Jola

The kitchen at JOLA begins with vegetables: their origin, season and full potential. Jonathan Wittenbrink works with small producers from Vienna and the surrounding area, using each product from leaf to root. Fermentation, roasted depth and patient preparation give the menu structure, while herbs, grains, mushrooms and roots create changing layers of flavour. The menu follows the seasons, yet no dish returns in the same form, even when an ingredient does. The result is reduced, creative and exact, built around vegetables without making them feel limited.

JOLA also offers cooking courses, giving guests a closer look at the way the team thinks, cooks and builds flavour. These sessions fit naturally with the restaurant’s identity: vegetable-led, precise, creative and focused on ingredients that are often underestimated. For guests who want to understand the method behind the menu, the courses offer a more direct connection with the kitchen. They show how roots, leaves, grains, herbs and mushrooms can become dishes with depth, structure and a clear sense of purpose.

JOLA is located at Salzgries in Vienna’s first district, between Schwedenplatz and Schottenring and only a short walk from the Donaukanal. The neighbourhood belongs to one of the oldest parts of the city, with Ruprechtskirche, Maria am Gestade and the historic textile quarter nearby. By day, the area is shaped by offices and city life; in the evening, it attracts a younger urban crowd. With U1, U2, U4 and tram connections close by, JOLA is easy to reach from across Vienna.

The drinks at JOLA are developed with the same care as the food. The wine list focuses on unfiltered, organically produced wines from small growers, with the team sharing stories about the people behind the bottles rather than leaning on technical language. Alongside the wine pairing, JOLA offers a dedicated non-alcoholic pairing and its own signature pairing. Each one is created in close conversation with the kitchen and follows the structure of the menu, giving the glass its own place in the evening.

Sustainability at JOLA also applies to the people behind the restaurant. Jonathan and Larissa want to show that high-level gastronomy can work in a healthier way for the team, with predictable hours, enough days off and a kitchen that also helps in service. Their clear partnership shapes the house: Jonathan leads the kitchen, while Larissa leads the dining room, drinks and business. They also want to make fine dining more accessible for young professionals and give more visibility to women in hospitality leadership.

In 2025, Jonathan and Larissa opened lara at Passauer Platz, only a short walk from JOLA. The restaurant asks how high-quality vegetable cuisine can reach more people, with dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and brunch on Saturdays. Designed by Christian Knapp, the interior combines clay walls, wood, plants and an open kitchen behind a glass-block bar. The attitude is close to JOLA’s, but the format is more accessible, giving their vegetable-led approach a second expression in Vienna.