Moving from the futuristic heights of Hong Kong to the classic grandeur of Vienna, Samuel Wilkes’ Asian-inspired cuisine has travelled with him to his new home and restaurant, Aï, shaking up the capital’s glitzy Golden Quarter. Here, the global chef dishes out his foodie first impressions

The authentic eaterie
When I did my bakery exam 18 or so years ago, my final exam was to make the Sachertorte, a classic Viennese cake (below) created by the Hotel Sacher back in 1832. It was interesting for me to finally see the home of this recipe, and the hotel is by far the best place to enjoy the original experience – just make sure you try its delicious schnitzel first.

Lunch spot for taking care of business
Whether it’s business or breaking up a day of sightseeing, Zum Schwarzen Kameel (pictured page top) is the place to go. Almost 400 years old, it’s one of the oldest cafes in Vienna and famous for its exquisite display of open sandwiches.

The best grab-and-go snack
After work, our team tends to find itself at Zum Goldenen Würstel (The Golden Sausage) in Stephansplatz Square. Here you must have the kasekrainer (cheese sausage) and a Wieselburger beer for the quintessentially Viennese experience.

Where to impress on a date
I’d head to Fabios (below), a high-end Italian in the First District. I’d consider it the other restaurant in the area on a similar level to what we’re doing here at Aï, except its focus is on Italian and ours is on Asian. It has one of the best bars in Vienna and my favourite sea bass dish.

Coffee worth travelling for
The coffee is amazing in this town, but my favourite is definitely at Cafe-Restaurant Schloß Belvedere near my house. It’s the cafe inside the Belvedere Museum, home to Klimt’s The Kiss – a great place to sample a classic Viennese coffee and soak up some word-class art.

Dining experience worth leaving town for
An amazing destination restaurant near Vienna would be Taubenkobel (below), well worth the one-hour drive from Vienna. It’s attached to a great boutique hotel where you can spend the night, and is a great way to see a bit of the Austrian countryside.

A great place for a post-dinner drink
With no sign outside, no Facebook and no photos, X-club (Wollzeile 16, 1010 Wien) is a very well-kept secret, and you can only enter if you have one of the 500 golden keys that were distributed before it opened. If you want to get in, maybe ask the punters in Krypt if anyone knows how – this cellar bar is equally as artistic with an amazing cucumber matcha cocktail, but luckily you don’t need a key to get in.

As told to Hannah Ralph

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This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Travel Tips