Conveniently located right across from Vienna's main train terminal, Westbahnhof, Cafe Westend is your typical turn-of-the-century, Viennese coffee house offering traditional dishes, snacks, pastries and a slew of coffees and drinks. Non-smokers beware - this is Philip Morris territory. Another foreboding: order "just a coffee" and prepare to meet your maker! The Viennese appreciate their coffee and expect specificity. More coffee house info can be found at:

http://www.wiener-kaffeehaus.at/

Colombo Hoppers ist - soweit ich weiss - das einzige Sri Lankan Restaurant in Wien. Sie kriegen einen Pluspunkt fuer ihr EUR 8. all-you-can-eat Mittagsbuffet bis 14:30h (nur wochentags!). Es gibt immer 2 bis 3 vegetarische Gerichte und Brot kostet nix. Sie kriegen noch einen Pluspunkt fuer ihr leckeres Abendessen. Allerdings einen Minuspunkt da Abends ziemlich ueberteuert ist - man kommt leicht auf EUR 25., also Mahlzeit. Und noch einen Minuspunkt da Leitungswasser nicht serviert wird (da es nix kostet, aber geh bitte...).

Donau is one of the more relaxed locations in Vienna. This once-synagogue turned chill-out lounge is rather hard to find, ie. there are no signs, ads or an obvious entrance. I stumbled on it by opening the wrong door one night, pulling back a curtain and there was a huge gothic room with vaulted ceilings, DJs, and a bar. Not too over-priced, comfortable, relaxed/dimmed lighting and cool visuals.

One thing you can't complain about is Flex's sound system (allegedly, the most powerful in all of Europe's discos). Standard events include Friday's "London Calling" and Saturday's "Wicked" as well as various drum and bass parties and somewhat commercial hardcore/punk shows. Things to look out for: [1] the ever-increasing macho, ass-crabbing contingent has caused many to re-consider further visits [2] the bouncers can be ferocious and over-aggressive, which tends to put a stain on an otherwise enjoyable evening [3] drinks are over-priced and the bar-tenders often plain rude [4] Flex is often beyond over-crowded, begging the question of fire-hazards.

tasty vegetarian weigh-and-pay buffet. you can load the plate up pretty...pretty...pretty full and still escape with only dishing out 7 EURO dollaz. they look at you funny if you order a cola - you know how those bio-fritzies are. "i meant, afri-cola..." outdoor seating is more than comfortable, and the coffee is super cheap, and super good.

Maschu is now offering mega-quick takeout service at their neighboring hole-in-the-wall carryout counter. Since Yasin Falafel has closed, Maschu is again the best choice for falafel. If you're acquainted with pita style sandwiches like Maoz in Amsterdam, then you'll enjoy Maschu. They have a fairly lengthy menu including stir-fry veggies with tofu, an amazing lentil soup and various meat dishes.

Since my weekend Josef's crew have all chimed in, so will I! Don't let the catholic name scare you: St. Josef's serves the style of food you may (or may not) have read about in the Voluptuous Vegan cookbook. Last time, I had enchilada style wraps with fresh veggies topped with vegan cheese sauces and sour cream + bulgar wheat salad. The time before that I had dinkle burger patties topped with cream dressing and fresh parsley + a side salad with ranch. Whether it be lasagna, seitan steaks or creamy mushroom soup, Josef's is extremely healthy and delicious! Oh yeah, the service is nice too...but even if they beat me with a stick, I'd still come back.

Offering the best Thai food in Vienna, Pinong's red-coconut curry is well worth the EUR 10-12 you will pay for a main dish. Anything found on the menu can be made with tofu. The fried rice, spring rolls and soups are incredible as well.

fresh, tasty radler! pizzas are cheap: 4,50 for the mid-sized and 6,00 for the hungry-jack. includes 4 toppings of your choice - and they have rucola! rumor has it that the crust isn't vegan, so beware!

It gets 5 stars because it's swallowed much of my last 5 years. Schikaneder provides your basic bar with trendy tunes, and semi laid-back atmosphere. Schikaneder also offers a semi trashy cinema playing a variety of political documentaries, art-haus films, and supporting various film fests, including The Queer Film Festival arriving in June. You can take drinks and food into the cinema, and even smoke in the cinema, I think. The bar is pretty acceptably priced, but watch out for your bag/purse - thieves are about this night!