If you’ve just moved to Vienna, you probably know the sinking feeling of discovering an empty bag of toilet paper on Sundays, or the annoyance of missing a vital ingredient for your lunch menu. Fear not: You can still go shopping on Sundays in Vienna since many groceries are available on any given Sunday (or public holiday) if you know where to look – as are flowers, coffee and baked goods to go.
Even though the law insists most shops stay closed on Sundays, exceptions prove the rule; some groceries, souvenir shops, confectioners, and stores at the central train stations and the airport are allowed to open. And those living further from commuter hubs should remember that many bakeries stay open on Sundays, and some – especially so-called “Turkish bakeries” often carry a vast array of non-bakery products, from fresh produce to dried goods, meat and dairy.
The Necessities
Groceries and convenience stores:
If you have run out of bread, beer, toilet paper or other essentials, head for the big supermarkets at major train stations – just be prepared to for sometimes punishingly long lines. Also, some products are not allowed to be sold on Sundays, such as cleaning products.
Supermarkets at Train and U-Bahn Stations
Billa at Praterstern
Sun 6:00-22:00
Praterstern, 1020 Wien
Interspar Pronto at Hauptbahnhof
Sun 6:00-23:00
Wien Südbahnhof, Am Hbf 1, 1100 Wien
U3 Supermarket at Westbahnhof
Sun 07:00-12:00
Westbahnhof, 1070 Vienna
Stores at the airport and the General Hospital (AKH) are also open, as are Interspar at Landstraßer Hauptstraße, SPAR Express at Grenzackerstraße and the OKAY Markt at Schottentor. Alternatively, convenience stores attached to gas stations are usually less busy and also carry many staples.
Bakeries:
Most of the larger chain bakeries in Vienna (Ströck, Anker, Der Mann, Felber) have locations in every district open on Sundays, usually until 15:00. Before you head out, check their websites to find the most suitable spots and their exact opening hours. In addition to bread and other baked goods, many standard bakeries also carry milk products as well as a narrow selection of cheese and cold cuts.
In the 3rd district, Ströck has a lovely location that also serves Sunday brunch. For those who crave a long breakfast in a restaurant, most brunch spots are open on Sundays. Many Konditorei (confectioners) in the city are also open, including Aida and Oberlaa. These are the places to go to satisfy your sweet tooth with a quick dessert or maybe a dozen Krapfen (jelly doughnuts) – and you can order desserts to go, of course. Need an emergency birthday cake? Most of these shops will sell you candles, too.
Other Bakery-Markets
Do check your neighborhood for a local so-called “Turkish bakery” – which might not be Turkish at all. In addition to delicious sweet and savory baked goods – everything from cookies to börek to fancy birthday cakes or sandwiches-to-go – many also have a nearly full range of other groceries. These shops often have longer opening hours than regular supermarkets, too, on any day of the week. Some may sell beer, wine and spirits; others may not.
Here are just a few:
Güler Supermarkt
Ullmannstraße 67, 1150 Wien
Sun: 9:00 – 19:00
INCI Market
Wiedner Hauptstraße 124, 1050 Wien
Sun: 7:15 – 21:00
Tat Bäckerei
Pilgramgasse 9, 1050 Wien
Sun: 8:00 – 21:00
MISO Supermarkt
Reinprechtsdorferstraße 13, 1050 Wien
Sun: 9:00 – 20:00
Wine:
If the dinky selection at other open-on-Sunday shops won’t sate your oenophile spirit, the branches of Wein & Co on Stephansplatz, Schottentor, and Naschmarkt are open on Sundays.
Last-minute Gifts
Museum shops:
The museums are open, including their shops. A decent array of offerings is available, from silk scarves to coffee cups with a dinosaur skull that says “my mom thinks I’m cute” (in German, of course).
If you have to purchase a last-minute gift, Mumok and MQ Point will have the largest selection of accessories, homewares, art books, and oddities. Several small shops in the MuseumsQuartier provide everything from video games, to comic and fine art books, to fashionable accessories.
Books:
The Thalia at Wien Mitte – or part of it – is open on Sundays and has a large selection of English books and a small selection of French and Spanish books, as well as a large toy section in the children’s area makes the issue of forgotten birthday gifts disappear. Gifts are available in the store, but the arts and craft section is closed. Thalia branches at the Hauptbahnhof and Westbahnhof are also open, but their selection of English books is much smaller.
