Austrian cuisine alternates between heavy and sweet. Austria’s Imperial heritage is clear in its food, with its influences ranging from the Balkans and Bohemia, to Italy and Hungary. Food tends to be hearty, such as Leberkas: finely ground meats cooked in a bread pan; Gemusecremesuppen: creamy vegetable soups; Frittatensuppe: strips of omelette in broth; Wiener Schnitzel: veal or pork slices coated in breadcrumbs; Wiener Gulasch: beef stew garnished with lard, onions and paprika; and Tafelspitz: stewed beef with a radish, apple, and spring onion sauce. Austria is especially known for its cakes and pastries, such as Sachertorte which is a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam. Other specialities include Kipferl cakes filled with jam and custard, strudel served with cream or custard, Salzburger Nockerl (a sweet souffle), and Kaiserschmarrn, a sweet shredded pancake. Recent years have seen a renaissance in Austrian gastronomy, with local and organic produce and regional specialties coming to the fore, so expect to be pleasantly surprised as chefs go beyond the old classics in their pursuit of modern Austrian cuisine.
It’s not just the cuisine that is much improved, as Austrian wine is fast developing its own stellar reputation. Austria is mostly a country of white wines, which you can explore via several of our excursions, especially to the Wachau Valley upstream from Vienna. As well as producing a surprising volume of wine, Austria is also known for brewing some excellent beers, which like its cuisine, are linked to its imperial past. There are a few distinct styles of beer you’ll find in the country, some of which are based on Bavarian and Czech traditions. Austrians are fond of schnapps (brandy made from a wide variety of fruits) as well as Stroh, a powerful rum made from sugarcane and often used in punch and hot drinks. Austrian tap water is some of the purest in the world, and often comes straight from mountain springs, even in Vienna.