Austrian cooking reflects the old Habsburg empire, which stretched from Bohemia to northern Italy and Hungary. Vienna absorbed dishes from all over it, from Hungarian goulash to Bohemian dumplings, while Alpine regions kept their own hearty mountain food.

Classic dishes

  • Wiener Schnitzel: veal escalope pounded thin, breaded and fried until the crust puffs up. By law, a "Wiener Schnitzel" must be veal; pork versions are labelled "vom Schwein". It comes with lemon and potato salad or parsley potatoes.
  • Tafelspitz: boiled beef simmered in broth with root vegetables, served with apple-horseradish sauce and chive sauce. It was the favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph.
  • Gulasch: Vienna's version of Hungarian goulash is thicker and served with a bread roll.
  • Käsespätzle: small egg noodles baked with cheese and topped with crispy onions, a speciality of Vorarlberg and Tyrol.
  • Knödel: dumplings of bread, semolina or potato, served in soup or as sides.

Cakes and pastries

Vienna is one of Europe's great pastry cities. Sachertorte, a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, was created by Franz Sacher in 1832, and the Hotel Sacher and Demel bakery long fought a court case over the "original". Try also apfelstrudel (apple strudel in paper-thin pastry), Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake with plum compote), Linzer torte and Topfenstrudel with quark.

Coffee house culture

Viennese coffee house culture is on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. In classic cafés such as Café Central, Café Sperl and Café Hawelka, you can sit for hours over one coffee, served on a small tray with a glass of water, reading the newspapers provided. Order a melange (similar to a cappuccino), an einspänner (black coffee topped with whipped cream) or a kleiner Brauner (espresso with a dash of milk).

Wine and Heurigen

Vienna is one of the few capitals with vineyards inside the city limits. In outlying districts such as Grinzing, Heurigen taverns serve the winemaker's own young wine with a cold buffet. A pine branch hung over the door means a Heuriger is open. Grüner Veltliner is Austria's signature white grape.

Traditions

  • Ball season: from November to Carnival, Vienna hosts hundreds of formal balls, including the Opera Ball.
  • Christmas markets: from late November, markets fill squares across the country with punch, roasted chestnuts and crafts.
  • Krampus: on 5 December, horned Krampus figures accompany St Nicholas in Alpine towns.
  • Almabtrieb: in autumn, cattle decorated with flowers are brought down from Alpine pastures.

Etiquette

  • Greet people with "Grüß Gott" or "Guten Tag", and "Servus" among friends.
  • Use formal "Sie" and titles until invited to be informal.
  • Be punctual for appointments.
  • Shops close on Sundays, and quiet hours apply in apartment buildings.
  • Tipping is customary: round up or add about 5% to 10%, telling the waiter the total when you pay.

See our Austria country guide for living costs.