Reason #132 to Love Vienna

The Naschmarkt. In the running for My favorite place in Vienna. More than three long blocks of farmers' markets and eateries.

One aisle is all cafés. Plenty of outdoor seating. Great people watching spot.

There is no better place to sit and read the paper over a cup of coffee in the morning, but the place also bustles at lunchtime and comes alive at night with a chilled-out, dj-spinning, beautiful-people vibe. With a range of options from Asian to Turkish to Austrian cuisines, it's impossible to get bored. There are fancy seafood restaurants next to take-away kabob windows. Wine pubs, schnitzel shops and the best hummus I've ever tasted.

And if that's not enough for you, feast your eyes on this...

...this...

...and this...

I mean, seriously, there are acres of fresh produce here...

...and these are just the fruits I'm showing you!!

Wanna make a salad with some of your fresh greens? You might want to stop at the vinegar shop. Look at all those flavors!! Makes the mouth water, doesn't it?

There are nuts and dried fruit and these little cones of sweets that look like semi-precious stones. What's that? You're more of a savory type?

No worries. Roasted sweet peppers filled with sheep's cheese? Yeah, they got that. Kalamata olives stuffed with garlic? Uh-huh. Prosciutto wrapped figs stuffed with almonds? Yup.

The Naschmarkt has fresh, handmade pastas...

...a great selection of cured meats, fresh meats from the butcher a few counters down...

...and every spice, herb and seasoning known to man.

From the mundane to the exotic, this place is a hausfrau's dream. And we haven't even covered the fresh baked breads and the flower stalls! But alas, I think I have used my weekly quota of the word "fresh" in this post so I will leave you with one thought...

This hausfrau is going to the Naschmarkt for breakfast & a shop tomorrow morning.

-k.