Schwirtz is a small family wine bar on Währinger Straße in Vienna's 9th district, directly opposite the Volksoper. The neighbourhood guide Spotted by Locals files it as a cosy wine bar near the opera house, pouring wines and draft beer from local makers. The draw is a low-key Austrian Weinbar for a pre- or post-show glass rather than a destination cellar.
Published March 29, 2026 · By Marcus Webb
The room
The room is small and unfussy, a neighbourhood wine bar of close tables and a short bar that suits a quiet glass over a big night. It reads as a local's bar rather than a polished wine room, run as a family operation. The crowd mixes Alsergrund residents, opera-goers from the Volksoper across the road, and university staff and students from the nearby campuses.
Währinger Straße runs through the 9th district, a tram ride from the centre and a step from the Volksoper. Schwirtz trades on that opera-house footfall, which is why it works as a stop before or after a performance. The setting, opposite one of Vienna's main opera stages, is part of the draw.
What to order
The list leans to Austrian wines from local makers, poured by the glass alongside draft beer and homemade snacks and coffee. Falstaff files it among Vienna's wine bars, a place for a glass and a bite rather than a full meal. The pairing of local wine with simple homemade plates is the order the room is built around. A short board of cheeses and cold cuts rounds out the homemade snacks for a longer sit.
For a first visit a glass of Austrian white with a homemade snack is the easy way in. The local focus rewards asking the family what is open and good. Prices sit in the lower-to-mid range, in line with a neighbourhood Weinbar.
Who it is for
Schwirtz fits an opera-goer after a quiet glass near the Volksoper, an Alsergrund local, and anyone who rates a small family wine bar over a grand cellar. Skip it for a large group or a late cocktail night, since the room is small and the focus is wine and beer. It rewards guests who treat it as a relaxed neighbourhood stop.
Best time to go
The bar opens in the evenings from 5pm, which lines up neatly with the Volksoper's curtain times for a pre- or post-show glass. A quiet weeknight is the calm window for the family's attention. An earlier arrival buys a seat in the small room before the opera crowd.
Performance nights bring an opera-house crowd, so timing a visit around the Volksoper's schedule is the move. A midweek evening without a show is the relaxed alternative. The opera calendar, as much as the wine list, tends to set the room's rhythm.
The detail worth knowing
The location is the detail that sets it apart, since few Vienna wine bars sit directly opposite a major opera house the way Schwirtz does. Spotted by Locals highlights the family-run, neighbourhood feel that keeps it a local's bar rather than a tourist stop. The focus on local makers, in wine and beer alike, is the second half of its identity.
Few 9th-district bars pair an opera-house position with a small family operation this way. The homemade snacks and local pours keep it a neighbourhood fixture rather than a passing trade. It remains a reliable pre-show glass for the Volksoper crowd.
The bottom line
Schwirtz is a small family wine bar opposite the Volksoper in Vienna's 9th district, pouring local Austrian wines and draft beer with homemade snacks. Come on a quiet evening or before a show, take a seat in the small room, and ask what is open. It is a neighbourhood Weinbar rather than a grand cellar, and the local pours are the reason to go.
Keep exploring with our best wine bars in Vienna guide, the full Vienna bar guide, and our edit of wine bars worldwide. Pair Schwirtz with Vinifero, Heunisch & Erben, and Die Vinothek.
