One of the scariest things that meets you while studying abroad is that moment when you realize you have to feed yourself, but the cupboards are bare, and you have no idea where to even start. It can be even scarier when you're facing a language you have limited knowledge in, you don't recognize the supermarkets or the brands, or you have a dietary preference. As a vegetarian who came to Vienna completely blind in the German language, grocery shopping seemed very intimidating. But Viennese markets are nothing to fear! Together we'll explore some of my essentials, their prices, and some helpful tips and suggestions for navigating the Viennese grocery store.
What are Grocery Stores Like in Vienna?
Compared to the United States, Viennese grocery stores can be very intimidating. Often, the grocery stores are very small. It's not uncommon to have to go to a couple of different grocery stores or supermarkets to find exactly what you need. Thankfully, they are aplenty, and there's varying sizes of store depending on the store brand (SPAR, for instance, has "INTERSPAR" and "EUROSPAR" store varieties).
Something to look out for and be aware of is the infamous checkout ("Kasse"). In Vienna, the salespeople ("Verkäufer") do not mess around. Once your items are being scanned, you have to be prepared to grab them and pack them as quickly as possible. That's a bit of an exaggeration - yes, the salespeople are fast, but they are not impatient. While you can buy a paper bag or tote at the checkout, I highly recommend bringing your own bag! This is also useful for walking through the store instead of relying on a cart or basket. This helps me keep track of everything I'm buying without going overboard, and makes checkout much faster and easier.
IMPORTANT: The Viennese value work-life balance! What does this mean for you? Sunday grocery shopping is a NO-GO. Just about everything will be closed on Sunday. This also means Saturday markets are usually super busy! I recommend setting aside some time during your week to stock up on groceries. Though, I've done many a Saturday grocery run, and it's really not so bad. It comes down to preference and time!
Which Store is Right For Me?
In Vienna, there are a good number of grocery store and supermarket options. Here's what I've learned about some of my favorites.
- Hofer
Hofer is the go-to. The prices are cheap, and the selection is generally reliable, especially for basics and essentials. Hofer, by the way, is Austria's version of Aldi's in the United States! The quality has yet to fail me, and I know I can always rely on a Hofer when I need something quick, when I need to restock any essentials, and when I'm hankering to try a new variation on an old favorite. - Billa
Billa is Hofer's more expensive cousin. However, it has some great advantages. Hofer stores are usually pretty small. Billa stores tend to be bigger, and have the advantage of a much wider variety. Be careful with Billa, as their prices tend to fluctuate often. Still, reliable with great variety. - SPAR (etc.)
SPAR is Billa's less expensive cousin! SPAR has great variety and lower prices, but can get confusing if you don't know which market to look out for. Regular SPAR is standard size, and can be rather small. You're likely to find these in nearby neighborhoods. EUROSPAR is closer to the American supermarket, and has more variety. INTERSPAR is one of those special occasion supermarkets (to me). INTERSPARs have way more than just groceries, and can include some great variety, as well as some big prices. I highly recommend exploring an INTERSPAR for the purpose of seeing it, exploring it, and maybe finding a very specific grocery item, but it is definitely not ideal for daily groceries.
Grocery Essentials
Produce
We're starting off my grocery essentials strong with the classic produce section. I tend to be a very lazy cook, and easily forget about my soon-to-be-expired goods. For this reason, I keep produce simple: some vegetables to easily throw into a pasta or main dish and some fruits to enjoy throughout the week. My recent favorites have been mushrooms, spinach, pears, and bananas. Mushrooms are great to fry up and throw in a stir fry or even a sandwich. Spinach is great to add to the last few minutes of a pasta's boiling water and add some nice healthy vitamins to an otherwise starchy dish. Pears just happen to be my favorite fruit - great for snacking on the go, and (objectively) better than apples. Bananas are about the same, but also go great as a snack with some peanut butter (which, yes, you can find here, if you look)!
Of course, you'll absolutely need some onions and garlic. The two easiest, most staple flavor-boosters you can have. These are the two things I find myself most willing to cut and fry up, even on my laziest cooking days.
Pantry Staples
Of course, cooking is no good without some essentials. A big thing of oil may be the single most expensive grocery you buy, but it'll last you, and makes frying and cooking that much easier. No grocery trip is complete without bread - I recommend the cheapest loaf you can find for simple toasts and sandwiches, and exploring local bakeries for loaves of sourdough and the such.
As for dairy and dairy alternatives, a cheap butter suffices as a good butter for toasts, pastas, and frying. Milk is something I find myself really only using for breakfasts, but finding your favorite milk or milk alternative is a must. I personally can vouch for the Hofer oat milk ("Hafermilch"). It's smooth, tasty, and simple, without the effects of a standard milk! Cheese comes down to preference. I rarely find myself grating up a block of cheese, but cheese slices are a great, simple addition to easy sandwiches. I like the high protein cheese slices ("Käsescheiben") for an easy protein boost.
Not included here are spices, which are very cheap at Hofer (often less than 1 Euro each!), but spice also comes down to preference. My Main 4 (as I call them, since they show up in every dish without fail) have been salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic powder. Simple, cheap, gets the job done (mostly).
Main Dishes
I am not exaggerating when I say I have been living off of easy pastas during my time abroad. Pasta is just such a classic, versatile dish - the perfect base for whatever you can think up for the day. For this reason, my essentials list includes... a lot of pasta. One of my favorites is cacciatore, or thumbprint pasta, especially because this particular dough is flavored three ways! I also love a gnocchi and tortellini for a beautiful stuffed pasta. For an Austrian flair, spinach dumpling noodles ("Spinatspätzle") have been a recent favorite. Perfect with some butter and cheese for a fun, but still healthy-ish dish.
I eat more than just pasta, of course. Not much more, but definitely more. One of the quickest and simplest recent finds have been soup packets. For a fun touch, I love the ABC soups! For more sustenance, a tofu is necessary. I highly recommend firm, as it's the easiest to prepare. I love throwing a block of tofu in the freezer to get it even firmer, defrosting it in the fridge the day before preparation, and frying it up with some rice and sauce for a fun, delicious, meatless dish. Hofer, Billa, and SPAR all have great meat alternatives that I also highly recommend!
For breakfasts, my newfound favorite has been the wonderful Müsli! Preparing it like cereal with a bit of milk (and maybe some cinnamon and honey) is the perfect start to my morning. I cannot recommend Müsli enough.
Quick and Easy
No, you won't always have the time, energy, or motivation to prepare a good meal for yourself. I have been there (often), and I wanted to include my own favorite quick cup meals! Asia Green Garden makes a great (vegan!) ramen cup with good variety. My personal favorite is the sweet chili flavor ("Mit süssem Chiligeschmack"). It has yet to disappoint! Le Gusto is also a good brand for some easy cup meals, like their fun shaped noodles in tomato sauce ("Nudeln Tomatensauce").
Sweet Treats and Snacks
A cupboard is never filled without snacks and sweet things. A salty one I like is the twisted sticks, but they can be controversial. I actually recommend finding a local Asian market (there are so many!) to find some new and interesting chip flavors.
As for sweet treats, me and my apartment go through them like crazy. The communal sweet snacks I usually get include these knockoff Biscoff caramel cookies and these cranberry oat flake biscuits for a slightly healthier alternative.
Other
For someone who makes a lot of pasta, red sauce isn't really my favorite. Instead, I'd recommend a pesto! They're a fun and tasty addition to any pasta dish, especially when red sauce gets tired. Another new and dearly loved sauce I've discovered recently is Ajvar. Ajvar is a rich, hearty sauce with a base of eggplant and paprika. I cannot emphasize enough just how unique and delightful this sauce is, especially to amplify a simple pasta. I highly recommend trying some Ajvar if you have the chance!
While I don't drink coffee, I love to start my mornings with a nice hot cup of tea. I recommend finding a good favorite drink to start your day with too! My personal favorite has been this Green Tea with Vanilla ("Grüner Tee Vanille").
While everything thus far has come from Hofer, my last essential actually comes from a classic drugstore. The two main drugstores you'll come across in Vienna are dm drogerie-markt and BIPA. In my opinion, dm is to Hofer as BIPA is to Billa or SPAR. BIPA has a lot more variety, but dm's stock is nothing to laugh at, and the prices are ridiculously good. Traveling and using public transportation can really hit your immune system if your body isn't used to it. For this reason, I cannot recommend enough: the simple and humble multivitamin.
And of course, who can forget...
Peanut butter ("Erdnussbutter")! Yes, you can find it here. It's not as popular as it is in the United States, so there's less variety and it seems to be tucked away in the spreads section. But, of course, if peanut butter is an essential for you, there's nothing to worry about; Vienna has your back.
Essentials Cost
For every item listed here, the grand total comes out to...
€56,16 (or, in USD, $64.16)!
That's a lot of bang for your buck!
Final Tip
My final piece of advice is to try out the app Too Good to Go. I started using it in Vienna, and since the city is so large and many shops aim to be sustainable, Too Good to Go is a great service that can make a great impact! The premise is this: stores will have offers for food leftover from the day to be bought at a highly discounted price so as to avoid food waste. I love to try some new breads from local bakeries this way, get a fruit-and-vegetable surprise bag to keep something fresh in my pantry, or even catch a really good deal! For instance, my favorite use of Too Good to Go recently was a great deal from a local ceramics and coffee shop, Maison le Ciel. For just €4,49 I got 2 delectable Biscoff Matcha Lattes, which I shared with my dear friend for getting me out of my apartment that day. While most of the food on Too Good to Go is a surprise bag (but, don't worry, often specified with what type of food you'll get, and ways to know if the bag will be vegetarian/vegan), there are some really good, more specific deals on there. I cannot recommend Too Good to Go enough as the perfect way to restock on some pantry staples, try some new foods, and help prevent food waste!
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Riley Dunbar
I am a composer who is always looking around me for my next inspiration. I love to find love all around me and share it with whoever I can. The world inspires me to write, draw, and perform; I hope the way I see it and portray it can inspire you too!
