4 Best Restaurants in Salzburg, Austria

This inn opened its doors in 1705 as an example of that newfangled thing, a Wiener Kaffeehaus (Vienna coffeehouse), and was an immediate hit. Enjoying its 11 types of coffee was none other than Mozart's beloved, Constanze, who often dropped in, as her house was just next door. The Tomasellis set up shop here in 1850, becoming noted Chocolatmachers. Feast on the famous Tomaselliums Café (mocha, Mozart liqueur, and whipped cream) and the large selection of excellent homemade cakes, tarts, and strudels. Inside, it's all marble, wood, and walls of 18th-century portraits. In summer the best seats are on the flower-bedecked terrace and at the pretty "Tomaselli-Kiosk" on the square.

Sip a Melange (frothy milk coffee) under the shade of the leafy trees at this people-watching coffeehouse institution on the Salzach River. Salads, soups, and toasted ham-and-cheese sandwiches served with ketchup satisfy savory cravings; homemade Topfen- and Apfelstrudel beckon from the glass case of house-made tortes. Marlene Dietrich, Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Arturo Toscanini, and Seiji Ozawa are just a few of the famous faces to grace the terrace, and today well-known locals settle into dark-wood chairs at the small marble tables. Wood panels reach to the lofty recessed ceilings in the main dining area.

Red-velvet banquettes, sparkling chandeliers, and lots of gilt mark this famous gathering place, a favorite of well-heeled Salzburgers and an outpost of the celebrated Vienna landmark. It's a perfect choice for a leisurely afternoon pastry. The most popular choice is the famous house-made chocolate Sachertorte, but there is also a large variety of irresistable cakes. Don't pass up the coffee, which is second to none. Full meals are also served, and the restaurant offers a no-smoking room.

If you really want to enjoy food with a view, drive three kilometers (two miles) north along the B1 Linzer Bundesstrasse to Mayrwies and turn right up through the woods. Here you can take in a view of Salzburg from the mountainside perch of this former Rupertialm (St. Rupert's Pasture), a famous scenic lookout even in Mozart's time. Owned by St. Peter's Monastery, this restaurant allures with the romantic charm of an Alpine chalet. Seasonal specialties of the region top the bill: not only venison and fried trout but heavenly garnishes—cress, elder blossoms, herbs from the meadows, raspberries, blueberries, Schwammerl (mushrooms) fresh out of the forest, and cheese from goat and sheep. For breakfast, you need to make reservations at least the day before; lunch and dinner reservations are recommended but not compulsory.