Salzburg: Organic restaurants, eateries, and cafes

To find a place offering at least partially organic meals, snacks or coffee isn't a big deal in Salzburg, and places like the Bio-Burgermeister are frequent tourist destinations. But there's more than just healthy organic fast food – from pleasantly modernized Austrian bars over cultured beer spots to slightly esoteric day cafes there's a broad range of places to choose from. What you shouldn't expect are authentic restaurants offering elaborated international cuisines, but that's probably not what you are here for anyway.

• Austrian
• Burgers
• Coffee bars and cafes
• Indian
• International
• Italian/Pizza
• Vegan

Burgers

When you're hungry and don't know where to go head for the Bio-Burgermeister in the middle of busy Linzergasse pedestrian street. With its liberal opening hours (no closing day, open until 10 pm) and central location this no-frills burger grill is serving both, meat, vegetarian, and vegan versions, purely made with organic ingredients. The service is swift, the burgers and side-dishes fresh, crisp and tasty, and most of the soft drinks and the beer are organic, too (though you have to check the bottles for organic labelling). The hot varieties I would describe as spicy rather than hot, and they come up with interesting seasonal versions like the pumpkin burger with a pumpkin patty. For meat patties you can choose between medium-done and medium-rare. The place serves neither desserts nor coffee.

Unfortunately it has implemented bad habits of conventional fast-food places, too: It produces a lot of waste since the meals are served on cardboard one-way plates, and the staff is neither busy cleaning the tables nor refilling paper towels.

If the burgermeister is too crowded or you prefer to produce less waste a burger restaurant is just a few steps away: The Ludwig doesn't promise fully organic burgers, but organic patties made from organic beef, turkey or mushrooms, organic pulled pork and bacon. In addition to burgers the place also serves salad bowls, desserts and breakfast (including organic eggs in a number of varieties). Among the drinks fruit juices and teas are organic.

Located in a pleasant backyard with a small fountain this cafe cum restaurant is also a much nicer place to spend time with friends or family – during the warm season on the spacious terrace, on rainy or cold days in the large urban-rustic dining room.

Austrian

The Urbankeller is not just a perfect address for a rustic meal accompanied by local organic beer, wine, juice or lemonade in the restaurant or a civilised drink at the adjacent bar. It also houses a stage for live acts – predominantly rock, jazz or experimental theatre, and the occasional crime play reading. Although the place is certified by Bio Austria not everything is organic. Fully organic dishes however are clearly marked with a green logo on the menu, and a good deal of the un-marked meat-based dishes (including nose-to-tail ones using offal) are served with organic meat (check for the "bio" keyword). Vegan and vegetarian options are also available. If you consider one of the typical Austrian flour-based desserts ("Mehlspeisen") make sure to come with sufficient appetite.

Schallmooser Hauptstraße where the Urbankeller is located changes its name to Linzergasse (or Linzer Gasse, the naming is not consistent) when it runs over into a pedestrian area towards the river Salzach. Amid its touristic jumble you'll find the Stadtkrug, a family-owned hotel and restaurant of old, with roots in the 14th century. The family runs an organic highland cattle farm north of Salzburg and serves the beef at the restaurant specialising in typical Austrian dishes. The farm has its own slaughterhouse on premise which allows the cattle to die as stress-free as possible within their known habitat. The chicken served in the Stadtkrug is also organic as are some hard cheeses and the ice-cream and other products made from sheep's milk. The breakfast at the hotel unfortunately is not organic.

Directly located on Linzergasse, almost down by the river, but nevertheless not a place that tourists will recognise at a first glance, the Innergebirg restaurant serves traditional Austrian mountain cuisine with local ingredients from the Pongau, the Pinzgau and the Salzburger Land areas. All the meat comes from the Rostatt organic farm (which also is a farm stay). Note that the restaurant is closed on Sundays.

Another beergarden down in the old town is associated with the local brewery Die Weisse specializing in weiss beer. They also brew one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic organic variety (watch out for the bio label) which nicely go together with a hearty Austrian meal – the beef here is organic and you may ask the waiter for likely other organic ingredients. Of course there's indoor seating, too.

On the other side of the Salzach river September 2018 saw the opening of a new fully organic, predominantly biodynamic restaurant and bar opposite the museum of modern art inside the Mönchsberg cliff, the Humboldt, a pleasantly modernized version of an Austrian "Gaststube", with geometric dark-wooden interior, a light-and-steam installation serving as a fire place surrogate, green cushions, table-clothes made from felt, and a green-lighted bar. For lunch on weekdays you can choose between two set menus consisting of a soup or salad (your choice), and a vegetarian or omnivore main dish which come at 9 or 11 euros, respectively. In the evening the kitchen emphasizes on Austrian signature dishes like the Viennese Schnitzel (a delicate, crisp, yet melting dream), boiled filet ("Tafelspitz"), and pancakes ("Palatschinken") as dessert (which were quite unexceptional). The menu clearly marks organic, biodynamic, vegan and vegetarian items and also lists the sources of all ingredients which usually are Austrian farms and producers, often located in the vicinity. In all drink classes organic options are available, and often you have no choice but to drink organic. The bar keeps open until late each day, making it the perfect place for an evening out, and there's outdoor seating, too.

Indian

Back in town, just a few steps from the Stadtkrug vegetarian fusion food with roots in the Indian cuisines has been served for almost 20 years at Spicy Spices. This pleasant eatery may not be the place for the romantic dinner but is a nice location for a chat with friends, accompanied by a healthy lunch, a coffee, chai and/or cake, all organic. You can also shop for their home-made spice mixtures, chutneys and pickles which make tasty gifts.

International

The second surviving organic restaurant of old also draws its inspiration from the subcontinent and East-Western fusion. The Heart of Joy is a vegetarian (vegan friendly), predominantly organic cafe cum eatery run by followers of Sri Shinmoy. The latter is openly presented which may not be your idea of the perfect surroundings for a recreational sip of coffee or an Italian, Austrian, oriental or Indian inspired lunch in this otherwise pleasant location. Students are entitled a ten percent discount, and breakfast on weekends is being served all day.

For a simple lunch or a piece of home-made organic cake you may also try the A* bar in nearby Auerspergstraße.

If you are near the main train station on a weekday during daytime the bistro Leichtsinn ("carelessness") is worth a try. You'll find it if you leave the train station in western direction via Südtiroler Platz and walk in southern direction along Rainerstraße parallel to the tracks until you reach Elisabethstraße. Tea, beer, and cheese are always organic here, and the owners promise to prefer organic and regional ingredients, but admit that some ingredients such as avocados definitely won't be organic. Unfortunately I did not get an answer to whether the meat and other products of animalic origin are organic, so better ask about them. The menu changes daily, and you always have the choice between a soup, one vegan, one vegetarian and one meat- or fish-based dish in addition to salads (mix your own from the salad bar), home-made foccachia sandwiches, wraps, quiches, and empanadas (the owner-chief originates from Ecuador). The place is great for breakfast, there are home-made cakes (also vegan), shortbreads and fair-trade coffee, and if you need provisions for your travel, simply order to take away.

Fine dining restaurants in the 2020ies can be reasonably expected to work together with small-scale organic gardeners, bakers and/or butchers, but they often do this in the closet. So I found the Genussprojekt at Ursulinenplatz, with a view on the river Salzach, but I am disappointed to report that the only classified organic ingredients on their menu are fruit juices and beef. Beef-lovers may give it a try and ask about the veges, the flour, and whether there are natural wines, too. So far no first-hand review from me yet.

Italian

Arguably the city's best pizza can be had when entering a non-descript entrance on Franz-Josef-Straße south of Paris-Lodron-Straße: Here you find a place boringly dubbed Organic Pizza Salzburg, and this is exactly what it is: A totally unpretentious venue serving glorious 100% organic pizza in vegetarian, vegan and omnivore varieties, all well worth their 9.80 to 16.80 EUR. Instead of the standard base made from wheat you may order one made with spelt. Choose your drinks from the fridge (most, but not all organic), and have a home-made organic and vegan cake with fairly traded ingredients and/or a locally produced ice-cream to end your meal. No frills, just love, and in contrast to other fast food places covered here you will be served on real plates instead of paper waste. Unfortunately the place is closed on Mondays and Sundays.

Vegan

For Italian and decidedly vegan food (including pizza) you have to wait for the re-opening of Vegitalian. This no-frills restaurant stepped in as the hotel restaurant of The Keep near Salzburg Hauptbahnhof train station between spring and autumn 2022 and is planning a re-opening in Nonntal. It's not 100% organic, but most ingredients come from regional and/or organic producers. No further review here (yet) since I haven't had the chance to visit.

Just a few steps from Organic Pizza Salzburg you'll find a novelty in the city: a crowd-founded vegan cafe. The Gustav serves breakfast, sandwiches, soups and salads as well as smoothies and cakes, everything predominantly organic. Unfortunately it is closed most days of the week, so check below to avoid a bad surprise.

For a vegan or vegetarian, partially organic lunch, dinner or weekend brunch the neighbourhood of Gneis was a pleasant destination before the Covid-19 pandemics. Then chef Julia and her happily carnivore dog announced a refurbishment of the The Green Garden, and I am still waiting to see a re-opening. The place consisted of two locations, a daily (except Mondays) open restaurant, and a cafe cum wine bar annex. There was no general commitment to organic certification, but Julia promised to use predominantly fresh seasonal Austrian ingredients as far as possible produced without chemically synthesized fertilizers and preservatives. The tea (including iced tea), most wines, some beers, eggs and goat cheese were certified organic. On the menu you were to find bowls, soups, salads, vegan burgers as well as pasta and vegetable versions of Austrian signature dishes like the schnitzel, but the place was great for breakfast and healthy snacks, too. During the nice season The Green Garden sold vegan organic ice-cream to both, guests and passers-by.

Coffee and cakes

For the real coffee thing head for Röstzimmer 15 a few meters from "Spicy Spices". A cosy living room serving artisanal (though not necessarily organically certified) chocolates and pastries with Ethiopian organic coffee roasted in the room next door where you also can have a small lunch.

An Italian-style coffee drink prepared with organic milk can also be had at Fabis Frozen Bioyogurt.

Fancy an organic coffee drink on the go, made with organic milk or plant-based drink, on your way from the old town before crossing the Mozartsteg pedestrian bridge over the river Salzach? Take your coffee mug and stop by what's arguably the city's tiniest coffee house, We love coffee. Unfortunately they do not have any eathenware and will serve their Italian-style coffee or flat whites in a paper cup. What a waste – since I did not have a cup at hand I cannot say anything about the quality.

When you take a stroll or bicycle tour along the river Salzach in southern direction (towards castle and zoo Hellbrunn) stop by the farm cafe of the Bienenlieb beekeepers. You may simply step by for a coffee break or a home-made organic soup with honey bread, but if you are planning to have breakfast on Saturday (from March through December) make sure to call upfront for reservation.

• BioBurgerMeister, Linzergasse 54, Tue–Sat 17–20
• Ludwig, Bruderhof/Linzergasse 39, Tue–Sat 11–22
• Urbankeller, Schallmooser Hauptstr. 50, restaurant(bar) Mon,Wed–Sat(Sun) 17(12)–24
• Stadtkrug, Linzergasse 20, Tue–Sat 15–23
• Humboldt, Gstättengasse 4, Tue–Thu(Fri) 10:30–23(24), Sat(Sun) 9–24(23)
• Die Weisse Wirtshaus, Rupertgasse 10, Mon–Sat 10–24
• Innergebirg. Linzergasse 12, Mon–Sat 11–22
• Spicy Spices, Wolf-Dietrich-Str. 1, Mon–Fri(Sat) 11:30(12)–14:30, Mon–Sat 18–20
• Heart of Joy, Franz-Josef-Str. 3, Mon–Thu(Fri–Sun) 8–19(20:30)
• Leichtsinn, Elisabethstr. 1, Mon–Fri 8–17,Wed–Thu 18–22
• Bienen-Bistro, Membergerstr. 1, Wed–Sat 10–18:30
• We love coffee, Rudolfskai 37, Mon–Fri(Sat–Sun) 7:30(9)–18, PH closed
• Genussprojekt, Ursulinenpl. 4, Tue–Thu(Fri–Sat) 16(14)–23(24)
• Organic Pizza Salzburg, Franz-Josef-Str. 24a, Tue–Fri(Sat) 17(12)–22
• Gustav, Wolf-Dietrich-Str. 33, Thu–Fri(Sat) 11(10)–20(18)

Temporarily closed

• The Green Garden, Nonntaler Hauptstr. 16, expected to be re-opened after refurbishment in summer 2023
• Vegitalian, Schwarzstr. 50 (awaiting new opening in Nonntaler Hauptstr. 43 perhaps early in 2023)

Closed or no longer organic

• Ährlich, Wolf-Dietrich-Str. 7
• Enoteca Settemila, Bergstr. 9
• Zum Hirschenwirt, St.-Julien-Str. 21-23 (no longer organic)
• Franziskischlössl, Stefan-Zweig-Weg
• klein & fein, Rupertgassei 9 (cafe and delicatessen)
• Kuchenfee, Paris-Lodron-Str. 19 (partially organic cafe)
• Ökohof Feldinger/Rochushof, Rochusgasse 6 (organic supermarket and self-service restaurant)
• Rosencafé, Steingasse 4 (fully organic cafe cum gastro bar)
• Stadtimbiss, Franz-Josef-Str. 19 (successor is not organic)
• Schützenwirt, Dorf 96, St. Jakob am Thurn

Bremen: (American) bars

An evening out with organic dinner and later a civilized drink at a bar? While in other cities it can be quite challenging to find an organic drink outside of restaurants Bremen has dedicated American-style bars where you can have fully organic drinks and at least partially organic cocktails until late at night.

What about a (late) summer night drink with a view on the Weser river? The pop-up bar Papp at the South-Eastern side of St. Pauli bridge (the prolongation of Wilhelm Kaisen bridge) isn't as pop-up as its location in a shack near the river shore might suggests as it has been there since summer 2015. There's a spacious square under trees in front of the tiny bar, sometimes with live concerts or electronic music. During the day time you may come here and have a coffee (and cake), a soft drink or even a bottle of beer.

In the Viertel neighbourhood, near Sielwall the Heldenbar ("Heroes' bar") comprises the entrance to the Cinema im Ostertor where films have been shown continously since 1959. Before the covid-19 pandemics the rustic craft beer place had been notorious for its Wednesday quiz nights. While it is advisable to ask for organic alcoholic drinks (there's at least one organic gin and organic cider) most pre-bottled soft drinks are organic and fairly traded (as is the coffee).

If you prefer a lounge atmosphere or want to be sure that your drinks are 100 percent organic, simply proceed around the corner to Noras, however: this place closes too early to be a respectable bar – although pleasant it won't save your late evening.

For a no-frills outing in the park you may also step by the Kukoon food, no wait: drinks truck which, for the remaining summer of 2023 is located at Leibnitzplatz in the Neustadt. Unfortunately organic drinks aren't marked as such on the menu (Lammsbräu beer is safe as are some of the soft drinks), so you have to specify that you insist on an organic drink. During the cold season head have an organic wineor beer at their "headquarter" about 200 metres from here.

• Papp, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 1 Sun(Mon–Sat) 12–19(23;open end depending on weather)
• Heldenbar, Ostertorsteinweg 105, Tue–Sat 18–1 (open end)
• Kukoon im Park food truck, Leibnitzplatzpark (Neustadtwallanlagen), Tue–Sun 12–22:30 until Sep 17th, 2023

Dresden: Organic pubs and restaurants

Forget about sushi, pizza, pasta, burgers, curries and other globalized commonplaces – in Dresden it's much easier to find hearty home-cooked dishes made from locally sourced ingredients rooted in local and regional food traditions. This does not necessarily mean German – mind you that the borders with Czechia and Poland are close, so many menus reflect influences rather from Eastern than Western or Southern European cuisines. Many dishes include meat, yes, but all the places I am covering here have a decent selection of tasty vegetarian options readily available.

Old town

A few steps from the Altmarkt, just across Kreuzkirche you'll find Cafe Aha which is covered here. Longer west, facing the modern building of the University of Music in Schützengasse you may be surprised to find a small island of baroque buildings with a wild garden, housing the city's environmental centre, and a great disappointment: The cosy rustic wholefood restaurant on ground flour dubbed Brennnessel ("stinging nettle") once used organic ingredients and still can be found listed as an organic restaurant, but alas! – no more.

Neustadt

For rustic food and surroundings head for one of the oldest independent pubs in town, the Planwirtschaft ("planned economy") in the Neustadt neighbourhood, popular since its beginnings as an illegal pub in the late GDR. On mezzanine level they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as coffee and cake while the basement houses a pub which opens in the evening. When it comes to their supplies they focus on buying from local farms and enterprises as the (unfortunately not organic) independent butcher's directly across the street or a tea shop next door from which they also source the organic teas on offer. The goat cheese is always organic. They used to have an organic meat dish (which was marked as "bio" on the menu), but unfortunately no longer. My vegan dish of the day (celeriac in a hearty plum-fragranced sause with polenta and green salad) was absolutely tasteful. Have a tasty organic apple cider or beer, and ask about organic ingredients.

Young German kitchen is the promise of the Lila Soße ("purple sauce") gastro bar within the eccentric Kunsthofpassage with its small boutiques and lovely places. Apart from daily changing main courses (most of them meat or fish, and often with an Italian touch) you can order tasty German "tapas" to your liking – warm, cold and sweet – served in a glass as well as dips and bread. None of the courses are fully organic, but many ingredients are, and chances are high that you can combine cleverly if you ask. They offer organic softdrinks, but no organic alcoholic beverages.

In 2022 the Neustadt neigbourhood seems to be the vegan hotspot of the city: Many shops advertise vegan dishes, but most of them use cheap products from industrial agriculture and highly processed conventional food. A notable exception is the Wurzelküche ("root kitchen") using organic and regional produce as much as possible. Many greens come from communal allotments and urban agriculture projects in Dresden (e.g. at the Japanese Palace) which are not organically certified but work according to principles of sustainable, agro-chemistry-free farming. The place closes too early for dinner, but salads, bowls, wraps and potatoes with a vegan alternative to cottage-cheese in different varieties are lunch stuff anyway. Raw and baked cakes as well as ice-cream cater for the sweet tooth.

Out of town

If you take the urban train number 2 from the Neustadt train station, either on the way to the airport or to a stroll in the woods of Dresdner Heide, get off Bahnhof Klotzsche (one stop before the airport) and have breakfast, lunch, tea or a snack in its 110 years old railway station. Since the folks of Vorwerk Podemus took over and restored the historical building in 2015 it has been home to a bicycle shop, an artist's studio, an organic supermarket, and the now fully organic station restaurant dubbed Bio-Bahnhofswirtschaft with its pleasant beergarden. Travellers and ramblers may be glad to hear that they can fetch an organic breakfast or packed lunch on the go, though unfortunately not on Sundays as the restaurant is closed that day.

The vineyards on the slopes of the river Elbe around Dresden form Europe's smallest, most northern wine region, and fortunately the Saxon state winery of Hoflößnitz in Radebeul turned organic. The small town located west of Dresden on the northern shore of the river is famous for the writer of travel fiction, Karl May and its Museum of North American Indian Culture and can be reached easily, both by urban train, tram no. 4 and bicycle. Follow the Elberadweg cycle route on the southern shore, cross the bridge at Niederwartha and turn back east on the northern shore cycle route through Radebeul until you find signposts pointing to the vineyards on the hill.

The Hoflößnitz winery has a small self-service restaurant, the Hoflößnitzer Weinterasse, with an outdoor seating area shaded by horsechestnut trees from where you have a great view over the grapewines and the valley while tasting the local wines. All wines, but not all the food are organic: Your best choice is the "Winzerplatte" – home-made white bread with pickles, a little salad and a number of spreads of your choice of which the bread and the vegan spreads are organic. There's also a small museum with information on all Saxon wineries and a wine shop where you can buy their products, mainly white and sparkling wines. Stick to Hoflößnitz for organic ones.

• Planwirtschaft, Louisenstr. 20, Tue-Sat 17–24
• Lila Soße, Alaunstr. 70, Mon–Fri(Sat–Sun,PH) 16(12)–22
• Wurzelküche, Alaunstr. 11, Mon–Sat 9–19
• Bio-Bahnhofswirtschaft Bahnhof Klotzsche, Zur Neuen Brücke 4a, Mon–Sat 11–18
• Hoflößnitzer Weinterasse, Knohllweg 37, Radebeul, Apr–Dec Tue–Sun,PH 12-18 or longer depending on the weather

No longer organic

In 2012, when the Mensa U-Boot ("submarine") on the campus of the Technical University on the campus of the Technical University was opened after major refurbishment work it was re-opened as a fully organic students' refectory offering one vegetarian and one omnivore meal at a very competitive price. All food and drinks at that time were certified organic. Unfortunately this is no longer the case in 2022: Given low frequent visits during the Corona pandemic the staff decided to not prolong their organic certification and turn to cheaper ingredients.

• Biomensa U-Boot, Potthoff building basement, Hettnerstr. 3

Closed

The following places ceased to exist, although you still may find references to them on the web:

• Lilisou, Louisenstr. 58 (vegetarian, burgers, soups, curries)
• Lingner, Lingnerpl. 1 (German, international)
• ElectricLotus, Louisenstr. 58 (vegetarian, ayurvedic, Indian)
• Abutheke, Alaunstr. 68a (Middle-Eastern)
• roots, Hauptstr. 35 (vegan fast food)

Augsburg: Organic Ice-cream

For 100 percent organic, crystal-sugar free, vegan ice-cream made with dates, cashew nuts and berries try Juice 'n Cream in the Ulrichsviertel neighbourhood. The coffee, (three different) peanut and berry flavours I tried were more distinct than the flavours at Munich-based IceDate.

The scoop comes at 1.50 EUR, and you can choose between an eatable wafer cone or a paper-thin compostable bamboo cup. For an additional euro you can spice it up with a handful of organic toppings like cocoa nibs. The small shop uses renewable energies, and when hungry you may opt for a lunch bowl and a fruit juice. There's outdoor seating but not much space inside the shop.

If you prefer an artisanal confectioner's ice-cream with organic milk proceed into Ulrichsviertel where Augsburg with the canalised arms of the Lech river offers the air of a little Venice: The fare at Ertls Bittersüß coffee bar and confectioner's shop unfortunately isn't generally organic, though natural and predominantly made from regional produce. However, the Black forest cake ice-cream I had was overly sweet for my taste and not as delicious as what it could have been with organic sugar and cherries. The scoop on the go comes at a moderate 1.3o EUR, but you could also sit down to be served coffee, cake, and sundae.

Fully organic dairy ice-cream as well as sorbets can be had at Anna or the Malzeit coffee bar and shop in Bismarckviertel. Both do not make their own ice-cream but serve the produce of local fully organic confectionery Meisterhand making organic ice-cream, chocolates, and gingerbread. If you have a sweet tooth and are in town on a Thursday afternoon, make sure to attend their factory sale in the Martini-Park.

Meisterhand ice-cream also awaits the dweller in the Gögginger Wäldle city forrest at the Kulperhütte beer garden.

• Juice 'n Cream, Judenberg 10, daily 12–21:30
• Ertls Bittersüß, Vorderer Lech 18, Mon-Sat 10-18
• Malzeit, Bismarckstr. 14, Mon-Fri(Sat)10-18:30(16:30)
• Meisterhand Eis, Provinostr. 52, Martinipark, Betriebsgebäude B14 backyard, Thu 16-18
• Kulperhütte, Pfarrer-Bogner-Str., daily 11-18, max. until midnight on nice weather summer days