If one asks for the main attraction in Simmering, the 11th district of Vienna, most people will answer “the central cemetery.” When pushed, a few may add, “it’s on the way to the airport.” Truly, of all the districts, the 11th is among the least interesting ones. Nevertheless, it is turning to be a reasonably good place to eat and to drink, as my three Brettljausen there demonstrate.
Weinschenke Pfeiffer is located close to the train and underground station (which is, officially or not, the center of the district), on a busy and unexciting street. If the door leading to the garden is closed, the restaurant looks like one of many “locals-only” places, i.e. very uninviting. Once inside, however, one finds oneself in a small but cozy courtyard, which is clean, quiet and full of locals. The nice type of locals.
The Heurigerplatte, though not winning any prizes for creativity, is well presented, big, varied and very cheap. Not all the ingredients may be top quality, but the Speck, Geselchtes and Schweinsbraten are actually just as good – if not tastier – than what one would get in nobler establishments. The other ingredients are far from being poisonous, of course – they are just not tasty enough to remember.
Unfortunately for a wine house, the house wine of Pfeiffer was rather poor, tasting watery and slightly acidic. Taking a bottled wine would have been a better idea, but beer was available, too, and was actually the preferable choice for such a huge Brettljause.
I left the Weinschenke very full and quite satisfied. Whether I am going to come back soon remains an open question.
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