16.01.2025

Bouvier – Paris and New York in one bistro

„In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.“- Julia Child, Bouvier

Some time ago a new hotel, The Hoxton, opened its doors in Vienna and with it a new restaurant called Bouvier had opened. Located on the edge of the heart of Vienna, right next to the city park (Stadtpark). The location is quiet, perfectly connected whether by car or public transport and you are right in the city. Wonderful!

The restaurant is on the ground floor of the hotel complex. If you are visiting the Bouvier for the first time, you will have to look for it a bit at first, as the signe is very discreet. Here is a brief description: First, enter the hotel, go through the lobby to the reception desk and turn right. There you will see the restaurant’s address in classic black lettering. Now that you know it, you can’t miss it.

The concept

The name Bouvier comes from French and means something like cattle herder & is also a breed of dog. Therefore, it was very clever of the marketing team to use the dog as the logo for the restaurant. I don’t know if you can bring your dog with you, but I think so. Personally, I think it’s great when the name of a restaurant has more meaning than just a name. It gives the whole thing a personal character. And then you associate the local with this term. Believe me, it stays in the back of your mind.

“ … mix of New York cuisine with European …“

The concept or idea of the Bouvier is to mix New York cuisine with European cuisine and thus create a harmonious fusion. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything yet – the emphasis is on yet – about New York cuisine. But I think that you can really feel the French influence. The dishes are light and refreshing. The presentation and the portion sizes are just right. With the whole interior design, you really feel almost like you’re in France.

The design

“ It reminds me a bit of a french bistro…“

The interior of the Bouvier impresses with a successful combination of modern design and classic elegance. Warm colors, fine materials and subtle lighting create an inviting atmosphere that invites you to linger. It reminds me a bit of a French bistro like in Paris. (watch my blog post about Paris > Link), I find the combination of the burgundy red and the delicate rose tones very tasteful. The matching marble and the subtle pictures make the room seem more cozy. The attention to detail can also be seen. Tasteful upholstery in fine materials and a touch of a different color. In this case it was a dark blue. A really nice accent to the red & pink.

Since it is winter right now, I can’t say much about the terrace outside. But I have seen it in pictures and can only say that it also looks very tasteful and cozy. I think I will definitely visit the Bouvier again when it is a bit warmer outside to see it all in person.

The food

Let’s get to the most important thing: the food! I have to say that I probably should have done more research on what the restaurant was offering at whichh time. I was there at 1pm on a Sunday, so I automatically thought of lunch. But the Bouvier restaurant offers brunch on the weekend between 11am-4pm. But luckily they have a good selection of different dishes, so you can enjoy more than just the classic breakfast. For this reason, I opted for a Caesar salad. Consisting of romain lettuce, pine nuts, alpine cheese, cruotons and chicken. The other dish I tried was the avocado toast. This consisted of smashed avocado with basil and espelette, on sourdough bread.

The main courses were tasty and beautifully presented. I attach a lot of importance to presentation. After all, you eat with your eyes. To drink, I ordered a cappuccino and a basil smash spritz. Refreshing and invigorating. Personally, I think that the Bouvier has adapted very much to Viennese cuisine and customs. A third of the menu was made up of sweet delicacies. Whether it was croissants, pancakes, yogurt with granules or various fruits, everything was there. And since there is such a generous selection, it hopefully goes without saying that I had to order a croissant. As a sweet crowning glory to a successful lunch.

my summary

In summary, I can say that I liked the Bouvier. It is part of the revolution of new restaurants in Vienna with a good concept, the right aesthetics and the dishes. It’s all about the atmosphere and that, at least for me, creates a calming feeling. You look forward to the visit and the experience. And I think that’s why we Viennese like to eat out so much. Don’t you agree?

I can’t say anything negative about the food or the service. I was satisfied. What I mentioned earlier is that I should have done more research on when the Bouvier serves which dishes. But at least I know now. So always do some research beforehand if you want to go somewhere in the future.