If you're headed to Vienna, you'll be pleased to find a wide variety of different foods to satisfy your hunger! While Vienna's pastries and desserts are well-loved worldwide, their savoury options are also not to be missed. Even if you're on a tight schedule, here is a list of some of the top dishes that you shouldn't miss while in Vienna:
Wiener Schnitzel
One can’t go to Vienna and simply not eat its famed wiener schnitzel. The national dish of Austria, it is a thin, butterflied veal steak that is breaded, and then pan-fried. If you’ve never tasted veal before, this is the perfect opportunity to acquaint yourself with this delightful cut of meat. Served with a squeeze of fresh lemon and alongside a refreshing potato salad, it is a real crowd pleaser among all the ages, and is made even better when paired with a glass of wine.
Where to try it: Figlmüller’s wiener schnitzel is an absolute delight. The portions are generous. If veal isn’t your thing, you can opt for the Figlmüller schnitzel, which is made with pork instead (the law dictates that if it isn’t made of veal, it can’t be called a wiener schnitzel!) Ask the waiter for a wine recommendation to go with your choice of meat, and enjoy!
Address: Wollzeile 5, 1010 Wien, Austria
For something without the added glitz and glam, Schnitzelwirt offers 15 different types of schnitzel dishes at wallet-friendly prices. Don’t be fooled by the humble prices here; the wiener schnitzels here are massive!
Address: Neubaugasse 52, 1070 Wien, Austria
Kaiserschmarrn
It seems pancakes are a favourite throughout the world, and even Austria has its own worthy version of this well-loved treat! Attributed to the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, kaiserschmarrn, also known as the emperor’s mess, is a fluffy, cooked pancake that is cut up and shredded, and served with light dusting powdered sugar. Often paired with either plum jam or apple sauce, it is no wonder that the emperor was so fond of it, because it is so delicious!
Where to try it: The elegant and exquisitely posh Café Landtmann boasts a list of illustrious clientele, of which includes Sigmund Freud. The interior is every bit as classy you would expect, done up in a typical, old-fashioned Viennese coffee house style. Here, the kaiserschmarrn is served accompanied by a generous portion of apple sauce and plum jam.
Address: Universitätsring 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Heindls Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl is a pancake house serving up both sweet and savoury pancakes. Here, you can have the traditional kaiserschmarrn, as well as a variety of different regional schmarrns to taste. They offer different sized portions for their schmarrns, so that means you get to try even more!
Address: Grashofgasse, Köllnerhofgasse 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Tafelspitz
Another one of Kaiser Franz Joseph I’s favourite dishes, tafelspitz features boiled veal or beef in broth, served with a mix of condiments, such as minced apples and horseradish. It is popular throughout Austria. Traditionally, tafelspitz is eaten in separate courses: first comes the broth that's served hot in bouillon cups, followed by tender slices of beef which are usually accompanied by potatoes, carrots, and a creamy apple-horseradish and chive sauce.
Where to try it at: Plachutta serves a delicious rendition of this classic dish. While the prices may be on the higher side, the quality here is excellent.
Address: Wollzeile 38, 1010 Wien, Austria
Sacher Torte
This indulgent cake was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832, in his quest to create a novel cake to serve to Prince Metternich. The result was a decadent concoction consisting of a dense chocolate sponge and ganache, coated with a thin layer of apricot jam. As with most Austrian desserts, it is traditionally served accompanied by a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
Where to try it: Café Sacher is the very home of the sacher torte, or trademarked here as the Original Sacher-Torte. The version served here consists of two layers of apricot jam between the outer layer of chocolate icing and the sponge base, providing a lovely tang that enhances the flavour of the chocolate.
Address: Hotel Sacher, Philharmoniker Str. 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Apfelstrudel
A classic Austrian dessert, apfelstrudel is made out of warm, juicy apples and plump raisins enveloped in a delicate and flaky pastry, and may either be served with a generous heap of whipped cream or vanilla sauce.
Where to try it: Kaffee Alt Wein is a charming, old haunt in the city which carries some of the very best apfelstrudels in the city – you’ll find many flocking here, especially on weekends, to get their fix of it. The recipe has been said to have been passed down through generations.
Address: Bäckerstraße 9, 1010 Wien, Austria
Wiener Saftgulasch
Gulasch is a stew of meat and vegetables usually seasoned with paprika and other spices. While it originated in Hungary, gulasch is popular in Central Europe, and many variations exist depending on the country. Saftgulasch (stock goulash) is one of the most popular variations in Vienna, where it is commonly served with dumplings. It makes a hearty meal, especially in the colder months.
Where to try it: At Gulasch & Soehne, you’ll find most of Vienna’s “fast-food” dishes, featuring the likes of sausages, sausage stews and of course, gulasch.
Address: Schubertring 10-12, 1010 Wien, Austria
Selchfliesh (Smoked Meat)
“Selchfleisch'' or another term for “Geselchtes” is a type of cured and smoked pork, usually done well by smoking it hot after curing it with salt and then heated before eating. This way of preparing meat dates back to the 18th Century where Selchfliesh is a popular and established speciality in Viennese cuisine. One of the reasons for doing so is not only for its taste, but that the cured meat could be kept longer.
You can taste this amazing meat dish at Steirereck and Selchfleisch Knödel, where they sells amazing cured Selchflesisch with sour cabbages and dumplings as their sides.
Beuschel
Another classic of Vienna, this Beuschel is a traditional ragout stew made from veal heart and lungs and served in a savory, dark brown gravy. Depending on the cooking style of each restaurant, the dish can be accompanied with slices of toasted bread or Viennese dumplings.
This dish is a delicious comfort food, but is also very time-consuming and a lot of work as the removal of vessels from the different parts requires quite a bit of time as well as to boil them into a rich, creamy stew. As such, Beuschel is a meal that becomes increasingly difficult to find outside in restaurant menus. Some Viennese restaurants like Der Ringsmuth and award winning Stadtgasthaus Eisvogel do serve Beuschel so you can check them out and satisfy your stomach to your heart’s content.
