Top 7 Austrian foods to try

You cannot come to Austria without sampling its national dish, the traditional Wiener Schnitzel. Typically eaten as a casual lunch, this thin cut of meat (originally veal) is coated in breadcrumbs and fried, served with a slice of lemon, fried potatoes, onion and sour cream.

Sample this at a casual Austrian restaurant, pub or on board your Emerald Star-Ship.

Another one of Austria’s favourite desserts includes the delicious Sachertorte. This dense, chocolate sponge cake, is made up of thin layers of apricot jam, finished with a semi-firm chocolate icing and best served with whipped cream.

Although you can find the Sachertorte in pretty much every bakery and café in Austria, head to the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, home of the original Sacher Torte, where its recipe still remains a closely guarded secret, since its creation by Franz Sacher in 1832. It’s best to arrive early, but be prepared to queue. 

Just like Australia, residents of Austria love their coffee. First brought about by the invading Ottoman Turks, the Austrian coffee culture remains a strong and important part of daily life.

Enjoy a Melange, a Mozart or a Franziskaner coffee at one of the many traditional or modern coffee houses and cafes throughout Vienna, served with a fresh pastry.

The hearty goulash may originally hail from Hungary, but today it is a standard part of the Austrian food scene. This hot and spicy stew, ideal on a cold winter’s day, typically contains beef, paprika, tomatoes and onions, and often includes dumplings.

Mop up the stew with a crusty slice of bread and enjoy with a rich Austrian red or beer.

Another Austrian delicacy worth sampling, if you’re a meat lover, is Tafelspitz which is boiled veal or beef with root vegetables and spices in a clear broth. It’s believed that this dish was one of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph’s favourites. Although a fairly rustic and simple dish, don’t let this stop you from ordering, as it is actually delicious and full of flavour.

The traditional way to enjoy Tafelspitz is to drink the broth first, before spooning the vegetables and meat onto a plate and eating this together with roast potatoes, minced apples, and horseradish or sour cream with chives. 

A tasty souvenir for chocolate lovers which you can find throughout Salzburg and Vienna is the Salzburg Mozartkugel. First invented by Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst in 1890, this sweet round treat is made from marzipan, pistachios, nougat and dark chocolate.

The original Salzburger Mozartkugel comes wrapped in a silver and blue tin foil featuring Mozart’s portrait, whilst today you can find many different varieties.