A Culinary Paradigm Shift
At dahoam by Andreas Herbst in Leogang, Salzburg, chef Andreas Herbst works and lives in what can only be described as a culinary paradise. His fruit and vegetable suppliers—led by the organic farm Stechaubauer—provide him with fresh treasures straight from garden beds, fields, and tunnels. Many of the hotel’s green spaces are also dedicated to growing food. In the herb garden alone, his team tends to 80 different varieties. Local foragers bring in mushrooms, berries, and other wild plants, all of which are either used fresh or preserved and fermented for the winter season.
This makes Herbst no exception in Austria’s fine-dining scene, but rather part of the norm. Small-scale farming has established itself as a key partner for sourcing ingredients—especially when it comes to vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
“There’s no doubt that demand for plant-based dishes has grown in recent years,” says Herbst, recognizing a true paradigm shift in the culinary world. At dahoam, this means not only offering more vegetarian options but also reducing the dominance of meat within traditional dishes, giving space to vegetable-forward components. “I pay close attention to creating balance between meat and plant-based elements in a menu. Guests really appreciate that!”
In his à la carte restaurant, Herbst even offers his signature eight-course menu in a fully vegetarian version, though the kitchen kindly asks guests to reserve it two days in advance for better planning. At the hotel restaurant, a vegetarian menu is available every single day. Around 15 percent of guests now choose it—a number that continues to rise.
Tian – Pioneers Have It Tough
When Paul Ivic opened Tian in Vienna in 2011 as the city’s first high-end vegetarian restaurant, he faced fierce skepticism. “Many people told me fine dining without meat simply wasn’t possible, that the concept would never attract enough guests,” he recalls. “And besides, they said, you couldn’t really feel satisfied with such a meal.” Things turned out quite differently.From the very beginning, Ivic and his team built a loyal following. The awarding of Tian’s first MICHELIN Star in 2014 became a turning point. “That recognition validated our concept and put Tian on the map well beyond Austria,” Ivic says.
At Tian, the line between vegetarian and vegan is fluid. Every menu features vegan dishes, and fully vegan menus are always available, making up about 15 percent of orders. “It’s important to me to show that vegan cuisine can deliver a complete and refined taste experience without any compromise on quality,” Ivic explains. Sustainability is also central to his approach: he deliberately keeps the CO₂ footprint of his elaborate cuisine as low as possible.
Oliver Mohl – Where Culinary Art Meets Mixology
Since 2020, HAUSBAR Vienna, located inside the Albertina Modern Museum, has been adding fresh competition to the city’s vegetarian fine-dining scene. Head chef Oliver Mohl—whose career includes renowned kitchens such as Vila Joya in Portugal, the Rote Wand in Zug am Arlberg, and New York’s NoMad—pairs plant-based menus with cocktails crafted to complement each course.“We do offer the option of meat or fish for a single course if guests prefer,” Mohl explains, “but the heart of our cuisine is unmistakably vegetarian. Many people come specifically for that experience, even if they leave the door open to include one meat course.”
With this approach, HAUSBAR embodies a modern interpretation of the plant-based trend: a concept that blends indulgence with flexibility, enticing even the most committed omnivores to explore the lighter side of dining.
Josef Floh – A Radius as a Philosophy
Just half an hour north of Vienna, in Langenlebarn, you’ll find the certified-organic Gasthaus Floh, one of the most beloved establishments in eastern Austria. Since 2008, owner Josef Floh has been guided by his “Radius 66” principle: the number stands for the maximum distance—66 kilometers—from which his suppliers may deliver. For local producers, being chosen as a supplier for Floh is something of a badge of honor, a mark of excellence in their craft.“Many of our guests deliberately choose vegetarian dishes here, even if they aren’t vegetarians themselves,” Floh explains. “They value the quality of the ingredients we source and process regionally.” Over the years, the share of plant-based dishes on the menu has steadily increased—not imposed as a strict doctrine, but evolving organically in response to demand.
When it comes to vegan menus, Floh avoids meat and dairy substitutes, dismissing them as “complete nonsense.” Instead, he focuses on showcasing the integrity of local produce. Come autumn, guests look forward to two seasonal classics from his kitchen: einkorn risotto with deep purple carrots, and black cabbage (also known as cavolo nero) with porcini mushrooms.
Peter Fankhauser – Permaculture as a FoundationPeter Fankhauser
is another pioneer in Austria’s plant-based culinary scene. Together with his wife, he runs the vegetarian and vegan restaurant Guat z’Essen in Stumm, in the Zillertal Valley. The restaurant is surrounded by a permaculture garden that Fankhauser manages year-round, following the principles of natural ecosystems.“We maintain a seed bank of 800 cultivated plant varieties, of which we grow 200 to 300 each year,” he explains, carefully designing a colorful mix for his menus—referred to here as a “complete experience,” which even includes a stroll through the garden between courses. About 80 percent of the ingredients come directly from their own garden, while the rest is sourced regionally, almost exclusively organic.
Fankhauser is thus not just a chef and restaurateur, but also a farmer. Guat z’Essen operates as a closed system, offering maximum transparency about ingredient origins while delivering unparalleled individuality on every plate.
Andreas Mayer – The Scent of Vegetables
At Schloss Prielau on Lake Zell, in the heart of Pinzgau, Salzburg, Andreas Mayer has been celebrating plant-based diversity for two decades. The Bavarian-born chef, who spent many years working closely with Eckart Witzigmann, dedicates one of the two menus at MAYER’s Restaurant specifically to the “Scent of Vegetables”—also the title of his latest cookbook, which inspired the concept.For some courses, Mayer enhances the aromatic experience by using self-made perfumes from herbs, vegetables, or fruits, sprayed directly onto the dish at the table. In autumn, for example, a forest mushroom perfume is used.
“Plant-based cuisine is incredibly diverse. Whether you roast, steam, grill, or fry, each technique brings out new flavors and aromas. It requires enormous creativity and precise technique from us chefs—but that’s exactly our job,” he says with a smile.
The “Scent of Vegetables” clearly appeals to diners: by summer 2025, nearly half of all menus at MAYER’s restaurant were dedicated to his refined plant-based cuisine.
Vitus Winkler – Between Alpine Herbs and MICHELIN Stars
With two MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star, Vitus Winkler ranks among Austria’s most renowned chefs. His restaurant, Kräuterreich by Vitus Winkler, in St. Veit im Pongau, carries its mission in its name: the alpine landscape, with its abundance of mushrooms, herbs, berries, and fruits, serves as the source of his inspiration. Each year, Winkler personally gathers around 200 different varieties from the valleys and mountains of his hometown.In his seven-course menu, typically only two dishes feature meat or fish—the rest are plant-based. For guests who prefer animal-based options, alternative courses are always available upon request. “Some weeks, half of all menus are completely vegetarian. Other weeks, offal, game, and beef are more in demand,” he notes, reflecting the natural fluctuations in guest preferences.
“The plant-based kitchen is more complex and demands greater craftsmanship. At the same time, it opens up more possibilities in preparation,” Winkler explains. With this approach, he successfully merges the best of both worlds: alpine tradition and contemporary sustainability, fine dining, and mindful eating.
Discover these Restaurants on the Map
Illustration Image: Gericht im Restaurant Guat z'Essen im Zillertal © Guat z'Essen
