Lunchtime at the Naschmarkt in Vienna

Experiencing the food, and especially food markets, in other countries has got to be one of the best things about travel.  It tells you so much about the people — their tastes, what they value, their priorities, their daily lives. We always make a beeline for any market we come across. And if it happens to be lunchtime, as it was when we went to the Naschmarkt in Vienna, all is right with the world.

The Naschmarkt is different from many of the markets we’ve visited in Europe. In addition to all the meat stalls, produce stands, and take-away counters, it is filled with dine-in restaurants that are clearly a draw for locals on their lunch hour and tourists looking for a little people watching and a place to rest their feet.

The two-block-long market has double rows of stalls and shops that sell products from pretty much everywhere.  We saw Hungarian, Russian, Indian, and Vietnamese products, along with food and wine from all over Western Europe.

After browsing through the shops, we made a quick stop for lunch at Tokori, a pan-Asian restaurant (the sign outside says Asia Time) in the market. We indulged in spring rolls, California maki rolls and cashew chicken, along with the predictable (and awesome) glass of Austrian Gruner Veltliner.  A pretty great way to spend an afternoon.