Are you a long time eater of Apple Strudel? Could you digest a Schnitzel daily? Do you have a Palate for Palatschinken? Travel through Austria and uncover delicious discoveries in each region.
Time to level up your love affair with Austrian food! Because what sightseeing wouldn’t be better with a belly full of goodness?
Vienna may be the most famous of the Austrian cities, and an amazing place to try a little bit of something from everywhere.
We all know food is better the closer you get to the sauce (FINE I mean source 😛 ).
Read on to find the top spots in Austria for a perfect blend of history and food
GET YOUR GASTRONOMY ON IN GRAZ
If you have never heard of Graz, I have 2 words to describe it to you.
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The cities most famous export, to maintain a body like his you KNOW they have to have great food. The sleepy little city of 250,000 doesn’t disappoint.
The capital of the Styria region is known across Austria to be home of the freshest fruits and veggies in the country. Veggies picked in the morning are sold at one of the famous farmers markets Monday through Saturday.
Their local delicacy is pumpkin seed oil, and they put it on EVERYTHING. From Ice cream to soups to salads to Schnitty.
With over 800 urban farms surrounding Graz, and about a billion wineries, it’s hard to pin-point the ‘best’ market. But our top picks would be Lendplatz Market for the freshest foods, and Kaiser-Josef-Platz for the most colourful personalities!
LET SALZBURG SATE YOUR APPETITE
To open our description of Salzburg, I feel you should all know the area around Salzburg is commonly called SalzBURGERland…. While it’s not famous for its delicious burgers (I’m sure they’re lovely), it IS famous for having the highest concentration on internationally acclaimed restaurants in Austria.
You will fall in love with the beautiful city of Salzburg while wondering the hiking trails just outside of the city. And while you’re there, why not pop into one of the hundreds of huts dotting the landscape?
They sell some of the most amazing cheeses you could imagine! Or perhaps hike to the Alpine lakes of the region to watch the fisherman who catches your fish, smoke it and serve it to you.
GET SOME GOURMET SLOW FOOD IN GAILTAL
Get amongst the Gailtal Valley, the worlds first ‘slow food’ travel area. Feeling like you’ve been rushed off your feet? Head into the valley and meet up with Hans Steinwender at The Lerchenhof, he makes his own hay and feeds it to his pigs.
Or get involved with a cooking course with Inge Daberer at the Bio-hotel Daberer. Use the wild herbs you collect from her garden to create their famous herb baguettes or world famous salads.
LET VIENNA CALM YOUR VORACIOUS HUNGER
We can’t pass up Vienna when you’re talking about food in Austria. As their capital, it is the epitome of all their culinary goodness and like we said at the start, an opportunity to pick up a little bit of something from everywhere.
After something Fancy? Vienna is one of 2 cities in Austria with Michelin star restaurants, so do yourself a favour and get into it! We recommend Restaurant Konstantin Filippou, where rising star chef Konstantin Filippou constructs a 6 or 10 course pre-fixed menu.
After something traditional? We recommend Labstelle for its honest Austrian yummy goodness (bring on the home smoked trout!)
Eating while you’re on holiday can seem onerous and a waste of time, in Austria the food is part of the tourism. Their culture is built around the home cooked meal, and part of visiting the sites is eating the local food.
So don’t limit yourself to just scratching the surface, tuck in and enjoy! To discover more delicious delights in Austria visit the Austria Tourism website.
Written by KARRYON contributor Bob Baddams