the service was so slow as well. The owner was def cordial and drank two shots with me but I can't justify giving the food 5 stars. Ya dig? read more

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The meal was excellent. Very delicious, authentic food. You could tell it was all homemade. Not only that, but the service was excellent. Definitely recommend! read more

After a couple of very full work days in Vienna I had a night on my own. Friends suggested another restaurant, but on my way there I was distracted and am so glad I was read more

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Carlo meets and exceeds all of your expectations! The food, ambience and generosity is beyond belief! A most go to Italian restaurant in Vienna! Thank you for everything! read more

I love this restaurant! The staff (especially Giacomo) is very friendly, and the food is fantastic. I had the branzino baked in sea salt, which is just superb. The fish comes out wonderfully moist (and not at all salty). The rabe-potato soup is also excellent, as is fish soup. I love to get the formaggio as a dessert, and Al Borgo did not disappoint: a very generous helping of three to five delicious cheeses with an equally generous helping of Italian honey to drizzle over it. I've been coming to Vienna for years; this is my new favorite dinner destination! -- Professor Balthazar read more

My best meal, best restaurant experience in Vienna. If you value service and experience added to excellent meal, this is an imperative dine when in Wien. If you speak Italian, all the better. If you speak English, also good. A restaurant with a spirit dedicated to the guest's experience. Wonderful. read more

Great food great atmosphere highly recommend it. The owner is unbelievable. Definitely an experience

Best meal in Vienna to date. Food was excellent and wait staff was super attentive including excellent recommendations. Very friendly owner who took the time to walk one of our children though the kitchen. Highly recommended if you are looking for an alternative to traditional Austrian fare while in Vienna. read more

Wonderful experience all around! Very attentive and personal service and delicious food that reminded me of my time spent in Roma. My husband and I shared a fabulous bottle of Chianti and enjoyed the bread service, salads, mains (we both went with different lamb specials - it was the week before Easter) and desserts. The tiramisu does not disappoint! Food was great, but the enthusiastic service really made the meal special. read more

Very accommodating. Very good service. Good food. Fairly traditional, solid preparation. Not new italian style cuisine and somewhat staid, but very good. read more

Tourist trap. All about entertaining and pushing wine. The food was nothing special, especially not for the price. Go if you like a package of bread sticks served along with bread. read more

First night in Vienna and our hotel receptionist recommended that we go into the city. We caught the U-Bhan to Stephansplatz and popped out right in front of the St. Stephens Cathedral. After reading reviews we set out to look for Restorante Al Borgo. It wasn't easy to find, especially after a long trip to Vienna from the USA. The hostess could tell at first sight we were exhausted and hungry so wasted no time getting us seated at a table. The waiter was very helpful. We ordered a salad with passion fruit and prawns that was delicious as well as a seafood pasta that was outstanding. I have never been a fan of mussels but after this pasta my mind has changed. So tender. Feeling revived I opted for dessert. I ordered the chocolate soufflé which was out of this world. Proud of our transformation the hostess toasted us with limoncello. Saluti! read more

This is hands down the best restaurant in Vienna. Though the food and setting are absolutely wonderful, what makes this restaurant special is the supreme service and terrific atmosphere. The owner, Carlo, repeatedly came to our table to check on us and enriched our meal with his comedic personality and helping hand. The staff seemed genuinely happy to be working, even when we were a little high maintenance. I recommend to the highest degree Al Borgo. It is a must-go if you are in the area. read more

Probably some of the best Italian food I've had in Europe outside of Italy proper. Great owner who definitely took care of us even without a reservation before our Mozart concert. It was raining outside and he made us feel like family. Ordered an amazing wine and enjoyed our meal. I was happy to once again practice my Italian with him and the staff since my last visit to the Tuscan countryside. Great choice in Vienna for some authentic Italian. read more

We found this place by accident and as tourists we were a little under dressed. The service was absolutely amazing you couldn't put your fork down without a clean one being in its place. My fiancé had a sausage pasta of sorts and it was delicious! I had the fillet and let me tell you the Rosemary butter they serve with it is spectacular I dipped every potato and every morsel of my perfectly cooked steak into the concoction of wonder! read more