The Top 10 Austrian Foods to Try in Vienna

Wiener Schnitzel

One of Austria's national dishes, Wiener schnitzel is certainly its most successful export. Made from a thin veal cutlet that's breaded and then pan-fried in butter or oil, schnitzel is cheerfully served in restaurants and eateries around the capital. Simple yet delicious, it's a huge crowd-pleaser, and even kids tend to love it.

Typically garnished with lemon and fresh parsley, it's often served with a simple salad with vinaigrette, Austrian potato salad (see more below), and steamed potatoes or French fries. A cold Austrian lager or glass of local Gruner Veltliner white wine makes an excellent accompaniment.

Where to Try It: ​Figlmuller Wollzeile is a casual sit-down restaurant in the city center that's considered one of Vienna's best spots for schnitzel. Meanwhile, Schnitzelwirt serves some 15 varieties of schnitzel including pork, chicken, and turkey. Finally, for vegetarians who don't want to miss out on this iconic Austrian dish, Restaurant Landia (Ahornergasse 4) is coveted by non-meat eaters for its reputedly delicious veggie schnitzel.

The Sachertorte

The Sachertorte is a proud symbol of the Austrian capital. It's a dense, chocolate sponge cake made with thin layers of apricot jam that's topped with a semi-firm chocolate icing.

Where to Try It: This is the signature creation of the Sacher Hotel, an institution in the former Imperial city. But a rival bakery, Demel, also fashioned their own version of the beloved cake, using only a single layer, rather than a double layer, of marillenmarmelade (Austrian for apricot jam). Dubbing their own cake the "Demel's Sachertorte," the confectionary sparked a legal dispute and enduring rivalry: one that locals and tourists thoroughly enjoy weighing in on. Both cakes are delicious alongside a Viennese "melange" coffee (see below) or spicy black tea.

Austrian Goulash

This Hungarian import has become hugely popular in Vienna and around Austria, adapted locally to become its own distinctive dish. A hearty beef stew seasoned with tomatoes, onion, and paprika, the version you'll most likely taste in Vienna often includes Semmelknödel (dumplings). This is a dish that's perfect for a cold winter's day. Austrian goulash pairs well with a heartier beer or a glass of spicy, rich Zweigelt wine, one of Austria's popular reds.

Where to Try It: Ilona Stuberl (Braunerstrasse 2) is known for its excellent goulash, as is Puerstner (Riemergasse 10). Even closer to the city center near the Albertina Museum, Cafe Mozart is also known to make a delicious version of this dish.

Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)

Another Austrian delicacy loved around the world, apple strudel gained popularity around Eastern Europe under the influence of the Habsburg empire. Sold in bakeries, cafes, and restaurants around Vienna, this is a delicate counterpoint to the slightly heavier (and generally sweeter) American apple pie. It's typically made with light, crisp pastry dough that's stretched thin and filled with apples, sugar, raisins, lemon, rum, cinnamon, and cloves. Often, the strudel is garnished with breadcrumbs mixed with nuts and dusted with powdered sugar.

It's absolutely delicious accompanied by Viennese coffee or black tea. Strudels can also be found filled with other varieties of fruits, including berries and apricots.

Where to Try It: Pop into any local bakery to find it. Many, especially those bakery-cafes with eating-in options, will even warm them up for you. Otherwise, try sitting in at local favorites such as Cafe Aida, with its retro-pink signage and 1950s-style interiors. Locations are scattered around the city. Kaffe Alt Wien is also reputed for its delicious strudels.

Spargel (Spring Asparagus)

One local delight that we recommend trying if you're visiting in the spring is asparagus. Vienna offers some of the world's most delicious green and white asparagus, invariably prepared in creative, fresh ways.

Starting in late April or early May, menus at many local restaurants in Vienna start prominently featuring seasonal specials with spargel. Sometimes, it's served simply with a bit of butter and lemon and doused in breadcrumbs; other times it's made into deliciously fresh soups or wrapped in prosciutto and slathered with hollandaise sauce. White asparagus, which is larger and thicker, is a particular favorite in the spring. Enjoy it with a side of parsley potatoes and a glass of crisp, equally fresh Gruner Veltliner wine.

Some places even serve spargel that's been fried in breadcrumbs, Schnitzel-style. In short, asparagus lovers will find no shortage of delicious ways to enjoy this seasonal treat.

Erdäpfelsalat (Austrian-style Potato Salad)

Quite different from its North American counterpart, there's no mayonnaise to be found in this fresh salad. Instead, it's prepared with white wine vinegar, a bit of mustard, red onions, chives, and a dash of salt and pepper. Some recipes also include a bit of chicken or meat stock, so if ordering as a vegetarian or vegan you may want to ask if the salad contains any meat products.

This ubiquitous salad pairs beautifully with almost anything: schnitzel, sausages, fresh asparagus, or other seasonal vegetables. It's best enjoyed cold, although in the winter many restaurants serve it warm.

Where to Try It: Like schnitzel, erdäpfelsalat is pretty ubiquitous, and most full-service restaurants will offer it as a side dish. The aforementioned Figlmuller restaurant makes an especially delicious version of this salad, making it a great stop for trying both wiener schnitzel and potato salad.

Powidltascherl (Plum Jam Turnovers)

These delicious plum jam turnovers are about as Austrian as you can get. Difficult to find outside of Austria, Germany, and Eastern Europe, they originally hail from neighboring Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) but have become a staple in Austrian kitchens.

The delicate pastries, made with a distinctive potato dough, are filled with a combination of plum jam, rum or plum schnapps, then topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, butter, and walnuts. A bit of cinnamon and vanilla add aroma and a hint of spice. Some restaurants serve them with chocolate sauce or sugar.

Where to Try It: Many of the traditional cafes and restaurants in Vienna serve this typical delicacy and some local bakeries make their own versions as well.

Tafelspitz (Beef or Veal Boiled in Broth With Vegetables)

Another local specialty for meat lovers is tafelspitz, a quintessentially Austrian dish made with tender filet of beef or veal gently boiled in broth. Typically served with seasonal vegetables or with applesauce and horseradish, this dish is enjoyed all across the country, especially in fall and winter.

Accompanied by a good Austrian white or spicy red wine, tafelspitz is a great alternative for those wishing to taste one of the country's national dishes but are looking for a healthier option.

Where to Try It: Plachutta Wollzeile, a historic restaurant near the St-Stephens Cathedral, is well known for its version of this iconic dish. Restaurant Ofenloch has also received rave reviews from travelers for its tafelspitz. Many other traditional restaurants in the city include it on their standard menus as well.

Melange (Viennese Coffee)

Like Paris and Rome, Vienna is a European coffee capital. Cafes sprung up all around the city in the 18th through 20th centuries and have become fixtures of cultural and culinary life in the Austrian capital.

The famed Viennese melange, similar to a cappuccino but usually without cocoa powder, is topped with half hot milk and half foamed milk. Cappuccinos in Austria are generally topped with whipped cream, rather than milk. If you're looking for an Americano, ask for a verlängerter (literally, "longer"); plain coffee with cream is a brauner, and an espresso or double espresso is referred to as a schwarzer.

Meanwhile, you can also enjoy local specialties with dramatic names: the Franziskaner (Franciscan monk) is similar to a melange but is topped with whipped cream rather than foamed milk, while a Mozart is a true dessert in its own right: a double espresso served with a big mound of whip cream and served with a small glass of sherry.

Where to Try It: Some of the best cafes in the capital to enjoy typical Viennese coffee and cake near the city center include Cafe Pruckel, Cafe Landtmann, Cafe Central, Cafe Hawelka, and Cafe Ritter.

Wiener Wurstel (Viennese Sausages)

Simple yet renowned for their flavor, these sausages are traditionally made from both beef and pork, encased in sheeps' intestine. Served with sharp mustard, they are perfectly accompanied with Austrian potato salad, radishes, spring asparagus, and other fresh vegetables.

Many people enjoy the simplicity and lower cost of procuring these goodies from street vendors, slathering them with mustard and gobbling them down right on the street. Whether in summer or winter, they make an excellent quick snack or simple meal (unless you're a vegetarian or vegan, that is).

Where to Try It: In the city center, around the Ringstrasse and the old inner imperial city, there are numerous popular street vendors, or wurstelstande, to choose from. Additionally, a fun place to wander and try out some local street food (including these ever-present sausages) is the Naschmarkt, a popular semi-permanent market where produce stands and casual restaurants serve a variety of goodies. In the summer, an afternoon out at the Prater, a sprawling, leafy park complete with a Ferris wheel, rides, and traditional food stands, is also a great spot to procure these.