Top 10 culinary specialities in Vienna

Vienna is a bustling city with an unprecedented wealth of culture. You’ll have no trouble discovering important squares, imperial palaces and Mozart-style opera concerts. All in all, Vienna is a marvel to behold and arouses a genuine curiosity about the country and its tumultuous past.

Eating out in Vienna? It can be likened to a visit to a museum of flavours. In fact, it is the only imperial city to have given its name to a style of cuisine: Viennese gastronomy. It’s a blend of cuisines from different countries, offering you a unique experience. Tasting dishes in this beautiful capital also means discovering good local and seasonal produce. Let’s take you on a culinary tour?

What to eat in Vienna Our selection of 10 Austrian specialities

1.kaiserschmarrn

Vienna may be famous for its hot, unusual and tasty dishes, but it’s also the place where sugar is king. Kaiserscharrn is one of the city’s best-known sweet specialities. Also known as “the emperor’s pancake” (original, isn’t it?), this dessert was invented by Emperor Franz Joseph himself. Made from pancake dough and then dusted with icing sugar, this dessert is served with zwetschkenröster (plum compote). This delicious dessert can also be served with pear, apple or red fruit jam.

2.strudel

Staying with sweets, let’s talk about a famous Austrian pastry that you may have heard of: Strudel. This hearty dish is made up of thin layers of pastry, most of which contain pieces of apple or quark cheese. It is then buttered with a brush and browned in the oven. It’s a cylinder-shaped pastry that’s crispy and melts inside. You can also take part in a strudel-making workshop at Schönbrunn Palace. With the help of a pastry chef, you’ll learn all the tricks you need to make strudel at home!

3 – Goulash stew

Here’s a typical Viennese dish that will delight the taste buds of our carnivorous readers. It’s a kind of very thick stew made from meat and vegetables simmered in a paprika-flavoured sauce. In the Austrian capital, this dish is mostly prepared with low-fat meat and onions. It used to be the standard dish of Hungarian shepherds, but in the early 19th century it became a staple of popular Viennese cuisine. From taverns to gourmet restaurants, Goulash is now served just about everywhere in Vienna.

4 Wiener Schnitzel

If you’re visiting Vienna, you absolutely must try this very common dish that is the pride of the Austrians. Wiener Schnitzel is one of the capital’s main dishes. It is a Viennese-style veal escalope that has been fried until crispy. This delicious dish is often served with parsley potatoes as a side dish, along with slices of lemon. Be warned, though, that this is a particularly salty meal, so be sure to have a good glass of water with it!

5 Schweinsbraten

It may be difficult to pronounce, but it’s extremely easy to eat! This is another typically Viennese dish made from roast pork in which the meat is pan-fried with garlic and cumin. It is often served with potatoes, pasta and knödel. Of Celtic origin, this hearty dish is ideal if you’re travelling to Vienna in winter. It will warm you up and give you courage, while introducing you to new flavours.

6.the Knödel

Forget crisps, crackers or peanuts for the aperitif. In the old town of Vienna, it’s the Knödel that takes pride of place. But what are they? Knödel are small balls of potato or bread, with pieces of egg, semolina and spinach poached and cooked in boiling water. These little appetisers are comparable to Lyon’s quenelles and are very popular in Vienna. There are also variations of Knödel sweetened with prunes, apricots or fromage blanc. There’s something for everyone, isn’t there?

7 The Tafelspitz

If you want to try some of Vienna’s most emblematic dishes, don’t miss the Tafelspitz! How can I best describe it to you? It’s a kind of pot-au-feu made with quality beef, tasty fresh vegetables that are crunchy on the palate, all cooked in a watery broth with seasoning. The secret of this recipe? For best results, we recommend cutting the meat against the grain. It will taste even better!

8 – Vienna sausage

Vienna sausage is a traditional sausage made from pork and beef. Both inside and out, the sausage is pink in colour, and its flavour can vary depending on the addition of flavourings such as salt, pepper, oregano, red onion or even sugar! Very widespread in Central Europe, you’ll love finding this speciality in Vienna, with a few slight modifications. To accompany it? What could be better than a fresh salad, or thinly sliced potatoes, or even delicious chips!

9 – Mandarintorte

In Vienna, fruit plays an important role, which is why you absolutely must try the Mandarintorte. You’ve probably already eaten an apple, plum or strawberry cake, but have you ever had a mandarin cake? The Mandarintorte is made from a delicious biscuit with cream, then topped with mandarins. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea! This fruity dessert is absolutely divine, and there’s also a version with apricots.

10 – Sachertort

Let’s finish our selection with a delicious chocolate dessert. To round off your meal, try sachertort, one of Austria’s most popular sweet dishes. It’s made from a delicious chocolate sponge cake with a thin layer of apricot jam filled in the middle. To give the cake its shiny appearance, it is covered with a chocolate icing for even more deliciousness. It’s sure to satisfy your taste buds to no end.