Restaurant EDVARD — Restaurant in Vienna

⭐️⭐️ (2/5)

A night of culinary brilliance overshadowed by disappointing service

If this were not a Michelin-starred restaurant, I might have rated it higher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. However, considering the Michelin distinction and the pricing , I feel three stars is the most I can fairly give.

Having dined at several Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide, I find Edvard in Vienna particularly difficult to evaluate. The cuisine itself easily reached the standard of a two-star establishment—sophisticated, inventive, and at times truly awakening—yet the service quality fell far short, closer to what one might expect at a casual bistro rather than a Michelin-starred dining room.

🥂 The Food

From the very first amuse-bouche to the desserts, the kitchen displayed remarkable creativity. The menu leaned heavily on bright acidity, seasonal vegetables, and fruits to balance flavors—an approach that kept the palate refreshed throughout the evening. • The Sea Bass with tomato and chickpea was a standout, perfectly cooked and harmonized with Mediterranean depth. • A turbot with caviar and spruce tips showcased precision and a subtle nod to Nordic influences. • Several dishes carried a Japanese touch, with elements of vinegar and amazake that brought umami complexity. • Desserts were playful yet refined—the strawberry and poppy seed creation even came with popping candy, adding a whimsical surprise to end the meal on a high note.

Visually, each plate was a work of art. (See attached photos: vibrant compositions like the carrot–mirabelle dish and the sculptural beetroot dessert were especially memorable.) Despite learning the head chef was absent that evening, execution across most courses was impeccable. In terms of cuisine alone, this is clearly undervalued at just one star.

☹️The Service

Unfortunately, the service was in stark contrast. While one hostess and the initial greeting were pleasant, most of the staff we interacted with were disengaged, cold, and inattentive. • Questions about dishes felt perfunctory, more like scripted check-ins than genuine hospitality. • Table service was sloppy: knives and plates were sometimes placed carelessly, bread crumbs remained on the table throughout the entire evening, and at one point grains of barley were spilled without being cleaned up. • The meal ended on a sour note when, after payment, no one bothered to escort us or even bid us farewell—a small but important gesture in fine dining.

In Austria, tipping culture is far from obligatory, unlike the United States. Good service deserves gratitude, but making diners feel pressured or treated indifferently if gratuity is not generous is unacceptable at this level.

Overall(⭐️⭐️2／5)

Edvard’s kitchen is delivering food of remarkable finesse—at times already operating at two-star level—but the dining room is holding it back. On food alone, this is a destination worth traveling for. On service, however, the experience was frustrating and far from Michelin standards.

If the management invests in elevating hospitality to match the excellence of the kitchen, Edvard could quickly become one of Vienna’s most important restaurants. For now, one star feels both underestimated and, paradoxically, justified.

See attached images for highlights: each dish was visually stunning, from the delicately plated sea bass to the vibrant vegetable compositions and the dramatic chocolate-poppy...

Incredibly creative cuisine. Absolutely deserving of its 1* and is knocking on the door of 2. Also given their very high effort to be green / sustainable/ minimizing waste they really should have a green star.

A lot of flavor combinations that I was not expecting. Lamb and rhubarb being a particularly memorable highlight as well as cheese foam, vanilla ice cream and caviar. There was not a weak dish but I would say that the 9 course meal really hit its stride at the 4th course. A gradual escalation culminating in a beautifully decadent and luxurious but also comforting beef dish to finish. This chef truly understands how essential good pacing and flow is to a tasting menu.

The pastry chef is extremely gifted. Desserts were multi layered with an intense focus of pear being a particular highlight.

It was noticeable that the head chef came out to talk to every table. Always appreciated and did not feel tokenistic. The interaction was genuine.

Wine pairing was stellar! I asked to experience Austrian wines and was not disappointed with the selection that would most likely not be available to me elsewhere. I understand they have a non alcoholic pairing too. I was taken on a journey and was thrilled with what I received.

The service was exemplary. I felt that they could tailor the service to whatever your party required. Formal? No problem. Educational? Gladly. Informal and relaxed, not an issue. Their young staff knows how to read a room. The night I attended i understand they were missing one staff member and they coped admirably with a full restaurant. With that being said if they are to hit the next star they will probably need to be a little tighter with the synchronization of the delivery of food and drink as on some occasions one lagged behind the other marginally (possibly due to the aforementioned staff issue). The amiable service more than made up for this. This is one of two nitpicks (neither of which effected my enjoyment of the meal in any way, just ywo tiny things I noticed). The other is the decor of the restaurant. It is by no means bad, it is understated. But I personally would expect the decor to match the flair and vibrancy of the kitchen staff and the wonderfully inventive food they produce. I know it's a hotel restaurant so it is probably a necessity to lean conservative. I understand they are going to have a renovation soon and I hope they consider adding a touch more personality to the room. This is a small thing but its something I think they could easily improve.

They change the menu 5 times a year. I cant wait to revisit in a different season and see what this extremely talented kitchen can produce. Do not hesitate to book a meal here, and you should definitely come hungry! Thankyou for a wonderful and...

We’ve dined at restaurants on a Michelin level before — and this was by far the worst experience we’ve ever had. A massive disappointment from a restaurant that claims to operate at Michelin standards. One of the dishes was served on a broken plate — something completely unacceptable in any setting. Frankly, receiving a broken plate felt insulting and disrespectful. It showed a shocking lack of attention to detail and care. Breadcrumbs were left scattered on the table throughout the meal and were never cleared. Bread was served without butter, which only arrived several minutes later — by which time we had already finished the bread. When we wanted more bread, we had to wait a long time just to get the attention of a waiter. No one came by to check in or offer more. And when bread was finally brought out again, no one noticed that the butter was gone — nor did anyone offer more or ask if we needed anything else. I don’t eat beef, so we specifically asked for one of the beef-based courses to be served with chicken for me, while my husband would receive the original beef version. Instead, both dishes were served with chicken. When I requested mine with beef as originally planned, the waiter explained — quite unbelievably — that it’s “not possible” to serve different versions of the same dish to the same table. Hard to understand in a so-called chef-driven, Michelin-level kitchen. The cod dish was bland and rubbery — completely lacking in seasoning, texture, or any culinary finesse.

In short: poor service, mediocre (at best) food, and a complete failure to deliver the fine dining experience we expected. We left deeply disappointed — and honestly baffled — that this restaurant has earned any...