With regards to its area, the 8th District, Josefstadt, may be the smallest of Vienna’s 23 districts; however, it makes up for its small size with its endless offerings. The Piaristenviertel ist one of the neighborhoods in Josefstadt and borders Vienna’s 1st District. The area is situated near the city’s ring road, just behind the City Hall and the parliament (P.S. don’t miss the free tour of the newly-renovated parliamentary buildings!). The best way to reach the neighborhood is by foot from the Rathaus U-bahn station.

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The eponymous Piarists, a Catholic male religious order started in the 17th century, can still be found around the heart of the neighborhood: Jodok-Fink-Platz. The square is home to the Piarist Church of Maria Treu, a grand Baroque building featuring ceiling frescoes by the painter Franz Anton Maulbertsch. The church provides a picturesque backdrop for the lively restaurants lining the square. Treu am Platzl, a café-restaurant known for its fantastic brunch, and the Italian spot Il Sestante — with its delicious wood-fired pizza — share one of the most beautiful dining patios (or Gästgarten) in all of Vienna. Waffels, crepes, and a weekend brunch buffet are all on the menu at the cozy Café der Provinz, which is decorated appropriately in the style of a French country house. 

Just to the right of the Piarist Church is the K.u.K Piaristenkeller. Inside the 300-year-old monastry cellar, the meeting place of the officers of the cavalry barracks in the days of the monarchy, lies not only a restaurant but the Emperor Franz Josef Hat Museum, as well as the K.u.K. Weinschatzkammer (Imperial and Royal Wine Treasury). Whether you're trying on historical headwear or sampling rare wines, one thing's for sure: down in the vaults, you'll feel transported to an Austria of days gone by.

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You can also take a pleasant stroll through the little alleyways and hidden side streets that surround the Piarist Church Piaristengasse is home to numerous shops and restaurants, including the Weinstube Josefstadt, a Wine tavern (or “Heuriger”) in the middle of Vienna. Part of Lange Gasse (between Josefstädter Strasse and Josefsgasse) was converted into a pedestrian-friendly, accessible, car-reduced zone. Every Saturday, from 9 am to 3 pm, producers from Vienna and surrounding Lower-Austria set up stalls at the organic and specialty market and offer a bounty of exquisite fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and dairy products. And surrounding the market are even more cafés and restaurants. Jumi Käse, a family cheese dairy from the Swiss Emmental Valley, is known well beyond the district for all of their products, but especially their raclette roll.

Savor the Eighth 

The 8th District is truly a culinary and shopping paradise for those who love to wander and see where their feet — or their stomachs — take them. Endless shops offer clothing, home accessories, fine foods, porcelain, sweets, flowers and so much more. Mouth-watering ice cream can be found at Gelato Carlo on Hamerlinglatz or Leones Gelato on Lange Gasse. Fine dining awaits at Doubek, an up-scale cellar restaurant on Kochgasse, where guests are served up to 20 courses. Wildling on Laudongasse is equally fashionable and well-known for its tasty Austrian tapas. 

For great cocktails, head to Tür 7, a cool speakeasy on Buchfeldgasse offering completely personalized creations, or to Sip Song Bar on Florianigasse, where both Thai drinks and cuisine are on the menu. And who would’ve guessed that you can enjoy the world’s best pizza in the middle of Vienna? Francesco Calò of Via Toledo Enopizzeria on Laudongasse is a world and European pizza-making champion.

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Traditional Cafés and Theaters

The Josefstädter Straße, which runs through the entire Josefstadt, acts as the district’s main artery. This much-loved shopping street is dotted with small shops and restaurants, set in buildings largely built during Vienna’s Historicist period in the late 1800s. The street is also home to two Viennese coffee houses. Café Eiles, located in the city center at the beginning of the Josefstädter Straße, is a historic but consciously modernized coffee house from 1901. And at almost the opposite end of the street is Cafe Hummel, a family-run business operating since 1935 that is known for its brown pleather seats and side-walk patio. Both cafés are open daily from morning until late evening — and have long served as meeting places for politicians, scientists, and cultural figures.

Speaking of culture, the Josefstadt is regarded as the “theater district.” In the middle of Josefstädter Straße is the Theater in Josefstadt, which is Vienna’s oldest theater still in operation, having been founded in 1788. The red and gold auditorium of the gorgeous Logentheater features classic plays as well as contemporary, often socially critical or controversial productions. Vienna’s English Theatre, the oldest English-speaking theater in Europe outside of England, is found on Josefsgasse. Along with well-known works from English and American playwrights, crime-thrillers, comedies, and contemporary works are featured at the theater.

The Lenaugasse is also a worthy destination in the Piaristen neighborhood. The entire street is a prime example of architecture typical of the period proceeding the 1848 revolution and is, therefore, under protected-status. The Niedermair Cabaret is located here and is one of the most important cabaret venues in all of Vienna. 

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