A Twice-a-Year Heuriger

Historically, Heurige – with the exception of a very few touristy places that should not be called Heurige anyway – are not open continuously, but according to their own schedules, such as two weeks per month or one month per quarter. The schedule of Heiss Keller is one of the strangest I have ever seen: its doors are open twice a year only, for six days in total. At other times, it can be reserved as an event location, and considering how nice it looks, it is not surprising to read reviews praising the Keller for perfectly hosted weddings.

Heiss Keller does not have wine of its own production – at least I could not spot one on the menu – but serves wines of other local producers. The food offering is unusual: in addition to different cold cuts platters and sandwiches, there are a couple of hot dishes and creative stuff like cold marinated beef. Looking at the photos of previous visitors, I think the menu changes often. The Kellerjause that I took contained Schweinbraten, Speck, some sort of ham, liver paté (surprisingly edible), cheese cut into little cubes and an herb spread. All the ingredients tasted very fresh, but the portions were relatively small, so if you come hungry, consider taking a dessert or even a second dish. If I had to choose the best part of the Jause, it would probably be the cheese, though not for its own taste (which was pretty boring) but the excellent jam that I could dip it into. The restaurant offers a separate cheese plate, too, and frankly, I found it tastier than the Kellerjause.

Compared to more traditional Heurige, Heiss Keller is rather costly, but the relaxed atmosphere and attentive service are well worth the money. When sitting in the garden, one can even observe ground squirrels running happily on the nearby lawn, and that feature alone makes me recommend Heiss wholeheartedly.