The Story Behind The Fantastic Pizzeria Vesuvio Da Mario In Vienna | Trip101

The Story Behind The Fantastic Pizzeria Vesuvio Da Mario In Vienna | Trip101

I remember walking into this restaurant with my wife, just down Arnsteingasse from our B&B, on a rainy day in September 1990 and being greeted by "Mario." The stereotypical Italian waiters' slicked-down black hair and impressive mustache framed an unmistakable subcontinental visage. Mario? Mohandas, more like. But the service was friendly, and the wood-fired brick oven pizza was good, a memorable experience on a rainy Vienna afternoon. The owners, Surjeet and Usha Saini (aka Mario and Maria), retired at the end of October 2017 after nearly 30 years in business; none of their four children wanted to take it over. The Sainis also taught ayurvedic cooking and served ayurvedic brunches at their pizzeria.

(Found our Vienna hostess: Hedwig Gally at No. 25 Arnsteingasse. The building, which appears to have been significantly upgraded, is now the Gally Apartments.)