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Food + Drink

Vienna's Vegetarian Sensation: TIAN

Located within the crooked streets of Vienna’s Innere Stadt, TIAN serves up the world’s most avant-garde vegetarian cuisine from one of Europe’s most classic capitals.

Chef Paul Ivić’s meat-free dishes represent a dining revolution – not only because of the kitchen’s groundbreaking techniques but also thanks to the depth of flavour.


The Lowdown 

TIAN is a mecca for sustainable eating. It’s one of the only restaurants in the world with a vegetarian tasting menu at this level; making vegetarian food so delicious that meat becomes a distant memory.

TIAN’s sweeping dining room has high arched ceilings and elegant, operatic touches that fit right in with Vienna’s vibe. Friendly staff and playful dishes keep things relatable amidst Michelin star and four Gault-Millau toques. This is a place that is worth catching a plane for, both when it comes to food, but also for one of the most interesting natural wine lists in the world.


What To Order

In the world of fine dining, there is a lot of hype. Paul Ivić, however, doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. A philosophy of root-to-leaf eating informs every single dish on the eight-course tasting menu. Ivić strolls between the rows of special, heritage varieties of local vegetables grown by TIAN’s partner farms, choosing them at their peak flavour and using every single piece: from root to leaf.

The leap from the farm to the table here is made with astounding technical prowess, as seen in a seemingly simple plate, the radicchio rosa. The domed leaf of radicchio has been blanched in vinegar water and confit, then filled with pickled and caramelised salsify and radicchio jam, all of it topped with a koji oil-marinated kale leaf.

The best way to proceed here is to order the tasting menu and drink pairings, and simply sit back and enjoy. One of the wonderful things about this restaurant is that the diner can choose between enjoying the dishes merely for how amazing they taste, or they can engage intellectually with the incredible process behind each dish. Take the Jerusalem artichoke for example. Upon further investigation, servers explain the soup is a strong stock of red onions and Jerusalem artichokes which has been pressed, frozen, and freeze-clarified, increasing its intensity. Served with a tartar of the same Jerusalem artichoke – pickled, and marinated in beet syrup – as well as artichoke peel powder, purée, and slow confit chips, the dish is a marvel of modern cooking. Or just a simply delicious bite, depending on how the diner chooses to experience it.

TIAN boasts one of the best natural wine lists in the world, served by the incredibly passionate sommelier, André Drechsel. Just as exciting is the non-alcoholic drink pairing, which is worth ordering along with the wine as it features absolute rarities such as smreka, a fermented drink from rural Bosnia, made in-house with larch top shrub and reduced fermented birch water.

There is no low point, and dessert is no exception. Unexpected produce makes its appearance in the form of kale cream, blueberry leaves, fermented brussel sprouts, and pickled rhubarb. All of it excellent.


Who To Bring

While the trappings all indicate fine dining, the service is welcoming to all – so much so this place feels perfect for a date night or a family get together.


The Dress Code

Smart casual. Jackets and high heels are not de rigueur at TIAN, but you’ll find the local Viennese crowd more often dressing up than down.

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