When one thinks of Austrian cuisine its history, the Hapsburg Empire and its position cannot be ignored, right in the middle between central and eastern Europe.

From here, the mingling of peoples, different cultures, religions, and gastronomic traditions, with the thousand influences that brought to the table a sort of foresighted fusion vision of the kitchen. Poles, Hungarians, Croats, Slovaks, French, Dalmatians, and Italians have crossed the Empire and each has inherited some of its histories, its own flavor.

The traditional dishes in Austria are, above all, based on meat (fleisch) and seasonal products, influenced by Jewish and Middle Eastern cuisine, seasoned with lots of spices and often accompanied by kartoffeln (potatoes): roast bratkartoffeln, mashed kartoffelpüree , with parsley petersilkartoffeln, or in salads or fried.

10 typical dishes not to miss in Austria

Wiener Schnitzel

Thinned, breaded, and pan-fried veal cutlet that is traditionally served with a dollop of lingonberry jam, lemon wedges, and either buttered parsley potatoes, a simple potato salad, or French fries.

Tafelspitz

Boiled beef topside in broth, typically served with horseradish

Rindsuppe

Clear soup made of sliced or cubed meat slowly cooked with vegetables.

Tiroler Speckknödel

Fried bacon and bread dumplings, made by mixing stale bread with eggs, sauteed bacon, and onions. Can be served as the main course or in a soup (Speckknödelsuppe).

Backhendl

The Viennese version of fried-chicken consisting of a whole chicken, which is generously rubbed with spices and lemon juice.

Wachauer Marillenknödel

Pitted Wachau apricot encased in a light dough which is then shaped into a dumpling, cooked and rolled in breadcrumbs that have been fried in butter.

Kasnudeln

Dough dumplings filled with a stuffing of either cheese, potatoes, or both.

Bruckfleisch

A dish consisting of braised offal with root vegetables in a brown sauce consisting of vinegar, wine, and blood.

Germknödel

Steamed yeast dumpling. It consists of soft dough which is filled with rum-spiced plum jam.

Sachertorte

Layered chocolate sponge cake that is thinly coated with high-quality apricot jam and topped with chocolate icing.

Apfelstrudel

Thin layers of dough filled with a flavorful apple filling.

Kaiserschmarrn

A dessert that looks like a fluffy, lightly caramelized, scrambled pancake.

Wiener Mélange

Small espresso served with steamed milk and topped with froth.

Glühwein

A warming mix of hot red wine blended with sugar, orange, lemon, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

Stroh

Spiced rum available in several variants, ranging from 40% to a whopping 80% alcohol.