I had to schedule a last-minute brunch in Vienna as a couple of friends came to visit last-minute. It was too late to take them to my usual spots so I was forced to try out a new place. I wish I was always that spot-on when improvising as brunch at Hotel Sans Souci Vienna is a new favourite. I even went twice in a single month, which is why this article will feature pictures taken on two separate Sundays:
Hot Dishes (eggs, sausages & bacon) & Quiche
“Rainbow Carrots”: Carrots with sour cream, pumpkin seed and chervil
Weekend Brunch Buffet / Veranda Breakfast
Hotel Sans Souci Vienna, Austria (five-star hotel)
Overall Mark: ★★★★★
Weekend brunch buffet price: 35€/person
Beverage refills: Yes (Incl’ coffee, tea & 1 glass of Champagne)
Food refills: Yes (buffet & stations)
Breakfast: Every week from 6 am to 11 am (hotel guests only);
Brunch: Every Saturday & Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm in the Veranda
The Setting ★★★★★
In French, sans-souci means “insouciance”, as in “without worries” or “tranquil”. The Sans Souci Vienna is quite aptly named: everything about it feels relaxing and quaint, the perfect place to spend a relaxing. The hotel prides itself as the best-rated establishment in Vienna (number 1 out of 359) and guests can immediately tell that this title is very well deserved.
The hotel is located in Spittelberg (Vienna’s 7th district) which neighbours most of Vienna’s major attractions: the Museumsquartier, Hofburg Palace, the Rathaus, etc… The building itself fits the ring’s architectural style but it’s also been renovated to add a bit of a modern touch. The colour purple prevails, both inside and outside.
The brunch isn’t served here but I strongly encourage you to check out the bar: it is a magnificent room and is also happens to be one of the few hotel bars which allow smoking. Whether you enjoy this or not, it’s a great place for a fun photoshoot.
It is theoretically closed during brunch hours but the staff is very nice and we did not get told off for going in.
The Veranda Restaurant ★★★★★
The Sans-Souci breakfast/brunch is served in the Veranda restaurant. The venue offers plenty of space as well as lots of natural light.
The interior is quite daring and very eclectic, much like the rest of the hotel). there are various works of art from the owner’s private collection on display, as well as chairs designed by Arne Jacobson and Philippe Starck.
Guest may sit in the main room (closer to the buffet) or in one of the other two rooms for more privacy. In my experience, the brunch doesn’t get too crowded so it’s quite easy to get a good table, even on weekends.
Egg dishes with tea, coffee & juice
The Hotel Sans Souci Vienna Breakfast & Brunch
The Sans Souci Vienna breakfast is complimentary for hotel guests (served daily), while visitors will have to pay 35€ (Saturdays & Sundays). Children aged 6 to 12 will be charged half-price while children under 6 eat for free.
The brunch is all-you-can-eat (à-la-carte & buffet) and all-you-can-drink (juices & smoothies), excluding the Laurent-Perrier Champagne which is limited to one glass per person. Guests may also order the “weekend specialities” if they fancy something a bit more extravagant (8 to 26€ per dish).
The Beverage Selection ★★★★☆
The Hot Drinks (Tea, Coffee & Chocolate) ★★★★★
There are 14 Ronnefeldt teas and infusions to choose from, as well as the usual selection of coffees (espresso, latte…) and hot chocolate.
This is an excellent selection of hot beverages, both for tea and coffee lovers. I would’ve loved to see a few more classic teas on offer but that’s just me being a nitpicker 🙂
The Cold Drinks (Juices & Champagne) ★★★★☆
There are three freshly squeezed juices (orange; apple; carrot & apple ♥) on offer, as well as one smoothie of the day (two variants in the pictures below. That’s a pretty solid offer too, though it’s not as good as some of the (pricier!) competition.
The brunch also comes with a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne. It’s not free-flowing, but that’s perfectly fine as this is a rather cheap five-star brunch: the teetotaler never really understood the point of free-flowing Champagne this early in the morning. I even skipped the one glass the first time, as I needed to be in shape for a busy afternoon.
The à-la-carte Brunch ★★★★★
Sans Souci Classics (included with the brunch)
Guests may order egg-based dishes straight from the kitchen: omelettes, eggs benedict, egg in a glass, pancakes ♥, porridge etc… (full list in the fourth picture below). Every à-la-carte dish we ordered was delicious and my mates even wanted to order an extra egg benedict (I had to stop them to get them to the buffet ^^).
Weekend Specialties (extras)
The brunch itself already offers more than a man can eat in a few hours but those of you who fancy something a bit different may also order the à-la-carte weekend specialities (8 to 28€ extra). I was able to sample three of those when I came the second time:
- “Rainbow Carrots”: Carrots with sour cream, pumpkin seed and chervil ♥♥♥
- “Bio Beef Tartar”: Organic Beef Tartare with quail’s egg, mustard mayonnaise; served with toasted walnut bread ♥♥
- “Austrian Lobster”: Austrian Crayfish with poached egg and baby spinach topped hollandaise sauce
The carrots and the beef tartare were both heavenly, as pretty as they are tasty. The Austrian lobster was nice as well but a tad too similar to an egg benedict, which can already be ordered with the brunch.
The Breakfast & Brunch Buffet ★★★★★
This brunch may seem like it offers few options compared to others but that’s not necessarily a bad thing: I’d rather have less quantity and better quality food.
The Savouries
The savoury selection is excellent. The vegetable quiche ♥ and the stuffed peppers ♥♥ were heavenly. The cheese offer is a tad limited but once again, this brunch is about quality and fresh food.
The Cakes & Sweets
There are plenty of sweets to choose from, as seen in the pictures below. The star of the show would be the chocolate brownie ♥♥♥, one of the best I’ve had in ages.
Service ★★★★★
The staff is competent as well as friendly, “sans souci” style. We even got to bring a few of those chocolate brownies home, such small gestures really make the difference between a very good brunch and an excellent brunch.
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★★★
The Hotel Sans Souci Vienna is my new go-to place in the city for a good weekend brunch, offering great à-la-carte options and a fantastic buffet. I’d say it’s quite likely to be the best hotel brunch buffet in Vienna.
Everything about it is perfect and priced at 35€ per person, it’s nothing short of a steal! If you don’t mind spending a little more, do give a try to the Rainbow Carrots and the Beef Tartare 😉
+: Fantastic hotel
+: The Bar & Veranda
+: The beverage selection
+: Delicious / fresh food
+: That chocolate brownie
+: The weekend specialities
+: Sans Souci service
+: Fantastic value for money
-: Slightly less choice than other brunches
Phone: +43-1-522 25 20 194
E-Mail: restaurant@sanssouci-wien.com
Address: Burggasse 2, 1070 Wien, Austria
