WEST VILLAGE, MANHATTAN
Wallsé
Viennese schnitzel and Salzburger Nockerl in a West Village dining room hung with Schnabel paintings.
Kurt Gutenbrunner opened Wallsé in 2000 on a quiet West Village corner near the river, and it has been New York's case for Austrian cooking as fine dining ever since: white walls hung with paintings by Julian Schnabel, linen, low light, and a Grüner Veltliner list that rewards curiosity.
The Wiener schnitzel is the order — veal pounded thin, fried until the crust puffs away from the meat, with potato-cucumber salad and lingonberries. Around it: goulash, spätzle, and for dessert Salzburger Nockerl, a soufflé shaped like the snowy hills above Salzburg, or apple strudel. It is a grown-up room, ideal for an occasion.
Editor’s tip
Have the schnitzel even if you think you know schnitzel, and order the Salzburger Nockerl when you sit down — it takes time.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.