Guten Appetit!

There’s no denying that traditional Austrian food is hearty, with its dumplings and stews, ‘krauts and potatoes.

- Jennifer Buchet

But it has lots more to offer than crisp apple streudels, schnitzel with noodles, or tiny tins of Vienna sausages!

Two of Austria’s most beloved dishes are the wiener schnitzel and tafelspitz. Tafelspitz is considered the national dish. Hunks of beef are simmered in an aromatic broth alongside roasted potatoes, minced apples and horseradish — mmm! True or false — a wiener schnitzel is a hot dog? False! It’s actually a fried veal cutlet served with warm apple-bacon sauerkraut. If you want an all-beef frank, you’d better order a frankfurter! You can find plenty of those at your corner würzelstand. Looking for something cheesy? Pop into a local snack bar (imbissutbe) to sample bitesized leberknödels, a liver dumpling that looks like a meatball, or share a simple pot of cheese fondue. If you’re looking for a nice sit-down meal, make reservations at a gasthäuser, where you can enjoy salads dressed in black pumpkin seed oil and schnitzelsemmel, breaded pork burgers served on Kaiser rolls.