Vienna loses cult pub: Hopf Bär finally turns out the light!

Vienna loses cult pub: Hopf Bär finally turns out the light!

Wien-Essling, Österreich - Vienna faces a challenge in the catering industry: two traditional restaurants have recently filed for bankruptcy. The "Zum Hopfbär" in Vienna-Essling and the Indian restaurant "Royal Bombay Palace" in the 16th district are known as a cozy tavern are the latest victims of a continuing crisis that affects many restaurateurs.

The restaurant "Zum Hopfbär" had to stop operating on May 9, 2025. Under the direction of Ingrid Bär, the inn has offered traditional Viennese cuisine since November 2015 and was able to build a loyal regular customer. Despite an online order system that was launched during the Corona pandemic, the economic challenges, especially as a result of personnel bottlenecks and inflation, became too great. On May 9th, bankruptcy was finally announced, and the procedure will take place at the Vienna Commerce Court. By July 22, 2025, creditors have time to register their claims before a creditor meeting is convened on August 5, 2025. However, Ingrid Bär stays in the shop and continues to operate the “town hall host” country inn in Leopoldsdorf in Marchfelde. The closure of the "Hopfbär" illustrates the difficulties that many restaurants face in Vienna. Kosmo reports on the precarious location.

Another restaurant closes

On May 15, 2025, the bankruptcy of the "Royal Bombay Palace" was announced by the KSV (KSV). The restaurant, known for its authentic North Indian cuisine, is now forced to close its doors. It was opened in 2019 and, like many other companies, needed support to survive economically. 15 employees are affected by the closure. Despite popularity, the income could not be high enough to secure the company in the long run. The main reasons for bankruptcy are the increased operating costs and the late consequences of Corona pandemic. Creditors can bring in their demands by July 2, 2025, which further illustrates the needs of the restaurant. Bankruptcy ticker describes the problematic circumstances of this bankruptcy.

crisis in gastronomy

The closures of the "Zum Hopfbär" and the "Royal Bombay Palace" are part of a larger trend. In 2023, every tenth gastronomy company closed, which has a total of around 48,000 companies since 2020. The number of bankruptcies in gastronomy almost doubled in the first quarter of 2025, especially small and medium -sized companies are affected. The industry is struggling with the consequences of Corona pandemic and increasing living expenses, while the sales tax increase on food to 19 percent has further tightened the situation since January 2024. This led to a decline in real sales and earnings by almost 13 percent in 2023. Tagesschau offers a comprehensive overview of the precarious location of the gastronomy.

While the gastronomy is still under enormous pressure, other bankruptcies are already emerging, and experts expect another wave of closure. Numerous entrepreneurs must fear for their existence, and the problems seem to be going to be in the coming years.