Austrian cuisine consists of many different local or regional cuisines. In addition to Viennese cuisine, which is predominantly based on the cooking traditions of the Habsburg Empire, there are independent regional traditions in all the

states of Austria Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states. The European Commission calls them provinces. Austrian federal states can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution, and each federal state has representatives in ...

. The Austrian cuisine shares similarities with its neighboring countries in

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

, but particularly with the cuisines of

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

and

Northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...

. Dishes and preparation methods have often been adopted, integrated, adapted or mixed. The Austrian cuisine is internationally known above all for its

pastries Pastry refers to a variety of doughs (often enriched with fat or eggs), as well as the sweet and savoury baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bak ...

such as the Kaiserschmarrn, the apple strudel, as well as for the

Tafelspitz Tafelspitz (German language, German ''Tafelspitz'', ; ''top of the table'') is boiled veal or beef in broth, served with a mix of minced Apple, apples and horseradish. It is a classic dish of the Viennese cuisine and popular in all of Austria an ...

and the Wiener schnitzel.

Mealtimes

Breakfast is of the "continental" type, usually consisting of bread rolls with either jam or cold meats and cheese, like most of european cuisine and it is accompanied by coffee, tea or juice. The midday meal was traditionally the main meal of the day, but in modern times as Austrians work longer hours further from home this is no longer the case. The main meal is now often taken in the evening. A mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack of a slice of bread topped with cheese or ham is referred to as a ''Jause''; a more substantial version akin to a British " ploughman's lunch" is called a ''Brettljause'' after the wooden board on which it is traditionally served.

Popular dishes of Vienna

* ''Rindsuppe'' (beef soup), a clear soup with golden colour * ''

'', beef boiled in

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

(soup), often served with apple and horseradish and chives sauce * ''Gulasch'' (

goulash Goulash () is a meal (not quite stew or soup) made of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is on ...

), a hotpot similar to Hungarian ''pörkölt.'' Austrian goulash is often eaten with rolls, bread or dumplings ('' Semmelknödel'') * '' Beuschel'', a ragout containing lungs and heart * '' Liptauer'', a spicy cheese spread, eaten on a slice of bread * ''Selchfleisch'', meat that is smoked, then cooked, served with

Sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , ) is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugar ...

and dumplings * ''

Powidl Powidl (also porvidl, powidła, povidla, or powidel) is a plum butter, a type of fruit spread prepared from the prune plum, that is popular in Central Europe. Unlike jam or marmalade, and unlike the German language, German ''Pflaumenmus'' (plum ...

'', a thick sweet jam made from plums * '' Apfelstrudel'', apple strudel * '' Topfenstrudel'', cream cheese strudel * '' Millirahmstrudel'', milk-cream strudel * '' Palatschinken'', pancakes similar to French crêpes, filled with jam and sprinkled with sugar or other toppings. They are also served in savoury versions, such as with spinach and cheese. * '' Kaiserschmarrn'', soft, fluffy pancake ripped into bites and slightly roasted in a pan, served with compote, applesauce or stewed plums. * '' Germknödel'', a fluffy yeast dough dumpling filled with plum jam (''

''), garnished with melted butter and a mix of

poppy seed Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the poppy plant (''Papaver somniferum''). The tiny, kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. It is still widely used in many countries, ...

s and powdered sugar, sometimes served with vanilla cream * '' Marillenknödel'', a dumpling stuffed with an apricot and covered with streusel and powdered sugar. The dough is made of potatoes or Topfen. * ''Saftgulasch'' (juicy stew), also known as Austrian or Viennese goulash, is an Austrian twist on the traditional Hungarian dish. The characteristics of the Saftgulash is that it is prepared exclusively with lean beef and a large quantity of onions, at least two-thirds of the quantity of meat used. No other vegetables are added and it must be slow-cooked for at least three hours. The end result is a thick dark brown sauce with very tender pieces of beef. * ''Wurstsemmel'' (ham rolls), basically sliced bread rolls containing a slice of ham, or sausage (Leberkäse), or also ham and cheese * ''Krautfleisch'' or ''Szegediner Krautfleisch'' is a ragout prepared from pork and Sauerkraut. * ''Krautspatzle,'' a dish consisting mainly of small noodles (

spätzle Spätzle (), Spätzla or Spatzen, called ''nokedli'' () in Hungarian, are a type of Central European egg pasta typically served as a side for meat dishes with sauce. Commonly associated with Swabia (hence Swabian spaetzle) and Alsace, it is als ...

) and cabbage.

Meat

The most popular meats in Austria are

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

and

goose A goose (: geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera '' Anser'' (grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egy ...

. The prominent Wiener Schnitzel is traditionally made of

veal Veal is the meat of Calf (animal), calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any List of cattle breeds, breed; however, most veal comes from young male calves of Dairy cattle, dairy b ...

. Pork in particular is used extensively, with many dishes using offal and parts such as the snout and trotters. Austrian butchers use a number of special cuts of meat, including ''

'' (beef), and ''Fledermaus'' (pork). Fledermaus (German for "

bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...

") is a cut of pork from the ham bone that resembles the winged animal. It is described as "very juicy, somewhat fatty, and crossed by tendons"; the latter fact makes it suitable for steaming, braising or frying after tenderization in a marinade. Austrian cuisine has many different sausages, like ''Frankfurter'', ''

Käsekrainer Käsekrainer () is a type of lightly smoked Brühwurst containing roughly torn bits of pork and 10% to 20% cheese (for example Emmentaler) cut into small cubes. They are sold all over Austria at Würstelstand outlets. It is a variety of Carniolan ...

'', '' Debreziner'' (originating from

Debrecen Debrecen ( ; ; ; ) is Hungary's cities of Hungary, second-largest city, after Budapest, the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain Regions of Hungary, region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar County. A city with county rights, it was the large ...

in Hungary), or ''Burenwurst'', ''Blunzn'' made out of pig-blood and ''Grüne Würstl''—green sausages. Green means raw in this context—the sausages are air dried and are consumed boiled.

Bacon Bacon is a type of Curing (food preservation), salt-cured pork made from various cuts of meat, cuts, typically the pork belly, belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central in ...

in Austria is called ''Speck'', bacon can be smoked, raw, salted, spiced, etc. Bacon is used in many traditional recipes as a salty spice. '' Leberkäse'' is a loaf of corned beef, pork and bacon—it contains neither liver nor cheese despite the name. '' Vanillerostbraten'' is a garlicky beef dish.

Game

Austria has an old hunting tradition since there are many woods across the country. In the autumn season many restaurants in Austria traditionally offer game on their menu along with seasonal vegetables and fruits like pumpkins from Styria. Usual game are: *

Deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

(

venison Venison refers primarily to the meat of deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edible, including the internal organs. Venison, much like beef or pork, is categorized into spe ...

): ''Hirsch'' *

Wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

: ''Wildschwein'' * Roe deer: ''Reh'' *

Fallow deer Fallow deer is the common name for species of deer in the genus ''Dama'' of subfamily Cervinae. There are two living species, the European fallow deer (''Dama dama''), native to Europe and Anatolia, and the Persian fallow deer (''Dama mesopotamic ...

: ''Damhirsch'' * Brown hare: ''Hase/Feldhase'' *

Common pheasant The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus''), ring-necked pheasant, or blue-headed pheasant, is a bird in the pheasant family (biology), family (Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'' 'pheasant'. The species name ''colchic ...

: ''Fasan'' *

Duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

: ''Ente'' * Grey partridge: ''Rebhuhn'' The German names of game animals followed by ''-braten'' signifies a dish of roast game: ''Hirschbraten'' is roast venison.

Sweets

Cakes

Austrian cakes and pastries are a well-known feature of its cuisine. Perhaps the most famous is the

Sachertorte Sachertorte ( , ; ) is a chocolate sponge cake covered with chocolate glaze, with an interior layer of apricot jam either under the glaze or in the middle of two sponge layers. The cake was invented by Franz Sacher, either in 1832 for Aus ...

, a chocolate cake with apricot jam filling, traditionally eaten with whipped cream. Among the cakes with the longest tradition is the Linzer Torte. Other favourites include the caramel-flavoured Dobostorte and the delicately layered Esterhazy Torte, named in honour of Prince Esterházy (both originating from Hungary during the Austro-Hungarian empire), as well as a number of cakes made with fresh fruit and cream. Punschkrapfen is a classical Austrian

pastry Pastry refers to a variety of Dough, doughs (often enriched with fat or eggs), as well as the sweet and savoury Baking, baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often descr ...

, a cake filled with cake crumbs, nougat chocolate,

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

jam and then soaked with

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

. Tirolerkuchen is a hazelnut and chocolate coffee cake. Mohr im Hemd, while traditionally something closer to a chocolate

custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with Eggs as food, egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in con ...

, is now generally prepared as a steamed cake. These cakes are typically complex and difficult to make. They can be eaten at a café or bought by the slice from a bakery. A "Konditorei" is a specialist cake-maker, and the designations "Café-Konditorei" and "Bäckerei-Konditorei" are common indicators that the café or bakery in question specialises in this field.

Desserts

Austrian desserts are usually slightly less complicated than the elaborate cakes described above. The most famous of these is the ''Apfelstrudel'' ( apple strudel), layers of thin pastry surrounding a filling of apple, usually with cinnamon and raisins. Other strudels are also popular, such as those filled with sweetened curd cheese called '' Topfen'', sour cherry ('' Weichselstrudel''), sweet cherry and poppy seed strudel ('' Mohnstrudel''). Another favourite is ''Kaiserschmarr'n'', a rich fluffy sweet thick

pancake A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat type of batter bread like cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based Batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a ...

made with raisins and other fruits, broken into pieces and served with a fruit compote (traditionally made of plums called ''Zwetschkenröster'' ()) for dipping, while a speciality of Salzburg is the

meringue Meringue ( , ) is a type of dessert or candy, of French cuisine, French origin, traditionally made from Whisk, whipped egg whites and sugar, and occasionally an acid, acidic ingredient such as lemon, vinegar, or potassium bitartrate, cream of t ...

-like "Salzburger Nocken". The

Danish pastry A Danish pastry (sometimes shortened to danish; , ) is a multilayered, laminated sweet pastry in the '' viennoiserie'' tradition. Like other ''viennoiserie'' pastries, such as croissants, it is a variant of puff pastry made of laminated yeast- ...

is said to originate from

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and in Denmark is called ''wienerbrød'' (Viennese bread). The Danish pastry uses a dough in the classic cuisine referred to as "Viennese Dough", made of thin layers of butter and flour dough, imported to Denmark by Austrian bakers hired during a strike among the workers in Danish bakeries in 1850. Viennese nougat is a softer form of the brown kind of nougat common in Central and

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...

. As " Wiener Nougat", a form of it—now made with

palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...

instead of the original

cocoa butter Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible Vegetable oil, fat extracted from the cocoa bean (''Theobroma cacao''). It is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. Cocoa butter h ...

—is mass produced by the confectionery company

Fazer Fazer (, ) is one of the largest corporations in the Finland, Finnish food industry. The company was founded by Karl Fazer in 1891, as a "French-Russian café" in central Helsinki. Today, it employs over 6,000 people across Finland, Sweden, Lat ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

, where it has become a common

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

treat.

Drinks

Coffee

Austria is credited in popular legend with introducing

coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

to Europe after bags of coffee beans were left behind by the retreating Turkish army after the

Battle of Vienna The Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 1683 after the city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy) and the Polish–Li ...

in 1683. Although the first

coffeehouse A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargi ...

s had appeared in Europe some years earlier, the Viennese café tradition became an important part of the city's identity.

Coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

is served in a variety of styles, particularly in the Viennese coffee houses. An Austrian ''Mokka'' or ''kleiner Schwarzer'' is similar to

espresso Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is cha ...

, but is extracted more slowly. Other styles are prepared from the ''Mokka'': *''großer Schwarzer'' – a double ''Mokka'' *''kleiner Brauner'' or ''großer Brauner'' – single or double ''Mokka'' plus

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...

*''Verlängerter'' – "lengthened" (i.e., diluted) ''Mokka'' with more water plus milk *'' Melange'' – half ''Mokka'', half heated milk, often topped with foamed milk *''Franziskaner'' – ''Melange'' topped with

whipped cream Whipped cream, also known as Chantilly cream or (), is high-fat dairy cream that has been aerated by whisking until it becomes light, fluffy, and capable of holding its shape. This process incorporates air into the cream, creating a semi-soli ...

and foamed milk *''Kapuziner'' – ''kleiner Schwarzer'' plus whipped cream *''Einspänner'' – ''großer Schwarzer'' topped with whipped cream *''Wiener Eiskaffee'' – iced ''Mokka'' with vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream Italian styles such as

cappuccino Cappuccino (, ; from German ) is an espresso-based coffee drink traditionally prepared with steamed milk, including a layer of milk foam. Variations of the drink involve the use of cream instead of milk, using non-dairy milk substitutes ...

and

Latte Latte () or caffè latte (), also known as , or , is a List of coffee drinks, coffee drink of Italian cuisine, Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass. Variants include the chocolate-flavored ''caf ...

are also commonly served. Traditionally, coffee is served with a glass of still water. Drinking coffee together is an important social activity in Austrian culture. It is quite common for Austrians to invite friends or neighbours over for coffee and cake. This routine activity can be compared to the British

afternoon tea Tea is an umbrella term for several different meals consisting of food accompanied by tea to drink. The English writer Isabella Beeton, whose books on home economics were widely read in the 19th century, describes meals of various kinds an ...

tradition. It is also very common to go to a coffeehouse while

dating Dating is a stage of Romance (love), romantic relationships in which individuals engage in activity together, often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the cate ...

Hot chocolate

Viennese

hot chocolate Hot Chocolate are a British soul band formed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson. The group had at least one hit song every year on the UK Singles Chart from 1970 to 1984. Their hits include " You Sexy Thing", a UK number two which also made ...

is very rich, containing heavy cream in addition to chocolate, and sometimes thickened further with egg yolk.

Soft drinks

Almdudler is an Austrian soft drink based on mountain herbs and with a flavour reminiscent of

sambucus ''Sambucus'' is a genus of between 20 and 30 species of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly referred to as elder, with the flowers as elderflower, and the fruit as elderberry. Description Elders are mostl ...

beverages. It is considered the "national drink of Austria", and is popularly used as a mixer with white wine or water. While

Red Bull Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With a market share of 43%, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2020, and the third most valuable soft drink brand, behind Coca-Cola and ...

is popular all across the West, the energy drink company started in Austria. The headquarters of the Red Bull company are located at Fuschl am See near

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

. Skiwasser is a traditional Austrian beverage, made by mixing water, raspberry syrup, and lemon juice. Skiwasser originated in Austrian

Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...

, offered in winter ski huts and lodges. It is usually non-alcoholic, but alcoholic variations have been created.

Beer

Beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

is generally sold in the following sizes: 0.2 litre (a ''Pfiff''), 0.33 litre (a ''Seidel'', ''kleines Bier'' or ''Glas Bier'') and 0.5 litre (a ''Krügerl'' or ''großes Bier'' or ''Hoibe''). At festivals one litre ''Maß'' and two litre ''Doppelmaß'' in the

n style are also sometimes dispensed. The most popular types of beer are pale

lager Lager (; ) is a Type of beer, style of beer brewed and Brewing#Conditioning, conditioned at low temperature. Lagers can be Pale lager, pale, Amber lager, amber, or Dark lager, dark. Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially availab ...

(known as ''Märzen'' in Austria), naturally cloudy ''Zwicklbier'', and

wheat beer Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German and Belgian ; other types include Lambic (made with wild yeast), Berliner Weisse (a c ...

. At holidays like Christmas and Easter

bock Bock () is a strong German beer, usually a dark lager. History The style now known as ''Bock'' was first brewed in the 14th century in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck in Lower Saxony. The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers ...

beer is also available. Austrian beers are typically in the

pale lager Pale lager is a pale-to- golden lager beer with a well- attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. In the mid-19th century, Gabriel Sedlmayr took British pale ale brewing and malt making techniques back to the Spaten Bre ...

style, with the exceptions noted above. A dark amber "Vienna Style" lager was pioneered in the city during the 19th century but is no longer common there.

Wine

Wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

is principally cultivated in the east of Austria. The most important wine-producing areas are in

Lower Austria Lower Austria ( , , abbreviated LA or NÖ) is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Major cities are Amstetten, Lower Austria, Amstetten, Krems an der Donau, Wiener Neustadt and Sankt Pölten, which ...

Burgenland Burgenland (; ; ; Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian: ''Burgnland''; Slovene language, Slovene: ''Gradiščanska''; ) is the easternmost and least populous Bundesland (Austria), state of Austria. It consists of two statutory city (Austria), statut ...

Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...

, and Vienna. The Grüner Veltliner grape provides some of Austria's most notable white wines; Zweigelt is the most widely planted red wine grape. Southern Burgenland is a region that mainly grows red grapes; the "Seewinkel" area, east of the Neusiedler See in Burgenland's north, has more mixed wine cultures and is famous for its sweet wines. Wine is even grown within the city limits of Vienna – the only European capital where this is true – and some is even produced under the auspices of the city council. Young wine (i.e., wine produced from

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...

s of the most recent harvest) is called ''

Heuriger In eastern Austria, a ''Heuriger'' (; Austrian dialect pronunciation: Heiriga, Hungarian language, Hungarian: Kurta kocsma) is a tavern where local winemakers serve their new wine under a special licence in alternating months during the growing ...

'' and gives its name to inns in Vienna and its surroundings, which serve ''Heuriger'' wine along with food. In Styria, Carinthia and Burgenland, the ''Heuriger'' inns are known as ''Buschenschanken''.

Other alcoholic drinks

Upper Austria Upper Austria ( ; ; ) is one of the nine States of Austria, states of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg (state), Salzbur ...

, Lower Austria, Styria and

Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...

, ''Most'', the fresh juice of grapes or apples is produced, while ''Sturm'' ("storm"), a semi-fermented grape juice is drunk after the grape harvest. ''Most'' and ''Sturm'' are pre-stages of wine. At the close of a meal, sometimes

schnapps Schnapps ( or ) or schnaps is a type of alcoholic beverage that may take several forms, including distilled fruit brandies, herbal liqueurs, infusions, and "flavored liqueurs" made by adding fruit syrups, spices, or artificial flavorings to ...

(

fruit brandy Fruit brandy (or fruit spirit) is a distilled beverage produced from mash, juice, wine or residues of edible fruits. The term covers a broad class of spirits produced across the world, and typically excludes beverages made from grapes, which are ...

), typically of up to 60% alcohol, is drunk. In Austria schnaps is made from a variety of fruits, for example

rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the Himalaya ...

berries, gentiana roots, various

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

s and even flowers. The produce of small private schnaps distilleries, of which there are around 20,000 in Austria, is known as ''Selberbrennter'' or ''Hausbrand''.

Snack food

For food consumed in between meals there are many types of open sandwiches called "belegte Brote", or different kinds of

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

with mustard, ketchup and bread, as well as sliced sausage, '' Leberkäse'' rolls or ''Schnitzelsemmeln'' (rolls filled with

schnitzel Schnitzel () is a thin slice of meat. The meat is usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer. Most commonly, the meat is breaded before frying. Breaded schnitzel is popular in many countries and is made using veal, pork, Chicken as foo ...

Traditionally one can get a ''Wurstsemmel'' (a roll filled, usually, with Extrawurst, a special kind of thinly sliced sausage, often with a slice of cheese and a pickle or cornichon) at a butcher or at the

delicatessen A delicatessen or deli is a grocery that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessens originated in Germany (contemporary spelling: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the mid-19th centur ...

counter in a supermarket. There are also other common yet informal delicacies that are typical of Austrian food. For example, the '' Bosna'' or Bosner (a spiced

bratwurst ''Bratwurst'' () is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef or veal. The name is derived from the Old High German , from , finely chopped meat, and , sausage, although in modern German it is often associated with the ver ...

in a

hot dog A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...

roll), is an integral part of the menu at Austria's typical fast-food restaurant, the sausage stand (

Würstelstand A ''Würstelstand'' (literally "sausage stand"; plural ''Würstelstände'') is a traditional Austrian street food retail outlet selling hot dogs, sausages, and side dishes. They are a ubiquitous sight in Vienna. History ''Würstelstände'' were ...

). Most Austrian sausages contain pork.

Regional cuisine

Lower Austria

, local delicacies such as

Waldviertel The ''Waldviertel'' (; ; Central Bavarian: ; ) is the northwestern region of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is bounded to the south by the river Danube, to the southwest by Upper Austria, to the northwest and to the north by the Czech ...

poppies, Marchfeld

asparagus Asparagus (''Asparagus officinalis'') is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus (genus), Asparagus'' native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. Description ...

and

Wachau The Wachau () is an Austrian valley formed by the Danube River. It is one of the most prominent tourism in Austria, tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located between the towns of Melk and Krems an der Donau, Krems that attracts epicureans ...

apricots are cultivated. Famous are the "Marillenknödel": small dumplings filled with apricots and warm butter-fried breadcrumbs on it. Their influence can be felt in the local cuisine, for example in poppy seed noodles " Mohnnudeln".

Game A game is a structured type of play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or video games) or art ...

dishes are very common. Lower Austria is striking for the differences within its regional cuisine due to its size and the variety of its landscape.

Burgenland

's cuisine has been influenced by

Hungarian cuisine Hungarian or Magyar cuisine (Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Magyar konyha'') is the cuisine characteristic of the nation of Hungary, and its primary ethnic group, the Hungarians, Magyars. Hungarian cuisine has been described as being the P ...

owing to its former position within the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Dishes consist mainly of fish, chicken or pork. Potatoes are the most common side dish, for example, crushed potatoes with onions called "Greste Krumpian" (= Geröstete Kartoffeln, which comes from "geröstet", meaning "roasted", and the Hungarian term "krumpli" for potatoes). Because of Hungarian influence, Burgenlandish dishes are often spicier than elsewhere in Austria, often indicated with the terms "Zigeuner..." ("Gypsy") or "Serbisch..." ("Serbian").

Polenta Polenta (, ) is an Italian cuisine, Italian dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried or Grilling, grilled. The variety of cereal used is ...

is a popular side-dish within Burgenland's Croatian minority. On St Martin's Day (November 11) a ''Martinigans'' (St Martin's goose) is often prepared, and

carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...

is a typical Christmas dish.

Styria

n taverns where local winemakers serve their new wine, local cold food and homemade cakes are called

Buschenschank In eastern Austria, a ''Heuriger'' (; Austrian dialect pronunciation: Heiriga, Hungarian: Kurta kocsma) is a tavern where local winemakers serve their new wine under a special licence in alternating months during the growing season. Each state ...

. They are famous for their Brettljause, a cold hors d'oeuvre served on a wooden board, typical with ''Verhackertes'' (a spread made from finely chopped raw white bacon), different types of cold meat (''Gselchtes'': salted and smoked meat, ''Schweinsbraten'': roast pork, air-dried sausages, ''Speck'': ham) grated horseradish, hard-boiled eggs, meat paste, Liptauer, pumpkin seed spread, vegetables, pickles and cheese with sourdough bread, also ''Käferbohnensalat'' (

runner bean ''Phaseolus coccineus'', known as runner bean, scarlet runner bean, or multiflora bean, is a plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. Another common name is butter bean, which, however, can also refer to the lima bean, a different species. It is ...

salad) with pumpkin seed oil is typical. Schilcher, a very dry

rosé A rosé () is a type of wine that incorporates some of the wine color, color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the Macerati ...

, is the regional style of wine found in Western Styria. A typically Styrian delicacy is pumpkin seed oil, which lends itself particularly to

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

s on account of its nutty flavour. Many kinds of

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...

dishes are also very popular. ''Heidensterz'', resembling a dry, almost crumbly version of

grits Grits (stylized as GRITS) is an American Christian hip hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In the Spirit". GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter ...

made from

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

flour, is a local dish enjoyed in cold weather. Especially in autumn, game dishes are very common. File:Brettljause 02.jpg, Styrian Brettljause, a cold hors d'oeuvre Käferbohnensalat Graz.jpg, ''Käferbohnensalat'', Runner bean salad with onions and pumpkin seed oil File:Buschenschank Kapun6583.JPG, ''Buschenschank'', Kapun winery, Gamlitz, Southern Styria, Austria File:Ausblick auf die Südsteiermark.jpg, South Styrian vineyards File:Steirischer Backhendlsalat mit Erdäpfel- und Vogerlsalat.jpg, Styrian fried chicken salad with potato- and cornsalad File:Schilcher - Steirischer Junker - Blauer Wildbacher.jpg, Schilchersturm

Carinthia

's many lakes mean that fish is a popular main course. Grain, dairy produce and meat are important ingredients in Carinthian cuisine. Carinthian ''Kasnudeln'' (noodle dough pockets filled with

quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nucleus, atomic nuclei ...

and

mint Mint or The Mint may refer to: Plants * Lamiaceae, the mint family ** ''Mentha'', the genus of plants commonly known as "mint" Coins and collectibles * Mint (facility), a facility for manufacturing coins * Mint condition, a state of like-new ...

) and smaller ''Schlickkrapfen'' (mainly with a meat filling) are well-known local delicacies. ''Klachlsuppe'' (pig's trotter soup) and ''Reindling'' (yeast-dough pastry/cake filled with a mix of cinnamon, sugar, walnuts and raisins) are also produced locally.

Upper Austria

Various types of

dumpling Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled wi ...

s are an important part of

n cuisine, as they are in neighbouring Bavaria and Bohemia. '' Linzer Torte'', a cake that includes ground almonds or nuts and redcurrant jam, is a popular dessert from the city of

Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...

, the capital of Upper Austria. ''Linzeraugen'' are fine, soft biscuits filled with

redcurrant The redcurrant or red currant (''Ribes rubrum'') is a member of the genus ''Ribes'' in the gooseberry family. It is native to western Europe. The species is widely cultivated and has escaped into the wild in many regions. Description ''Ribes ...

jam called ''Ribiselmarmelade'', which has a sharp flavour.

Salzburg

''Kasnocken'' (cheese dumplings) are a popular meal, as are freshwater fish, particularly trout, served in various ways. Salzburger Nockerl (a

-like dish) is a well-known local dessert.

Tyrol

Tyrolean bacon and all sorts of dumplings including ''Speckknödel'' (dumplings with pieces of bacon) and ''Spinatknödel'' (made of spinach) are an important part of the local cuisine. Tyrolean cuisine is very simple because in earlier times Tyroleans were not very rich, farming on mountains and in valleys in the middle of the Alpine Region. Tyrolean food often contains milk, cheese, flour and lard.

Vorarlberg

The cuisine of

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( ; ; , , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is the state with the second-highest popu ...

has been influenced by the

Alemanni The Alemanni or Alamanni were a confederation of Germanic peoples, Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River during the first millennium. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Roman emperor Caracalla of 213 CE ...

c cuisine of neighbouring Switzerland and

Swabia Swabia ; , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of Swabia, one of ...

. Cheese and cheese products play a major role in the cuisine, with ''Käsknöpfle'' and ''Kässpätzle'' (egg noodles prepared with cheese) being popular dishes. Other delicacies include ''Krautspätzle'' (sauerkraut noodles), ''Käsdönnala'' (similar to a

quiche Quiche ( ) is a French tart consisting of a pastry crust filled with savoury custard and pieces of cheese, meat, seafood or vegetables. A well-known variant is quiche lorraine, which includes lardons or bacon. Quiche may be served hot, wa ...

), ''Schupfnudla'' (made from a dough mixing potato and flour), ''Frittatensuppe'' (pancake soup), ''Öpfelküachle'' (apple cake) and ''Funkaküachle'' (cake traditionally eaten on the first Sunday of Lent).

Gallery

File:Wurstteller mit Bierschinken, geräucherte Leberwurst und Blutwurst.jpg, Bierschinken, Leberwurst and Blutwurst File:Tiroler speckknoedelsuppe.jpg, ''Tiroler Speckknödelsuppe'' File:Alt Wiener Erdäpfelsuppe.JPG, Kartoffelsuppe File:Leberknoedel2(RobertK).jpg, Leberknödelsuppe File:Frittatensuppe.jpg, Frittatensuppe File:Tafelspitz.jpg,

File:Wiener Bruckfleisch 01.jpg, Bruckfleisch File:Rindergulasch Rotkohl Kloesse 002.JPG, Rindergulasch File:K%C3%A4rntner_Nudel_handgekrendelt_01.JPG, Käsnudel - Carinthian cheese noodles File:Schweizerhaus04.jpg, Stelze File:Krustenbraten mit Dunkelbiersoße.jpg, Krustenbraten mit Dunkelbiersoße (baked pork served with a dark beer sauce) File:FW Marillenknödl1.jpg, Marillenknödel File:Kaiserschmarrn groß.jpg, Kaiserschmarrn File:Mohnnudeln z01.JPG, Mohnnudeln, poppy seed noodles File:Mohnstrudel-01.jpg, Mohnstrudel File:Plum cake 03 ies.jpg, Plum cake File:Buchteln.jpg, Buchteln File:Bundt Cake with Grapes 001.jpg, Bundt cake with grapes File:Palatschinken in Wien 1.JPG, Palatschinken File:Salzburger Nockerln P1380020.JPG, Salzburger Nockerln File:Sachertorte_DSC03027_retouched.jpg,

File:Austrian Goulash.jpg, Saftgulasch File:Bratknödel.JPG, Bratknödel

References

External links

Österreichische Küche – AEIOU
{{DEFAULTSORT:Austrian Cuisine

Cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...