The chefs at Steirereck have taken inspiration from the most important locations associated with the Vienna World’s Fair and created little morsels and petit-fours. The morsels are served as appetizers before the meal, while the sweet petit-fours appear at the end of the menu. A map of Vienna shines through the tablecloth and the little morsels are set down on the appropriate locations when being served. One appetizer uses the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art (Volkskundemuseum) as its theme and draws extensively on Japanese cooking and soybeans. Why is that? Japan presented itself to the world on a grand scale for the first time at the Vienna World’s Fair in 1873. Among the things that were introduced to the world for the first time were soy beans.

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The Hochstrahlbrunnen Fountain on Schwarzenbergplatz is the visible showpiece of the First Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline, which was opened in 1873. The Steirereck has interpreted it by serving iced strawberries and verbena, with the ice representing water. The glassware manufacturer J. & L. Lobmeyr was an important participant at the World’s Fair and likewise must be represented: a drink inspired by Sisi and violets is served in Lobmeyr glasses. The Rotunda is also represented, as are Vienna’s coffeehouses, which gained international renown from 1873 onwards thanks to the large number of visitors from all over the world. The restaurant has reinterpreted apple strudel in homage to those coffeehouses.

Little info cards explain the link between the appetizers and petit-fours with the World’s Fair. These culinary tributes to the Vienna World’s Fair can be sampled at Steirereck until November 30, 2023.