The story
Collina am Berg in Vienna offers a grounded take on modern Austrian cuisine, balancing familiar Central European traditions with carefully chosen international accents. Chef Oskar Kastowsky steers the kitchen toward ingredients with clear origins, drawing heavily from Austrian wild game and seasonal produce sourced locally. The culinary approach rejects unnecessary complexity in favor of honest preparation, letting the natural character of each component guide the final plate. This commitment to straightforward excellence recently earned the venue a solid 12.5 rating from Gault&Millau.
The menu builds around reliable signatures rather than fleeting trends. A dark, crispy porchetta remains the house anchor, paired with soft polenta and a fresh green herb pesto. Game proteins appear frequently, such as the venison stroganoff finished with eierchwammerl mushrooms and thin tagliatelle. Brighter profiles emerge through preparations like Amur carp on lentils or veal sweetbread dressed with kimchi beurre blanc. This approach keeps contemporary Austrian cooking grounded in ingredient quality rather than gimmick.
The Spittelberg location operates with a relaxed weekday cadence that shifts into focused evening service from Monday through Saturday. Guests arriving between noon and three enjoy a dedicated Sunday roast, which sets a comfortable tone for the rest of the week. The space itself embraces an unpretentious urban aesthetic, prioritizing conversation and steady pacing over theatrical presentation. This measured environment allows the food to speak clearly, reflecting a broader shift in Viennese dining toward transparent, ingredient-led Austrian gastronomy.
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Located in the heart of the Spittelberg district, Collina offers exactly what one expects from modern urban gastronomy – and even a little more. The veal sweetbread with fried kale, sharply seared chicory, crispy breading, and kimchi beurre blanc impresses with its bold use of heat. A ceviche marinated in leche de tigre is served with puffed rice on sweet potato purée – again featuring a distinctive spiciness, kept just within bounds. The Amur carp on lentil sauce with potato purée, the already familiar kale, and onion is flawless, while a dark-crisp roasted porchetta with polenta and green oven herbs in pesto style rightfully earns its place as the house signature dish. The pastry offerings complement the menu perfectly, and the wine list is modern, urban, and high-end, though surprisingly limited in selection. Address: Spittelberggasse 12, 1070 Vienna, Austria Contact: 01 7153281 | office@collina.wien https://www.collina.wien/ Opening Hours: Tue–Sat 17:00–24:00 Team: Oskar Kastowsky, Chef
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