Wolters World’s Favorite Food in Austria
Hey there, fellow travelers! Today we’re sharing our favorite food to eat in Austria. Mark lived and worked in Austria, and it’s one of our favorite places to visit in Central Europe. Of course, food is a huge part of the travel experience, and Austria does not disappoint! These are just a few of our favorite foods in Austria.
Traditional Food of Austria
Austrian cuisine is best known for schnitzel and strudel, but that’s just the beginning! In addition to some of the traditional food in Austria below, each region also has unique specialties that are worth trying as you travel around Austria.
- Schnitzel is very popular, and most people think of Wiener Schnitzel, which is made from veal. There are many varieties of schnitzel, including turkey and chicken. They’re all good, but veal is usually the most expensive.
- Spaetzle is an Austrian noodle that is often served plain, with butter, or with cheese. It’s an Austrian version of pasta and it’s very good.
- Sausages, or wurst, are very popular in Austria. The most common is the wienerwurst, which is a very common snack food sold on the street.
- Knoedel, or dumplings, are especially popular in Innsbruck. Potato and bread dumplings are the most common, and they are often served as a side dish. They love bacon around Innsbruck, so speck knoedel is very popular and delicious. The dumplings even have sweet versions or savory versions.
- Tafelspitz is a heartier dish to try; it’s boiled meat served in a broth with vegetables. It’s not the most exciting dish, but it’s a traditional Austrian recipe.
- Backhendl is basically fried chicken, but it’s not greasy like what you’d get at a KFC.
- Portion sizes are quite large in Austria, so if you want a lighter meal, there are lots of soup options. One of the best soups in Austria is cream of pumpkin soup.
Breakfast in Austria
A typical Austrian breakfast is similar to Americans; a pastry or yogurt and cup of coffee on the go. But if you’re staying at a hotel in Austria, then you will be in for a treat as the breakfasts are quite lavish.
- Bread and rolls are central to breakfast in Austria. And it will be good bread, even at the hotel buffet! Essentially everything else at the breakfast buffet is something to put on your bread. You won’t see pancakes or waffles like you would expect in the USA.
- There will be several jams, cheese, and butter to choose from as your topping.
- There’s always an assortment of meat and cheeses, as well as a selection of pickled vegetables.
- Musli is a type of cereal that is usually served at breakfast.
- Hard and soft-boiled eggs are also typically available. Soft-boiled eggs are great for dipping your bread in the yolk.
- Scrambled eggs are common as well.
- Yogurt is common, along with toppings. Musli is a good topping for yogurt!
You don’t have to stay at your hotel for breakfast. You can also go to some of the cafes or if you are staying in an apartment, grab some bread and pastries from the bakery. If your hotel charges for breakfast, you can definitely save some money by going out.
Dessert in Austria
Austrians are big on cafe culture, which means they enjoy a cup of coffee and a sweet treat. Some of the dessert shops in Austria are absolutely decadent! Always save room for dessert in Austria. Most of the desserts in Austria are shareable, so keep that in mind when ordering.
- Sacher Torte is the most famous cake from Austria, as it was created in Vienna. You can even go to the Sacher Hotel in Vienna to try the OG version. It’s a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam and an outer layer of chocolate ganache.
- Once you’ve had Sacher Torte, it’s time to branch out to other options. Linzer Torte is a delicious shortbread cake with a fruit jam filling. It’s usually topped with a beautiful lattice pattern. Linzer cookies are a bite-size version of the torte.
- In Salzburg, you have to try the Salzburger Nockerl, which is a vanilla souffle with fruit spread. You have to eat it fast before the souffle deflates.
- Of course, there are lots of varieties of Strudel in Austria. Apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, is the most common. Topfenstrudel is another favorite; it’s a cheese version of the strudel. Always save room for strudel, and always get it with the vanilla sauce!
- Kaiserschmarrn is another tasty dessert in Austria. It’s chopped-up pancakes topped with fruit compote and powdered sugar. There’s even a dessert chop chain called Kaiser’s where you can try several varieties of Kaiserschmarrn.
- Marillenkucken is an apricot cake that’s quite good.
- For sweets on the go, try Krapfen, which are basically jelly donuts.
- Kiachl is fried dough that looks a lot like fry bread. The sweet version will have jam on top, or you can get the savory version with sauerkraut.
- Cremeschnitte is Mark’s favorite dessert in Austria. It’s a custard cake sandwiched between layers of puff pastry.
- Germknödel is a large steamed dumpling filled with jam and topped with the magical vanilla sauce of Austria. Dampfnudel is a similar version of this.
- Mozartkugel is sold everywhere; it’s a chocolate truffle with pistachio, marzipan and nougat inside. These make a great souvenir for your friends back home.
Austrian Beverages to Try
Of course, you’ll need a beverage to wash down all of this fantastic Austrian food!
- Coffee is very popular in Austria, and it’s a large part of the cafe culture. However, you can also get tea or really good hot chocolate if you don’t prefer coffee.
- Mark likes to grab an Almdudler from the train station when arriving. It’s an Austrian soda and is comparable to ginger ale, but more herbal.
- Austria has a wine region in the eastern part of the country; the white wine is especially good. We’ve found Austrian wine to be better than Austrian beer.
- Most restaurants want you to pay for water and don’t automatically bring free water. They may ask if you want still or sparkling, which indicates bottled water that you will pay for. You can ask for tap water, but it doesn’t always go over well with your server.
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Don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the cafe culture of Austria, It’s a time that’s meant to be savored, not rushed. Austrian food is hearty, but you should always leave room for dessert! Want more tips for visiting Austria? Check out some of our other blog posts: