Essentially it’s a glorified delicatessen, but there’s a certain magic about the place. We went here on a tip from a German who moved to Austria and even he said it’s “not an everyday kind of restaurant.” Entering the front room, we found a few booth tables, a glass display case with antipasti and a bunch of shelves of canned and bottled goods. We were told there’s a terrace outside in summer, and on a small street overlooking part of the old university and the Franciscan monastery in the old town, it’s one of the more quiet corners of the Old Town.
While the first room really looks like an art-deco deli from the ’20s, in back it’s a bit more formal with little store-room touches, like shelves of retro wooden packing boxes, bottles of various alcohols, etc. It’s does have a romantic atmosphere, very private feel to the place.
Under a sparkling chandelier there are tuna fish tins stacked in front of a champagne crate. This – we found out – is their claim to fame.
They claim their tuna, imported from a tiny manufacturer in Spain is the “world’s best”. They serve is out of the tin with crispy white bread. Besides the antipasti dishes there are warm choices of pork, veal or venison and delicious fresh homemade pasta. They breed their own pigs and therefore the menu has all kinds of pork dishes, from speck to roast. We had a pork cutlet, which was well-prepared, served with delicious black potatoes. For steak lovers this might change your view of pork. The fatty meat is juicy without being chewy and manages to make the meat so classy, you almost forget it’s Austria’s proletariat meat. The fresh pasta we had was delicious, with fresh basil pesto and pickled salmon, it was the best pasta dish we’d had in a while. The wine list is ample, with a good selection of champagnes and other sparkling specialties.
Despite the Word “geheim” (secret) in the name, this place is quite well-known by now and has adjusted prices accordingly (the tuna is € 22!). Also since they rely on their own pigs, there is a limited amount and during dry spell, cutlets are simply not available.
The Verdict: This not-so-secret establishment has high-quality offerings with prices to match, but it’s a nice splurge for a candlelight dinner or a more affordable light snack with wine.
Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 16
2050 Salzburg
+43 (0)699 / 175 018 06
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 22:00
