From Figlmüller and DO & CO to Café Landtmann, Mochi, NENI and Veganista, the airport is positioning itself as a culinary gateway to the city, bringing authentic Viennese and international dining culture directly into the terminal from 2027 onwards.
The presentation took place at Vienna City Hall and underlined the strategic importance of the project for both the airport and the destination. Among those present were Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig, Flughafen Wien CEO Julian Jäger, WienTourismus CEO Norbert Kettner, and numerous representatives of the future restaurant operators as well as airport gastronomy partners SSP Austria and Lagardère Travel Retail Austria.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Vienna Airport’s new Food & Beverage strategy, which will be unveiled for the first time with the expansion of Terminal 3. Together with internationally renowned F&B consultant Jonathan Doughty, Vienna Airport is deliberately breaking with the traditional airport model dominated by global chains. Instead, the focus is on high-quality, authentic Austrian gastronomy as a strategic driver of passenger experience, dwell time and commercial performance. For ACROSS’ audience of retail real estate and placemaking decision-makers, the project offers valuable insights into how infrastructure assets can be repositioned through curated food concepts, clear management structures and a long-term ambition: transforming a highly efficient hub into a five-star airport destination.
The London-based design consultancy Portland Design was also involved in this project, working with the airport to help set the commercial vision and sense of place strategy.
Renderings for the new F&B zone at Vienna International Airport’s Terminal 3 (© Vienna Int. Airport) and photos from the official presentation with Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig, airport CEO Julian Jäger and live cooking demonstrations (© David Bohmann).
A Strong Culinary Statement at the City’s Gateway
With the southern expansion of Terminal 3 scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2027, Vienna Airport will add around 10,000 m² of new gastro and retail space and approximately 30 new restaurants and shops. The focus is clear: instead of relying mainly on international chains, the airport is deliberately showcasing Vienna’s most established and beloved gastronomy brands.
Confirmed restaurant partners include Figlmüller, DO & CO, Café Landtmann, AIDA, Mochi, Tür 7, NENI, BARBARO, Veganista and JuiceFactory. The concepts range from classic Viennese coffeehouse culture and the world-famous schnitzel to Levantine cuisine, Asian fusion, Italian pizza, signature cocktails and vegan ice cream.
Mayor Michael Ludwig emphasized the symbolic role of the airport: as the first and last point of contact for millions of visitors, it will now also deliver an unmistakably Viennese culinary experience. Airport CEO Julian Jäger described the concept as a decisive step towards positioning Vienna Airport as an authentic five-star destination, where food & beverage plays a central role in passenger experience rather than being a secondary service.
The Faces Behind the Concepts
The presentation brought together many of the personalities shaping Vienna’s gastronomic identity. Present were, among others:
- Attila and Marius Dogudan (DO & CO)
- Hans Figlmüller and Thomas Figlmüller (Figlmüller)
- Ferdinand Querfeld (Café Landtmann)
- Dominik Prousek (AIDA)
- Tobi Müller and Sandra Jedliczka, together with Gerhard Summer (Mochi)
- Ilan Molcho (NENI)
- Luigi Barbaro sen., Antonio Barbaro and Luigi Barbaro Jr. (BARBARO)
- Geri Tsai (Tür 7)
- Susanna Paller and Cecilia Havmöller (Veganista)
- Roman Dudeschek (JuiceFactory)
They were joined by Achim Kretzschmar (Managing Director, SSP Austria), Ursula Fürnhammer (CEO, Lagardère Travel Retail Austria), Peter Wagner (Terminal Manager SSP), and representatives from tourism and airport management.
From Schnitzel to Levantine Deli
Each brand brings a clearly defined concept to the new terminal: Figlmüller will operate a full-service restaurant dedicated to its iconic schnitzel; DO & CO will expand with Café Demel, a DO & CO Bar and Henry; Café Landtmann will introduce “Landtmann Daily” in the food court; Mochi will open o.m.k by Mochi; NENI will launch NENI Deli; BARBARO will debut an airport-specific Neapolitan pizza concept; Tür 7 will bring its award-winning cocktail culture to Viennity by Tür 7; while Veganista and JuiceFactory will continue to cater to health-conscious travelers.
Operational responsibility will be shared between SSP Austria and Lagardère Travel Retail Austria, both internationally experienced specialists in airport gastronomy.
Part of a Bigger Strategy
The new food & beverage offer is a key element of Vienna Airport’s €420 million Terminal 3 expansion, which aims to elevate the airport from its current Skytrax 4-star rating to the 5-star league. Beyond new restaurants and shops, the project includes expanded lounges, improved transfer connections, additional bus gates and a new central security checkpoint.
As ACROSS readers will recall, this culinary strategy was already explored in depth in our exclusive interview with Julian Jäger and renowned F&B consultant Jonathan Doughty. In that conversation, they explained why Vienna Airport is deliberately breaking with traditional airport F&B models and instead using curated, local gastronomy as a strategic tool for placemaking, dwell time and commercial performance.
