Food, Drinks & Traditional Dishes in Vienna

A rich, dense chocolate cake featuring a thin layer of tart apricot jam and coated in a smooth, dark chocolate icing. It was invented in 1832 by a sixteen year old apprentice chef for Prince Metternich and has since become the subject of legendary legal battles over the original recipe. It is always served with a generous dollop of unsweetened whipped cream to balance the sweetness. Enjoying a slice in a grand coffee house is a quintessential local experience.

Considered the favourite dish of Emperor Franz Joseph, this is a prime cut of beef boiled gently in a rich vegetable broth until exceptionally tender. It highlights the local preference for refined, high quality meats prepared simply to enhance their natural flavours. The meat is traditionally served in its copper cooking pot, accompanied by roasted potatoes, minced apples with horseradish, and a creamy chive sauce. It is a hearty, comforting meal that defines aristocratic home cooking.

This ultimate late night street food is a lightly smoked pork sausage infused with small chunks of Emmental cheese. When grilled at a street stand, the cheese melts and oozes out, creating a wonderfully crispy, savoury crust on the outside. It is usually served sliced on a paper plate with a thick slice of dark bread and sharp mustard, or tucked into a hollowed out bun. Grabbing one from a Würstelstand after a night out is a true rite of passage.

This is the undisputed culinary symbol of the nation, consisting of a thin cutlet of veal that is breaded and pan fried in clarified butter to a crisp, golden perfection. By strict Austrian culinary law, only veal can be used for a true Wiener Schnitzel, though pork variations are popular and must be labelled differently. It is traditionally served with a wedge of lemon and a side of potato salad or parsley potatoes. The contrasting textures of the crunchy breading and tender meat make it unforgettable.

This beloved dessert consists of a delicate, paper thin pastry wrapped around a warm filling of tart apples, cinnamon, sugar, and raisins. The dough is famously stretched by hand until it is thin enough to read a newspaper through it. It has roots in the Ottoman Empire but was perfected in the imperial kitchens. It is typically served warm, dusted with powdered sugar, and often accompanied by vanilla sauce or whipped cream.