Austria Travel Guide

What to Eat and Drink in Austria

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Austrian Etiquette

Prost (Cheers).  In Austrian culture, it’s really important to make purposeful eye contact when you toast.  Say “Prost” or “Zum Wohl.” You should tap glasses with everyone within reach. There’s only one exception to the rule. When you drink Sturm, fermented grape juice, in a wine tavern, say “Mahlzeit.”

Mahlzeit (Bon appetite). You say Mahlzeit right before anyone at your table begins to eat. It means “enjoy your meal.”

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Austrian Cuisine

Eierschwammerlgulasch is chanterelle mushroom goulash. This vegetarian dish is usually served with dumplings.

Tiroler Gröstl is pan-fried potatoes combined with beef, pork, and onions. A fried egg is served on top. This hearty meal is really popular in Tyrol.

Käsespätzle is cheesy egg noodles. Across the Austrian Alps, spätzle is sautéed with a variety of pungent mountain cheeses and garnished with fried onions and chives.

Kaspressknödelsuppe is cheese dumpling soup. One or two large flat-pressed dumplings, made with bread, eggs and cheese, are served in a clear broth soup.

Wiener Schnitzel is thin, breaded and pan fried cutlets of veal. Squeeze a slice of lemon on this quintessential Viennese dish before digging in. Traditional Wiener Schnitzel is always made with veal. Many restaurants also offer Schnitzel vom Schwein (pork), Schnitzel von der Pute (turkey), and Schnitzel vom Huhn (chicken). Schnitzel is typically served with an Austrian potato salad, or mixed salad.

Tafelspitz is boiled beef. This Viennese specialty was actually Emperor Franz Joseph’s favorite dish. The tender beef is served in a pot of broth with bone marrow. The dish is accompanied by sides of fried potato rosti, vegetables (spinach, string beans), horseradish and apple sauces.

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Austrian Desserts

Kaiserschmarrn is shredded pancakes topped with powdered sugar and sometimes rum-soaked raisins. If you don’t want the raisins say, “Bitte ohne Rosinen.” Traditionally, it’s served with a side of plum sauce. 

Marillenknödel are apricot dumplings covered in powdered sugar, best sampled in the Wachau region of Lower Austria. 

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Austrian Wine

If you want to order a glass of wine, you should say “ein Achtel” (an eighth of a liter), which is the common serving size.

Weisswein gespritzt is white wine mixed with sparkling water. If you like sweeter alcoholic drinks, order a Kaiserspritzer in Vienna, which is a Weisswein gespritzt with Holunderblütersirup (elderflower syrup).

Sturm is fermented grape juice that is only served in early autumn in wine taverns in Eastern Austria. Unlike all other alcoholic beverages, you don’t say Prost (Cheers) before drinking. Instead, you say Mahlzeit. If you make the mistake of saying Prost, there’s an unwritten rule that says you’re obliged to pay for a round of drinks.

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Non-Alcoholic Austrian Beverages

Soda Zitrone is sparkling water with lemon juice.

Johannisbeersaft gespritzt is black currant juice mixed with sparkling water.

Marillensaft gespritzt is apricot juice mixed with sparkling water.

Almdudler is a carbonated lemonade (soda) flavored with alpine herbs.