Breakfast & lunch at… Karmelitermarkt, Vienna

Karmelitermarkt is an open-air market in the predominantly Hasidic Jewish neighborhood in Vienna’s second district. The diversity of cultures and religions in this district is simply amazing.

The market is particularly popular on Saturdays, when it also hosts a farmers’ market.

Stalls sell everything from vegetables and fruits to meat and flowers. There are a few cozy cafés and restaurants where to enjoy a latte or an ethnic breakfast.

Madiani and Zimmer 37 are two restaurants one just in front of the other. I tried out Zimmer 37 for lunch last Thursday, Madiani for breakfast today.

Zimmer 37

It was love at first sight.

I arrived for lunch at around 3 p.m., which is quite late for what the Viennese are used to, but the waitress told me they were still serving lunch.

There were only three outdoor tables, making the atmosphere very cozy and – at that time of the day – very relaxing, too. I took a seat at a table in the sun.

I didn’t bother asking for the menu and thought I’d just go for the daily lunch: Pumpkin cream soup, followed by quinoa salad with green peas, corn, tomatoes, and tofu.

The food was fabulous and the service extremely friendly. I’ll definitely be back for more!

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ORDER:

• Menu: Soup & main course, 8,50 €
• Soda water, 1,50 €

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Website: http://www.zimmer37.at

Address: Karmelitermarkt Stand 37-39, 1020 Vienna

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. / Sat, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Madiani

This Georgian restaurant is run by Nana Ansari, who also owns Café Ansari on Praterstrasse.

The place has many more outdoor tables that Zimmer 37 and more clients. However, I found the service rather unfriendly.

As none of the outdoor tables were free when I arrived (at around 10 a.m.), I sat indoors. Which I didn’t mind at all. The interiors are really pretty and I got to sit on a couch!

I went for the oriental breakfast: feta cheese, olives, humus, za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend), cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, yogurt, and pita bread. I also ordered a latte macchiato.

The food was very good, but the latte wasn’t really hot. I can’t say I had a bad experience, but a friendlier staff would have made the experience more memorable.

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ORDER:

• Oriental breakfast, 6,80 €
• Latte macchiato, 3,30 €

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Website: madiani.com

Address: Karmelitermarkt Stand 21-24, 1020 Vienna

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. / Sat, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.