The 20 most famous dishes of Austria
Austrian cooking is heir to Vienna's imperial court, gathering flavours from Hungary, Bohemia and the Balkans; it is famous for schnitzel and the cakes and pastries of Vienna's grand cafés.
1Wiener Schnitzel
A very thin pounded veal escalope, breaded and fried in clarified butter until its crust billows — Austria's…
2Tafelspitz
Beef simmered slowly in clear broth with vegetables, served with apple-horseradish and chive sauces — Emperor…
3Kaiserschmarrn
A fluffy raisin pancake torn into pieces and caramelised in butter and sugar, served with plum compote — "the…
4Sachertorte
Vienna's famous chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam and a glossy chocolate glaze, served with…
5Topfenstrudel
Thin strudel pastry filled with soft quark cheese, lemon and raisins, baked and dusted with sugar.
6Wiener Saftgulasch
Viennese beef goulash with as much onion as meat and sweet paprika, its sauce thick and glossy, served with…
7Semmelknödel
Dumplings of stale bread soaked in milk with egg, onion and parsley, simmered to go with goulash and roasts.
8Kasnocken
Small dumplings with strong Alpine cheese and crisp onions — a warming Tyrolean dish.
9Germknödel
Large soft yeast dumplings filled with plum jam, steamed and topped with melted butter, poppy seeds and sugar.
10Palatschinken
Thin Austrian crêpes filled with apricot jam, rolled and dusted with icing sugar.
11Linzer Torte
One of the oldest known cakes in the world: almond-cinnamon pastry filled with redcurrant or raspberry jam…
12Frittatensuppe
Clear beef broth with thin ribbons of crêpe floating in it, finished with chives.
13Wiener Backhendl
Viennese breaded fried chicken, served with potato and cucumber salad.
14Salzburger Nockerl
A sweet meringue soufflé baked in three peaks representing Salzburg's snow-capped mountains.
15Marillenknödel
Whole apricots wrapped in quark dough, boiled and rolled in buttery toasted crumbs and sugar.
16Liptauer
A soft cheese spread with paprika, caraway, onion and capers, eaten on dark bread in Viennese wine taverns.
17Vanillekipferl
Crumbly almond crescents coated in vanilla sugar — among Austria's best-loved Christmas biscuits.
18Krautfleckerl
Small square pasta with cabbage caramelised with onion and caraway — a simple dish from Bohemian times.
19Kärntner Kasnudeln
Half-moon dumplings from Carinthia filled with quark, potato and mint, with a hand-crimped edge.
20Esterházy Torte
Layers of almond meringue and vanilla buttercream topped with a chocolate web on white fondant — an…