I discovered Weinstube Josefstadt while some friends from the U.S. were visiting and really wanted…read moreto visit a heuriger, but they weren't so keen on trekking outside the inner city. After asking a few friends for recommendations, we decided to try out Weinstube Josefstadt, and this place did NOT disappoint!
Located in the 8th district down a quiet street, Weinstube Josefstadt is in a super convenient location, yet still offers the feeling of the authentic heuriger dining experience (particularly for tourists) - walking in off the street, you enter a courtyard filled with vines and creepers: it's super lush and green. You forget you're in the inner city, and there are trellises with vines everywhere (and plenty of seating, including outside). There's a wine menu, of course, and service for drinks, but meals are self-serve if you've come to eat as well as drink wine.
Some of the fare we had included different cheeses, sausages, bread, pickles, Austrian potato salad, spinach strudel, and all different types of spreads to go with the bread. There were also a few other menu items that I forget now; I do remember the strudel being pretty tasty, and the spreads we tried were quite good, too. It was pretty interesting because you paid for the food based on weight, so you could order 10 deka (10 dekagrams (100 grams) = about 1/4 of a pound) of cheese - Austrians use dekagrams to measure food.
If you're looking for this place, keep an eye out for the metallic wreath outside - wreaths are markers of open heurigers. Even though it's in the inner city, since it's kind of tucked away you'll miss it if you're not looking for it.
