From Vienna to Italy to Buenos Aires … around the world, Wiener Schnitzel, Cotoletta alla Milanese or Coteletta a la Milanese is a very popular dish, beloved by those who enjoy traditional recipes which have been passed down from generation to generation. I can’t tell you which restaurants make the best version in the Italian or Spanish-speaking world, but I can tell you where to find the best Weiner Schnitzel in Vienna. Welcome to Figlmüller, where they have perfected the art of making crispy and deliciously satisfying Wiener Schnitzel for more than a century.
Figlmüller restaurant in Vienna, Austria
What is the Figlmüller secret to the perfectly cooked Wiener Schnitzel? After finishing most of my lunch platter … do note the “huge” size of the portion below … and enjoying every bite of the tender, succulent and delicious “Figlmüller schnitzel”, I decided I needed a visit to their kitchen to observe the cooking process firsthand in order to uncover the secret to Figlmüller success.
Wiener Schnitzel platter at Figlmüller restaurant in Vienna, Austria
My first reaction was that the food produced in that very tiny galley kitchen was unbelievably awesome, totally out of proportion in quality to the size of the place where it was prepared. How was that possible? As I watched the kitchen staff in action, I saw that they have a highly efficient schnitzel system managed expertly by cooks who are well trained and totally dedicated to the art of schnitzel cooking. Plus, they use only the finest ingredients, from meat to breadcrumbs. Here is a summary of what I discovered as the essence of the art of Figlmuller schnitzel-making :
*Have all ingredients ready in advance and efficiently located, one beside another.
*Use only the tenderloin cut of pork which will neither curl or puff while being cooked. You can substitute chicken or veal for the pork.
*Cut the tenderloin into 250 gram (approximately 8 ounce) portions and pound each piece until the schnitzel is wafer thin.
Kitchen at Figlmüller restaurant
*Dip the schnitzel successively into flour, egg and a very special breadcrumb coating made from Austrian emperor rolls. These rolls are baked specially for Figlmuller and undoubtedly contribute to the superb crispiness of the the restaurant’s recipe.
*Shake off the excess breadcrumbs and put schnitzel into butter and oil simmering at a medium temperature, then move them into a saute pan with oil maintained at a slightly higher heat, and finally dip them quickly into boiling oil for a quick flash fry to crisp them up. Drain quickly and serve right away. Yes, it is the three pans of oil at three different precise temperatures along with the precision art of number of seconds of cooking per pan which contribute significantly to the Figlmuller difference. I’m sure of it!
Three pan cooking process at Figlmüller restaurant
Enhancing the flavor of the schnitzel and balancing out the meal, Figlmuller serves its superb schnitzel accompanied by a green salad with a light vinaigrette and traditional German/Austrian-style potato salad. Our waiter suggested a dry Austrian Riesling which perfectly accompanied the meal.
Wiener Schnitzel platter at Figlmüller restaurant
My husband savored his Veal Goulash, spätzle and sweet and sour braised red cabbage, accompanied by a Viennese Cabernet Franc, as much as I loved my schnitzel and Reisling.
Veal Goulash with spaetzle at Figlmüller restaurant
The quaint original Figlmüller, which was recommended to us by good friends who lived in Vienna for many years, is located at Wollzeile 5. Given its enormous success, the Figlmuller family has opened a second restaurant nearby. See http://www.figlmueller.at/en/about.html for more info. If you want an authentic traditional Viennese culinary experience, combined with excellent service and old warm charm, I recommend Figlmuller, for lunch or dinner, without hesitation. But — make sure to arrive hungry with a large appetite!
Lynn at Figlmüller restaurant in Vienna, Austria
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Great timing! It’s my last day in Vienna and always ready to same schnitzel. Haven’t had any spaetzel on my journey yet either. So there is a little bit of a choice to make.
I enjoyed reading about how Figlmüller made their schnitzel. Three separate cooking pans – who’d have guessed? The result looks great. Proof that you don’t need a large kitchen to turn out good food.
There’s something about schnitzel! Everyone knows of it and most people love it. It was interesting to read that it is cooked in three different oils. I hope I am in Vienna one day soon to eat at Figlemüller!
Wow, that is a lot of frying but I’m sure so delicious, i’ll have to try this next time I’m in Vienna – one of my favorite cities In Europe.
I adore wiener schnitzel and Vienna! The Figlmuller looks like they’ve got their recipe down pat. I’d love to try that schnitzel with the spaetzle and a liter of Spaten!
We’ve chased Wiener schnitzel all over the world, too, in the form of the ubiquitous “pork tenderloin sandwich,” which has its own website where devotees contribute images and locations. This would be a worthy contender in terms of size and quality.
That looks like a Wiener Schnitzel pie! What fun!
There’s something fun about rolling around the word Schnitzel in your mouth but, after reading your post and seeing your photos, I’d much rather be savoring this dish at Figlmüller’s restaurant. Thanks for the interesting lesson on how this meal is prepared too!
Oh, how I do love weiner schnitzel, and reading about the one you enjoyed at Figlmüller in Vienna has made me salivate! Hope to get there myself soon.
Figlmuller’s wiener schnitzel does looks amazing. We had several schnitzel’s in Vienna, we didn’t have Figlmuller’s but of the ones we enjoyed, Finkh’s was the best.
Boy do I wish I’d read this before my last trip to Vienna! I’m probably the only person in the world who’s been there 3 times and never once had wiener schnitzel that wasn’t rubbery. I’m going to bookmark this post in case I find myself in Vienna again.
Wiener Schnitzel, one of my guilty pleasures when in Central Europe…don’t have it often, but when I do, it better be good. Would love to try the one at Figlmüller for myself!
I won’t share this with my husband who would no doubt express his disappointment that I didn’t research where to find the best Viennese schnitzel before we visited there last year.