DasDrittl — Restaurant in Vienna

We had been looking forward to trying dasdrittl, drawn in by its creative take on Austrian cuisine. The menu offered some really exciting dishes, though it’s worth mentioning that the online menu doesn’t quite reflect what’s actually available in the restaurant.

We started with their bread and butter selection, which included a standout raspberry butter with green pepper—sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy, a great way to kick things off. Then came the absolute highlight of the evening: the Germknödel with a twist. Instead of the classic sweet version, this one was filled with Powidl (plum jam) and pork belly. The contrast of the rich, savory filling with the deep fruitiness of the Powidl was nothing short of brilliant. Every bite was packed with flavour, and it’s one of those dishes that sticks with you long after the meal.

Alongside that, we had the BBQ cauliflower wings, which were nicely spiced and had a great texture—not too soft, not too crunchy. For the main, we went with the Paprikahendl, a solid execution of the Austrian classic. The sauce was deep and full-bodied, exactly what you’d hope for in a dish like this.

As much as the food impressed, the overall experience unfortunately had some real downsides. The restaurant operates out of Ährlich bakery, which makes for an intimate setting—but not in the cozy, inviting way one might hope. The space is tiny and suffers from serious acoustic issues. Conversations from every table blend into an overwhelming background noise, making it hard to enjoy the meal in peace.

The bigger issue, though, was the smell. From the moment we stepped in, there was an odd, lingering odor that wasn’t exactly appetising. It clung to everything, and by the time we left, our clothes had fully absorbed it. Once home, we had to air out our jackets on the balcony—never a great sign after a dinner out.

So, where does that leave dasdrittl? The food is undeniably great, creative, and well-executed. But between the noise and the lingering smell, the overall experience fell short. If they can fix these environmental issues, this place could be something...

dasDrittl is an ambitious project by young Viennese gastro entrepreneurs, which is certainly cool. The food was very tasty and the wine selection was great as well. However, there is still room for improvement.

We were a party of two on a Friday evening and were unfortunately squeezed into a tiny booth, which was not suitable for two tall adult men. Our waiter had to ask us multiple times whether we had finished eating or were still waiting for additional dishes we had ordered.

While the dishes were indeed tasty, the pricing felt unjustified. For example, a single quarter of a small radicchio (labelled as a “larger” sharing plate), though delicately prepared, was hardly justifiable at EUR 24. Similarly, the mussels were decent in taste but amounted to less than half a portion, yet priced at EUR 26.

The atmosphere, while aiming for a minimalist design aesthetic, lacked warmth, personality, and charm. We left hungry and a bit confused.

In the end, we felt a little ripped off, yet we still respect what they are...

dasDrittl: eine wirklich ambitionierte Küche, aber die Umsetzung ist bedenklich….

Der Empfang war freundlich. Die Tische sind ein bisserl klein, die Hocker nicht bequem (sollen sie ja nicht, man soll nicht zu lange sitzen bleichen), die Fensterplätze im Winter sehr kühl. Die Weinauswahl ist gut, für das Bier gab es gerade einmal ein Glas im ganzen Lokal – OK. Das Brot war gut aber feucht (?), die Germknödel sehr gut - und dann wurde auf uns vergessen... Nach einer ¾ Stunden kam der Sommelier, leerte den Inhalt der Weinflasche in volle Gläser - und gab den dezenten Hinweis, dass das Ende unseres Abends nahe. Der Tisch war ja schon an die nächsten Gäste vergeben. Da haben wir uns nach unserer Bestellung erkundigt, denn das Personal in der Küche war schon recht chillig unterwegs - uns haben aber noch 2 Gänge gefehlt. Nach kurzer Hektik gab´s dann noch schnell das als vom Service als „knusprig“ bezeichnete Paprikahendl lauwarm und letschert sowie unmittelbar anschließend die Mohnnudeln kalt und angetrocknet. Die Speisen sind wohl länger irgendwo in der Küche herumgestanden, wurden dann aber doch noch gefunden. OK – das kann passieren. Aller Anfang ist schwer. Statt sich zu entschuldigen, gab es eine patzige Antwort vom Chef: „… wo steht, dass das Hendl knusprig und die Speisen warm sein sollen…“! Das ist eine interessante Einstellung, aber nicht sehr kundenfreundlich.

Fazit: Spannende Speise-Kreationen / fehlende...