My partner and I (mixed race couple) were initially told there were no seats available, but within…read more10 mins several other full white couples had been seated--upon re-entering the restaurant alone the host immediately offered myself (a white woman) a table while I stood beside another white man who was also waiting. The moment we clarified we weren't together and I brought in my Brown boyfriend, the host seemed visibly perplexed, and the tone shifted. Throughout the evening, we were denied a simple wine tasting, then largely ignored, which left us with a strong impression of biased, discriminatory treatment. To make matters worse, staff repeatedly emphasized the price of everything, which came off as patronizing and inappropriate regardless of anyone's background or perceived status. This experience felt xenophobic and racist, and it was frankly vile--there are far too many restaurants in Austria to support one that treats guests this way. As two physicians who take care of people in their darkest hours, it felt incredibly degrading to be treated this way when we were simply trying to enjoy an evening away from the stress of our daily careers. I would hope that the owners of this establishment would take a hard look at the standards set for their employees and management practices going forward to create a safe atmosphere where all connoisseurs can gather and vibe even in just a moment of peace from the day-to-day hardships we can all certainly relate to. Shameful behavior indeed. Pity, as the ambience and wine selection was delicious but tainted by the ugly reminder of bigotry.
