Haute cuisine in the old school house

Halfway between Vienna and Bratislava lies a piece of extraordinary history that, like much of Austria, has been remade into something equally extraordinary. Originally a Roman army camp, Carnuntum is now a popular destination for oenophiles and foodies, as well as history buffs.

Just minutes from the open-air Carnuntum Archaelogical Museum is Bittermann Vinarium Göttlesbrunn, a trendy restaurant and wine shop where there once stood a schoolhouse from the days of Empress Maria Theresa. The chic vintner’s dining room, elegant salon and stylish atrium give award-winning Chef Adi Bittermann the ideal venue for his modern interpretations of offal and game. The list of regional wines is also impressive -- the plush Rubin Carnuntum, for instance, whose soft cherry notes complement Adi's venison ragout perfectly. (In the wine shop above, meanwhile, wines from 27 local wineries sell at ex-cellar prices.)