The taste of France in Vienna – butter-free!

Breakfast pastries, cookies, macarons and cakes – all without the slightest trace of egg, milk or butter: This was the dream of the two creative pastry chefs behind patisserie Chez Fritz in Vienna’s Servitenviertel district. Their new shop offers vegan delicacies that are more than a match for traditional pastries.

If you’ve ever tucked into a delectable croissant or a cream-filled macaron, you know all about the magic of French baking. At their new patisserie Chez Fritz, Isabella Hofmann and Arik Mähr prove that the same exquisite results can be achieved without using animal products. Located in the Servitenviertel district, often lovingly referred to as the “Little Paris” of Vienna, their bakery shop fills a gap: “We found vegan sweet treats hard to find in Vienna,” say the founders. "We wanted to do what we could to put that right.”

Chez Fritz opened up at just the right time. The demand for vegan alternatives is growing constantly. Thanks to its vibrant foodie scene and diners who appreciate plant-based cuisine, Vienna has evolved into something of a European hotspot for vegans. Vegan food is also trending globally: The global market for vegan food was estimated at around 16 billion US dollars in 2022 and is expected to continue growing at an annual rate of almost 11% up until 2030. Keen to make the most of these optimal market conditions, the founders of Chez Fritz launched their first bakery in Servitengasse with support from the Vienna Business Agency. 

While eggs, butter and cream are used to create airy textures and firm doughs in traditional pastries, Chez Fritz uses purely plant-based products. “The trick is to replace animal ingredients with plant-based alternatives without negatively affecting the flavour, texture or appearance of the baked goods,” explains Isabella. Through their company, the founders also strive to protect the animals and the climate. “There are all sorts of ways to lead an ethically and environmentally responsible life – veganism is just one of them,” says Arik. “We hope our sweet creations will show people that indulgence and sustainability don’t have to be mutually exclusive.” 

Refining vegan recipes so that they can compete with the high quality of traditional patisserie is time-consuming and requires a lot of trial and error. With painstaking attention to detail, the pastry chefs have perfected their products over the years. “In terms of taste, our sweet treats are more than a match for traditional pastries – in fact, they may even surpass it,” says Isabella, quelling any doubts that butter lovers may have. And this is not the only ingredient in Chez Fritz’s recipe for success: the enterprise is also shaped by the Austrian art of making fine pastries and confectionery.  “We are committed to honouring the tradition of creating high-quality pastries by hand,” says Arik. “All of our products are baked fresh every day, and, as far as possible, we produce ingredients such as nut pastes and chocolate ourselves.” 

The idea of running a fancy patisserie came to both future pastry chefs when they were still quite young. For a while, they did not pay it much heed: Isabella decided to pursue a legal career, while Arik spent many years working in adult education. What began as a passion for baking in their own kitchen turned into something more serious after Isabella completed her master’s certificate in the craft. Both of them learnt the noble art of patisserie from internationally renowned pastry chefs including Toni Rodriguez in Barcelona and at Oukan restaurant in Berlin. The Vienna Business Agency helped them on their journey towards self-employment. “In the end, we put all our eggs in one basket – and our concept worked out!” says Arik delightedly. “The Servitenviertel is the perfect location for our French-inspired business idea.” 

Plans for expanding the range are already in the pipeline: “Over the long term, we’d like to pass on the knowledge that we’ve acquired to others, with private baking courses,” says Isabella. “Vegan baking isn’t actually all that complicated – you just need to get to grips with a few new techniques.”

To experience the mouth-watering world of vegan pastries for yourself, head straight to Chez Fritz in Servitengasse.