In the vanguard of world tourism, Austria is always changing, but its imperial monuments, alpine majesty, and scenic wonders remain eternal. Nonetheless, here are some of the latest developments.
Vienna
In the Hotel Ambassador, Mörwald, Kärtner Strasse 22 (tel. 01/961-61-0; www.ambassador.at), since its opening has become the most stylish restaurant in Vienna. From bankers to hipsters, haute Vienna is flocking to these precincts for a refined and classic Viennese cuisine as created by master chef Christian Domschitz. He takes time-tested recipes and gives them innovative modern twists.
Vienna's newest grand museum is also the setting for a trend-setting rendezvous point, the chic Café Leopold, in the Leopold Museum, Museumsplatz 1 (tel. 01/523-67-32; www.leopoldmuseum.at). The cafe, serving top-notch international dishes, operates long after the museum has closed for the day. Most dishes come from the kitchens of middle Europe or Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.
A direct competitor of Café Leopold is Café Restaurant Halle, in the Kunsthalle Wien, Museumsplatz 1 (tel. 01/523-7001; www.kunsthallewien.at). More spacious than the Café Leopold, it boats a somewhat more sophisticated menu, which is frequently changed and adjusted according to the seasons.
The biggest cultural news coming out of middle Europe is the opening of the MuseumsQuartier Complex (www.mqw.at), Vienna's major statement for the new millennium. The complex has been compared to combining the Guggenheim Museum with New York's Museum of Modern Art and tossing in a few more institutions as well. Contemporary and classic modern art are showcased at Kunsthalle Wien (tel. 01/521-89-0), whereas the Leopold Museum (tel. 01/525-70), contains the world's largest treasure trove of the works of Egon Schiele (1890-1918), among other artists. One of the most outstanding collections of contemporary art is presented at MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation) (tel. 01/525-00; www.mumok.at). American Pop Art is mingled with major continental movements such as Hyperrealism among other trends.
For more information on these establishments, visit our destinations section for in-depth coverage of Vienna here, www.frommers.com/destinations/vienna.
Salzburg
In the City of Mozart, more and more visitors are discovering that some of Salzburg's best accommodation deals lie only a 20-minute or so ride from the historic center, in the city's leafy suburbs. More and more locals are opening up charming little inns to catch the overflow from the city's downtown core. Chief among these is Hotel Am Nussdorferhof, Moosstrasse 36 (tel. 0662/824838; www.nussdorferhof.at), a renovated, 70-year-old building charging affordable rates and housing guests in considerable comfort.
In the same vein, Rosenvilla, Höfelgasse 4 (tel. 0662/621765; www.salzburg-online.at/ftp/rosenvilla/indexe.htm), has opened in a residential suburb across from the Salzach River and the Altstadt, or Old Town. A graceful turn-of-the-20th-century villa has been renovated, offering beautifully furnished, cozy bedrooms. With its wrought-iron supports and a small garden, Rosenvilla is a cliché of Austrian charm.
On the restaurant front, another establishment, the restaurant Pfefferschiff, Sollheim 3, in the suburb of Hallwang (tel. 0662/661242; www.pfefferschiff.at), is luring Salzburgers out to its country precincts for a superb continental cuisine. In a converted country-baroque rectory, some 3 centuries old, the owner/chef Klaus Fleischhaker will dazzle and delight you with his frequently changing menu that always places an emphasis on what's fresh and good in any season. Every dish is given an original touch, even the desserts, which include a succulent version of rhubarb tart with buttermilk ice cream.
Back in Salzburg itself, the Restaurant Bristol in the Hotel Bristol, Makartplatz 4 (tel. 0662/8735577; www.bristol-salzburg.at), is giving other top dining choices, such as the Goldener Hirsch, serious competition. Even if not a guest of the deluxe hotel, you may want to visit to sample a continental cuisine that truly lives up to its potential. The adjacent club-style bar is also a stylish and comfortable place for a drink.
Those in the know about Salzburg sightseeing will find that two brothers have opened Ristorante/Pizzeria Il Sole, Gstättengasse 15 (tel. 0662/843284), near the Monchsberg elevator. They not only serve the best pizzas -- more than a dozen different flavors -- in the Old Town but offer a most respectable and affordable Italian cuisine as well.
For more information on these establishments, visit our destinations section for in-depth coverage of Salzburg here, www.frommers.com/destinations/salzburg.
Upper Austria
In Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, the dining secret is out. Linzers have jealously guarded the address of the Restaurant Verdi, at Pachmayrstrasse 137 in the village of Lichtenberg, 3km (2 miles) from the center. Now with foreign press coverage in 2002, visitors to Linz are also heading here for its excellent modern continental and Austrian cooking. The building itself is a century old but not the contemporary cuisine, where time-tested recipes are lightened but made equally as tasty for the modern palate. Click here for more on Linz.
Voralberg
The world's largest museum devoted to the Rolls-Royce automobile, appropriately called The Rolls Royce Museum, 11A Gütle (tel. 05572/52652; www.rolls-royce-museum.at), has opened in Dornbirn, "the city of textiles" in the heart of Voralberg. A world-class collector of these deluxe vehicles assembled the collection of swanky cars, which were owned by everybody from John Lennon to Queen Elizabeth II. Vehicles are spread across three floors. Click here for more on Linz.
Carinthia
In the capital of Klagenfurt, center of the Austrian lake district, Maria Loretto, Lorettoweg 54 (tel. 0463/24465; www.maria-loretto.at), has suddenly been discovered by the regional gourmet guides. It specializes in seafood, and does so exceedingly well, using imported ingredients from the Atlantic Ocean, along with the North and Mediterranean Seas. For excellent food and romantic and cozy dining in this region of Austria, it doesn't get much better than Maria Loretto.
A challenger in Klagenfurt is Restaurant Oscar, Sankt Veiter Ring 43 (tel. 0463/5001-77), which ranks along with Maria Loretto as the finest dining choice in the city. With its refined Austrian and Italian cuisine, it is waking up the taste buds of this once-sleepy dining town. Its sea bass and sea trout are reason enough to visit.
Good news is also emerging from the former capital of Carinthia, St. Veit an der Glan, where the Rogner Dorint Hotel, Friesacherstrasse 1 (tel. 04212/46600; www.rogner.com), has opened as the town's first art-filled hotel, the creation of Ernst Fuchs, doyen of the country's "Fantastic Realists." It sits behind a Tiffany-style glass exterior, and is filled with luxury and comfort.
Click here for more on Carinthia.
Styria
In the capital of this region, the city of Graz, Johan, Landhausgasse 1 (tel. 0316/821312-0), has emerged as the premier and most stylish restaurant in the city. Its setting in a medieval building might be old, but the chef prepares a "new Austrian" cuisine for palates demanding lighter fare. His continental dishes are also refined and sophisticated. Johan is also the site of the best bar in Graz. Click here for more on Graz.
Innsbruck
Those seeking a decent, affordable hotel in the capital of the Tyrol might gravitate to Hotel Mondschein, Mariahilfstrasse 6 (tel. 0512/22784; www.mondschein.at), which has now joined the Best Western chain and has been much improved. During its restoration, the antique interior was carefully preserved -- the building originally dates from 1473 -- but all the modern comforts have been added.
Innsbruck has had an explosion of new and good restaurants. Chief among these is Jörgele, Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 13 (tel. 0512/582217), serving a top-notch Austrian and Tyrolean cuisine that's known locally for its good value and most affordable meals. The building that houses this restaurant was a wine tavern dating from the 16th century. Another good choice making local culinary news is Sweet Basil, Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 31 (tel. 0512/584996), with a sophisticated international cuisine. The chefs here roam the world for culinary inspiration.
Austria, a land of meat-eaters, is not known for its vegetarian restaurants, but Philippine, Templstrasse 2 (tel. 0512/589157), is serving some of Innsbruck's finest vegetarian dishes, along with an assortment of fish specialties.
Click here for more on Innsbruck.