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Thali

🇦🇹 The food of Austria

39 dishes from Austria, best known first, across 5 cities and regions.

Austrian cooking blends influences from Central Europe, shaped by the Habsburg Empire and neighboring regions. It is known for its variety of pastries, hearty meat dishes, and a strong café culture, with each region offering distinct specialties. Meals often feature bread, meats, and seasonal produce, with sweets and coffee playing a central role in daily life.

  • Wiener schnitzel is traditionally made with veal.
  • Sachertorte is a chocolate cake with apricot jam.
  • Coffeehouses are central to Austrian social life.
  • Jause is a typical Austrian snack of bread with cheese or ham.
  • Vienna is the only capital with vineyards inside the city.

The cooking of Austria

Austrian food draws on the traditions of the Habsburg Empire, mixing elements from Hungary, Bavaria, Bohemia, and Northern Italy. The cuisine is marked by a love for both rich pastries and robust meat dishes. Techniques like braising, roasting, and slow-cooking are common, especially for beef and pork. Sausages, smoked meats, and game appear alongside dumplings and cabbage. Coffeehouses are central to social life, and cakes are often elaborate, reflecting a long-standing baking tradition.

Staple foods in Austria

Bread, especially rolls, is eaten daily, often with cheese, cold meats, or jam. Pork, beef, and chicken are the main meats, with veal used for Wiener schnitzel. Dumplings, potatoes, and cabbage are frequent sides. Dairy, especially cheese and cream, is widely used in both savory and sweet dishes. Seasonal fruits like plums and apricots appear in desserts.

Breakfast in Austria 5 dishes

Breakfast is usually simple and continental, with bread rolls, jam, cold meats, and cheese. Coffee, tea, or juice are typical drinks. The meal is light and often eaten quickly before work.

Lunch in Austria 22 dishes

Traditionally the main meal, lunch has become lighter as work patterns have changed. It may include soup, bread, and a small portion of meat or cheese. Many now eat their main meal in the evening instead.

Dinner in Austria 21 dishes

Dinner is often the largest meal, featuring meat dishes, dumplings, and vegetables. It is common to have soup or salad as a starter, followed by a main course and sometimes a sweet dessert.

Snacks and street food in Austria

A mid-morning or afternoon snack, called Jause, consists of bread with cheese or ham. The more substantial Brettljause is served on a wooden board and includes a variety of meats and cheeses. Wurstsemmel, a bread roll with sausage or ham, is a popular quick bite.

Sweets and drinks in Austria

Austrian cakes such as Sachertorte and Linzertorte are famous, often enjoyed with coffee. Strudels, pancakes, and dumplings filled with fruit or jam are common desserts. Coffee is served in many styles, often with cream or milk, and is central to social gatherings. Local soft drinks like Almdudler and Skiwasser, as well as beers and regional wines, are widely consumed.

From region to region in Austria

Vienna is known for its refined pastries and beef dishes. Styria features pumpkin and game in autumn. Burgenland is noted for its wines, especially sweet varieties. Each Austrian state has its own specialties, shaped by local produce and traditions. Inns called Heuriger or Buschenschanken serve young wine and regional foods, especially in the east.

At the table in Austria

Meals are usually served in courses, with bread on the side. Coffee and cake in the afternoon is a cherished custom, similar to British afternoon tea. Eating together is important, and inviting friends for coffee is a common way to socialize. Table manners are formal, especially in cafés.

Festival and religious food in Austria

During autumn, game dishes appear on menus, often paired with seasonal vegetables. Special cakes and sweets are made for holidays, and bock beer is brewed for Christmas and Easter. Heuriger wine is celebrated after the grape harvest, with inns serving new wine and local foods.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Austrian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Austria

Vienna 4Krimml 1Linz 1Tyrol 1Vorarlberg 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Hot dogMeat 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreA sausage in a sliced bun, topped with condiments and eaten hot Street food, Lunch, Dinner GoulashMeatgulyás 🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreA paprika-spiced meat and vegetable soup from Hungary Soup, Lunch, Dinner Pancake 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreFlat cakes made from batter, cooked on a griddle or pan and served sweet or savoury Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks Doner kebab 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreMeat roasted on a vertical spit, sliced and served in bread or on a plate Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Wiener schnitzelMeat 🇦🇹 AustriaThin veal cutlet, breaded and pan-fried until golden Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BratwurstMeat 🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreGerman sausage made from pork, veal, or beef, often grilled and served in a bread roll Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SpätzleSpätzla 🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreIrregular egg noodles from Swabia, served as a side or main dish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SchnitzelMeat 🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreThin slices of meat, pounded, breaded and fried until crisp Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Frankfurter WürstchenMeat 🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreThin, smoked pork sausages from Frankfurt, served hot with bread or mustard Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Dampfnudel 🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreSoft yeast dumplings cooked in a covered pan until golden underneath Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner LeberkäseMeat 🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreA baked loaf of finely ground meat with a crisp brown crust, served hot or cold Main dish, Lunch, Dinner TafelspitzMeat 🇦🇹 Austria and 1 moreBeef simmered in broth, served with apple-horseradish and potatoes Main dish, Lunch, Dinner KäsespätzleVegetarian 🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreSoft egg noodles baked with cheese and topped with fried onions Main dish, Lunch, Dinner EisbeinMeat 🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreGerman cured and boiled pork knuckle, often served with hearty sides Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Veal MilaneseMeatcotoletta alla milanese 🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreBone-in veal cutlet breaded and fried in butter, from Milan Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SteckerlfischFish or seafood 🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreWhole fish marinated, skewered, and grilled over embers Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Vepřo knedlo zeloMeat 🇨🇿 Czech Republic and 2 moreRoast pork, dumplings and sauerkraut served as a Czech main dish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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