Updated April 10th, 2019

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It’s no secret that I love food. I haven’t planned an entire trip around food (yet!), but I do make an effort to eat as much of the local food as possible and plan for a diverse range of eating opportunities whenever I travel. I look back fondly on these savory foods and memorable restaurants in Austria. Once in awhile I had to stop eating all the Austrian Desserts and eat something healthy, right? 

What to Eat in Austria – Savory Foods

Goulash

Goulash is a meat and vegetable soup that is primarily eaten in Central Europe. The Austrian version I had did not taste at all like my grandmother’s recipe, which is more of a meat and pasta dish, that I grew up eating. I was glad I tried it, but my grandmother’s version still wins.

Because goulash is already a soup it didn’t quite make sense to order a soup as a soup version. Regardless this ‘goulash soup’ was well seasoned and helped to warm me up as I enjoyed the views on top of Untersberg mountain.

Pretzels

Sometimes locations are known for a type of food that I feel is just as good back home or really doesn’t taste that spectacular in the particular location. Pretzels do not fall into that category! I don’t know what kind of magic they do in Austria, but pretzels truly taste better there.

Wursts

An Austrian staple found at countless places that is often served with pretzels, fries or bread.

Schnitzel

Whether pork, chicken or veal, this is a breaded meat dish that you can not go to Austria without trying. Typically served with potatoes and cranberry sauce, the schnitzel looks huge but I was always able to finish mine! Find out where to eat the best schnitzel in Vienna. 

Spätzle & Pork

Spätzle is a soft-egg noodle that is common throughout many European countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Tafelspitz

A classic Viennese dish of boiled beef or veal that I really wanted to try, but did not get a chance. It was on the menu at most traditional Austrian establishments.

Where to Eat in Austria – Cafes & Restaurants

Salzburg: Gasthof Alter Fuchs

Linzer G. 47-49, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

Located on the other side of the river from the old town, this cozy place with classic dishes on the menu had a traditional Austrian feel.

Salzburg: Pretzel Stand in Kapitelplatz

Familie Reiter – nur am Kapitelplatz, Salzburg 5020, Austria (square with a man standing on top of a big gold sphere)

During our Sound of Music tour our guide recommended this pretzel place to everyone and announced that it had the best pretzels in Salzburg. Sometimes I am skeptical of tour guide recommendations mid-tour, thinking that they are only trying to promote a specific business. Our guide was right about this one! With almost ten different varieties of pretzels as big as your head, you are sure to find a flavor you will enjoy.

Salzburg: Die Wiesse

Rupertgasse 10, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

We didn’t know if our hunger could hold on long enough to reach this locally recommended biergarten and were about to give up when we heard music. By following the sound of a tuba we made it to this biergarten that was full of Austrians in their traditional dirndls and lederhosen. As it was a national holiday we were treated to a festive and authentic display of music, dancing, and eating. Even if you don’t luck out with the festive atmosphere we experienced, the outdoor garden and food are still worth a visit. Another great recommendation from our tour guide that is a little off the beaten path.

Salzburg: Untersberg Mountain – Hochalm am Untersberg

Located on top of Untersberg Mountain, this traditional looking restaurant offers classic fare at reasonable prices and close up views of the surrounding alps. See my full Untersberg post for more information.

Salzburg: Café Latini

Judengasse 17, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

This café is good if you want something a little quicker within the old town close to all the sights. I particularly recommend the ice cream and a nice outdoor table for prime people watching.  

Vienna: Bierhof

Haarhof 3, 1010 Wien, Austria

We weren’t quite ready for lunch when we stumbled upon this restaurant, but it was too good to pass up. It was almost hidden within a little courtyard. I had a chicken salad here. It sounds really basic, but the spices in it made me scarf down my salad at the rate of which I would usually eat a piece of chocolate cake.

Vienna

Intersection of Ballgasse & Blumenstockgasse — restaurant in the center with green boards

Sometimes you are given a sign in life. One of these times happened when we were standing on the street debating where to eat dinner, when a man walked by and handed us a restaurant flyer. It said the restaurant was within one minute walking distance. The fact that a movable flyer said within one minute walking distance was amusing, but we decided it wouldn’t hurt to check it out. It was within a one minute distance, on a side street at the meeting point of a fork in the road with a few restaurants. Another slightly more secluded area with several cafés. Although we typically ate outdoors only for lunch when it was warm enough, we wanted to experience the area outdoors for dinner as well. We were given blankets as we enjoyed our top notch salmon and schnitzel dishes.

Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace

For where to eat at Schönbrunn Palace check out my full post on our visit there.

Other Cuisines and Restaurants in Austria

Of course the main eating focus was on Austrian specialities, but one of the things I dislike the most about living in Russia is the lack of diverse and flavorful foods. We were in Austria for nine days so that gave us a chance to try some other cuisines as well.

Italian

We had a few different Italian meals and they were all scrumptious.

Gmunden: Vienna Cafe DP Gastro GmbH

Sparkassegasse 1, 4810 Gmunden, Austria

We ate at this Italian spot to satisfy our hunger that developed when kayaking on Lake Traunsee. It was our first meal in Austria and our first time experiencing the service culture in Austria. From traveling quite a bit around Europe I wasn’t quite as surprised as my mom by the lack of attention we received and the odd encounter of one waiter starting to take our order, then proceeding to talk to another waiter and leave.  

It wouldn’t deter me from returning again one day. My salmon pasta was the type of dish that I just wanted to lick the plate clean. The views of the lake and the mountains in the distance rounded out the experience to a favorable one.

Seefeld: Restaurant Seefelder Stube

Innsbrucker Str. 23, 6100 Seefeld in Tirol, Austria

When visiting in May, during the off-season, there are not too many restaurant options. Our hotel manager suggested three places we could eat. Our pizza and pasta dishes at the Seefelder Stube arrived exactly as we ordered them and full of rich flavors.

Vienna: Ristorante San Carlo

Mahlerstraße 3, 1010 Wien, Austria

This ristorante near the Opera House has a slightly more elegant feel so when we came in drenched from the rain we wondered if they would even let us get a table. When the waiter led us to a table and then turned around we were left standing awkwardly in the middle of the room starting to get concerned that we wouldn’t get a table for real. It was our last meal in Austria so we were starting to get the hang of the Austrian restaurant world so we kept calm and waited until we finally got a drafty table near the door to the rainy weather outside. Soon enough we were served our food and my luscious pasta dish made me quickly forget about the temperature.

Tex-Mex

Vienna: Salud Restaurant and Bar

Johannesgasse 23, 1010 Wien, Austria

Don’t go here if you want attentive service, but do go here for some good tex-mex food.

Now you know what to eat in Austria and where to eat some traditional Austrian dishes! Whether you want to have some Austrian dishes or not, you are sure to find something tasty in Austria.

More about Austria

• A full Austria Itinerary
• Which Cities & Towns to Visit in Austria and What to Do
  • Gmunden (in the Salzburg Lakes District)
  • Salzburg: Sound of Music Bicycle Tour, Untersberg, Hellbrunn Palace, Salzburg Christmas Museum
  • Seefeld (in Tyrol)
  • Vienna: Sisi Museum & Schönbrunn Palace
• What and Where to Eat in Austria
  • Sweet Treats

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