Top 10 culinary specialties in Vienna

What to eat in Vienna? Our selection of 10 Austrian specialties

1.Kaiserschmarrn

Vienna is certainly known for its hot, unique and flavorful dishes, but it's also the place where sugar is king. Kaiserscharrn is actually one of the city's most famous sweet specialties. Also called "the emperor's pancake" (original, right?), this dessert was invented by Emperor Franz Joseph himself. Made from pancake batter and then sprinkled with powdered sugar, this dessert is served with zwetschkenröster (plum compote). Very indulgent, it can also be accompanied by pear, apple or berry jam.

2.Strudel

Let's stay with sweets and talk about a famous pastry in Austria, which you may know, the Strudel. This hearty dish made of thin layers of filled pastry, most often contains pieces of apples or fresh quark cheese. It is then brushed with butter and browned in the oven. It's a cylinder-shaped pastry that is crispy and tender inside. It's also possible to participate in a workshop to make strudels at Schönbrunn Palace. With a pastry chef, you'll learn lots of tips to recreate it at home!

3.Goulash Stew

Here's a typical Vienna dish that will delight the taste buds of our carnivorous readers. It's a kind of very thick stew made with meat and vegetables simmered in a sauce flavored with paprika. In the Austrian capital, this dish is mostly prepared with lean meat and onions. Once upon a time, it was the reference dish of Hungarian shepherds, but it established itself in the early 19th century as a dish of popular Viennese gastronomy. From taverns to gourmet restaurants, Goulash is now offered almost everywhere in Vienna.

4.Wiener Schnitzel

If you visit Vienna, you absolutely must taste this very common dish that is the pride of Austrians. Wiener Schnitzel is one of the capital's main dishes. It's a Viennese-style veal cutlet that is fried until the meat is nice and crispy. This delicious dish is often served with parsley potatoes as a side dish, as well as lemon slices. However, we warn you, it's a particularly salty meal, so plan to have a good glass of water nearby!

5.Schweinsbraten

It may be difficult to pronounce, but extremely easy to taste! Here's another typically Viennese dish made of pork roast where the meat is pan-fried with garlic and cumin. It's often accompanied by potatoes, pasta and knödel. Of Celtic origin, this very indulgent and hearty dish is ideal if you travel to Vienna during winter. It will warm you up and give you courage, while making you discover new flavors.

6.Knödel

Forget the chips, crackers or peanuts for appetizers. In the city of Vienna, it's Knödel that takes center stage. What is it? It's actually small balls of potato or bread, with pieces of eggs, semolina and spinach that are poached and cooked in boiling water. These little appetizers are comparable to Lyon quenelles and are very popular in Vienna. There are also sweet Knödel variants with prunes, apricots or cottage cheese. Something to sink your teeth into, right?

7.Tafelspitz

If you want to taste Vienna's most emblematic dishes, don't miss Tafelspitz! How can we best describe it to you? It's a kind of pot-au-feu made from quality beef, good fresh and flavorful vegetables that are crunchy to the bite, all cooked in water broth with its seasoning. The secret of this recipe? For better tasting, it's recommended to cut the meat against the grain. The taste will be even better!

8.Vienna sausage

Vienna sausage or Viennese sausage is a traditional sausage made of pork and beef meat. Inside and out, the sausage is pink and its taste can differ according to added flavors, such as salt, pepper, oregano, red onion or even sometimes sugar! Very widespread in Central Europe, you'll love finding this specialty in Vienna, with some slight modifications. To accompany it? What could be better than a fresh salad, or potatoes cut into thin slices, or even delicious fries!

9.Mandarintorte

Know that in Vienna, fruits hold an important place which is why you absolutely must taste Mandarintorte. You've probably already eaten an apple cake, plum cake, strawberry cake, but have you ever had the opportunity to eat a mandarin cake? Mandarintorte is made of a delicious biscuit with cream, and is then covered with mandarins. Perfect with coffee or even a cup of tea! This fruity dessert is absolutely divine, there's also the same version with apricots.

10.Sachertort

Let's finish our selection with a delicious chocolate dessert. To properly finish your meal, taste sachertort, one of the sweet dishes most appreciated among Austrians. It's cooked from an indulgent chocolate sponge cake and a thin layer of apricot jam, filled in the middle. To give this shiny appearance to the cake, it's covered with chocolate glaze for even more indulgence. Enough to satisfy your taste buds to the end.