Life as a Half Japanese Bastard can be hard sometimes…read more True it has its ups with being allowed to be geeky, nerdy and pervy.. whilst pointing at others telling them, that they don't understand my highly evolved culture. But as these cravings come and go like the uncontrolled ramblings of a madman. There are others, which are harder to satisfy... like getting a good rice cooker which has more functions than "cook" and "warm"(not that I'd use them.. but it's always nice to have the option, ne?). Bonito Flakes, Sweet Potato flour and blue nori for my delicious Okonomiyaki. The right Curry Dices from several brands, so my famous Curry Udon doesn't taste the same. Tsukemono for my cleansing Rice, Tofu and pickled Vegetables dishes. I could go on and on .. but I guess that I made my point. If all other Asian Shops fail in satisfying my needs, Nippon Ya is my last resort to receive my precious items. I know what you think: "Isamu you noodle slurping, stereotypical Geek-Jap... why don't you just go there in the first place?" The answer is pretty simple: Though they have a great selection on japanese brand products, including tea kettles, Yukatas, books, Dvds and so on, their price range is above all other Asian Shops, unless there is a "Dai-Seeru"(Big Sale) It is a shop run by Japanese for Japanese living in Austria and their specialization and charm allow them to put their price range into that league. But as my money is always short, I only go there, if I don't have anywhere else to get several products. On a side note: they sometimes have special cooking occasions, where one can join... charming^_^

If you are hankering for some English or American products then this is the place for you but…read morebeware, its not cheap! That said paying 20 cents more for something in Bobby's is not too high a price for supporting a small business, is it? There are some really cool things that you cant find anywhere else, like pukka pies, but a lot can be found in regular supermarkets. Worth having a look around at the large variety of food and drinks available here. Feeling homesick and need a quick pick-me-up, then you know where to come.

If no one else has what you need for British and American goods, Bobby should be your next stop…read more Unfortunately, you'll pay A LOT for it. Bobby's typically charges anywhere from two to five times as much as you'd pay in the US or UK. Mostly they have pantry goods: baking supplies (baking soda, custard mix, sprinkles, box cake mix, dark brown sugar), marmite, Bovril, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, poptarts, BBQ sauce, baked beans, and so on. They also have British ales and American sodas (mtn dew, root beer).

Spar is a solid spot to source souvenirs of the edible Viennese variety like Manner wafers (a…read morefavourite of Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Mozartkugeln (layered marzipan and nougat covered in dark chocolate.) You'll also find plenty of snacks (Kettle Chips!) and wine (local white is better than local red) here along with the usual grocery staples: milk, cheese, cereal, charcuterie.

A great middle sized supermarket that is well stocked and neat. They have a nice variety of any…read moregrocery items you need including coffee, bakery, sausages (we were hunting down the bratwurst), cheeses, and fresh pasta. A convenient option if you don't want to eat out.

Charming little chocolate shop in the busy shopping district of Vienna, but kind of off the beaten…read morepath. It looks truly like an authentic and original Viennese chocolatier. Yes it's pricey but worth it for tourists like me. Definitely check it out if you're in the area. The staff is friendly and will happily answer any questions and point out their suggestions.

This was one of the chocolate shops that we stopped in. We knew that we would be back in time for…read moreEaster so, we were going to build the most decadent Easter basket for our son when we returned to the states. The chocolate is still made by the same family that has owned the shop for generations. This chocolate shop has drawers of chocolates to sift through. This used to be a button shop for the royalty. The drawers were full of buttons that the royalty could pick from to be on their clothes. Now the drawers are filled with buttons of delicious chocolates. The staff was extremely helpful and very pleasant. Besides, who could be sour in a chocolate shop. It was some of the best chocolate we have ever had. We are keeping the hot chocolate mix for our trip to Tahoe later this year. It will be a way we can relive our amazing trip. I wanted to say thank you to the staff for being so friendly and helpful in selecting our chocolate. I gave it one Euro sign, but you could easily get carried away in here. We spent over $40 of chocolate because we knew we weren't going to be back anytime soon.