Austria Food

Austria has several protected and regionally important food products. Many are tied to mountain dairying, cured meats, pumpkin seed oil, horseradish, asparagus, cheese, and traditional farming methods. These products are useful to know because they appear in markets, restaurants, wine taverns, bakeries, and regional menus.

For an overview of how the EU safeguards regional food heritage through quality labels like PDO and PGI, see the European Commission’s guide on Geographical indications for food and drink.

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

Surakäse or Sura Kees

Originating in the Montafon Valley in Vorarlberg, Sura Kees is a sour milk cheese with a soft, spreadable consistency and a tangy, refreshing taste. Traditionally made from skimmed milk, it’s one of the oldest types of cheese in the region and is often served with vinegar, onions, and boiled potatoes.

Tiroler Graukäse 

This distinctive grey mold cheese is low in fat and made from sour skimmed milk. With a crumbly texture and intensely pungent aroma, it has long been a staple of mountain diets in Tyrol. It is typically eaten with vinegar, onions, and rye bread, and is known for its bold flavor.

Tiroler Speck

Tiroler Speck is a smoked and cured pork belly or ham originating from the Tyrol region. The meat is seasoned with a blend of spices, including garlic, coriander, and juniper berries, then cold-smoked and air-dried. This process imparts a distinctive taste and texture, making it a staple in Tyrolean cuisine.

Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG)

Heumilch

Heumilch, or haymilk, is cow's milk produced from animals that are fed exclusively on fresh grass, herbs, and hay, without any fermented fodder like silage. This traditional feeding method results in milk with a distinctive flavor and high quality, often used in the production of various Austrian cheeses.

Schaf-Heumilch

Schaf-Heumilch is sheep's milk obtained from animals raised on a diet of fresh grass and hay, adhering to traditional farming practices. This method ensures the milk's purity and is integral to the production of certain traditional sheep milk cheeses in Austria.

Ziegen-Heumilch

Ziegen-Heumilch refers to goat's milk produced under the same traditional feeding practices as haymilk, with goats consuming only fresh grass and hay. This results in high-quality milk that contributes to the unique taste of traditional Austrian goat cheeses.

Other Food Products

Vorarlberger Alpkäse

Produced exclusively during the summer months in high alpine dairies, Vorarlberger Alpkäse is made from raw milk of cows grazing on alpine herbs. The cheese is firm and aromatic, with a pronounced flavor that intensifies with age. It represents centuries of mountain dairy tradition in western Austria.

Tiroler Alpkäse or Tiroler Almkäse

This cheese originates from Tyrolean alpine pastures and is produced only during the grazing season using raw milk. It has a strong, slightly piquant taste and a smooth, firm texture. Aged for at least three months, Tiroler Alpkäse is a staple of Tyrolean alpine cuisine.

Tiroler Bergkäse

Similar to Tiroler Alpkäse but made year-round, Tiroler Bergkäse is a hard cheese from the Tyrolean Alps with a dense texture and rich, slightly spicy flavor. It is produced from raw cow’s milk and matured for a minimum of three months, often used both as a table cheese and in traditional dishes.

Gailtaler Almkäse

From the Gail and Lesach valleys in Carinthia, this hard cheese is made primarily from untreated cow’s milk, sometimes with a small addition of raw goat’s milk. It has a slightly tangy taste and a creamy, firm texture. With a history dating back to the 14th century, it is an important part of Carinthian alpine farming culture.

Gailtaler Speck

Gailtaler Speck is a traditional dry-cured and smoked pork product from the Gailtal Valley in Carinthia. It's renowned for its unique flavor, achieved through a specific curing process that involves local herbs and beechwood smoking. The production methods have been preserved over generations, reflecting the region's cultural heritage.

Steirisches Kürbiskernöl

This dark green oil with a rich, nutty flavor is a signature product of Styria. Made by cold-pressing roasted pumpkin seeds, it’s used in salads, soups, and desserts, and holds PGI status for its regional authenticity.

Steirischer Kren

A spicy root vegetable cultivated in Styria, valued for its pungent flavor.

Marchfeldspargel

White asparagus grown in the Marchfeld region, appreciated for its tenderness and mild flavor.

Pregler or Osttiroler Preglerl

A fruit brandy from East Tyrol, distilled from apples and pears, known for its fragrant bouquet and fruity taste.

Traditional Austrian dishes include soups, dumplings, schnitzel, stews, roasted meats, sausages, potato dishes, pastries, pancakes, and layered desserts. Many dishes are tied to regional cooking, imperial-era Vienna, Alpine farming, and Central European food traditions.

Appetizers & Soups

Frittatensuppe

A clear beef broth filled with thinly sliced strips of pancake (similar to crêpes), this is one of Austria’s most beloved starters, often served at home and in restaurants.

Leberknödelsuppe

This warming soup features liver dumplings (typically beef or pork) served in a rich beef broth. Hearty and flavorful, it reflects Austria's traditional use of offal.

Gulaschsuppe

A spicy, paprika-rich soup of Hungarian origin, made with beef, potatoes, onions, and peppers. It’s thicker than a typical soup and often eaten as a substantial appetizer or light meal.

Side Dish

Semmelknödel

Bread dumplings made from rolls, eggs, milk, and herbs. Served with meat dishes and gravies, especially roast pork or goulash.

Kartoffelsalat

Vinegar-based potato salad, often warm, and flavored with mustard, onions, and sometimes beef broth—an essential side for Wiener Schnitzel.

Fermented cabbage, often cooked with onions and bacon. A classic accompaniment to roast pork and sausages.

Erdäpfel mit Petersilie

Boiled potatoes tossed with butter and chopped parsley—a simple, versatile side found across Austria.

Vegetarian Main or Light Dishes

Main Course

Wiener Schnitzel

Austria’s most iconic dish—a breaded and pan-fried veal cutlet. Traditionally served with lemon, potato salad, or parsley potatoes. Pork is also commonly used as a more affordable variant.

Tafelspitz

A classic Viennese dish of boiled beef (often from the hind leg) simmered with root vegetables and spices, served with horseradish, apple sauce, and chive sauce.

Schweinsbraten

Roast pork seasoned with caraway, garlic, and marjoram, usually served with dumplings and sauerkraut. A staple of Sunday family meals and rural taverns.

Zwiebelrostbraten

A flavorful beef roast with a dark onion gravy, garnished with crispy fried onions. Typically served with potatoes or spaetzle.

Backhendl

Viennese-style fried chicken, seasoned, breaded, and deep-fried until golden. Traditionally served with potato salad or a light green salad.

Tiroler Gröstl

A hearty Alpine skillet dish of fried potatoes, onions, and leftover roast meat (often pork or beef), topped with a fried egg.

Blunzengröstl

A traditional pan-fried dish made with potatoes and blood sausage, especially popular in rural areas of Austria.

Dessert

Apfelstrudel

Paper-thin pastry filled with spiced apples, raisins, and breadcrumbs, rolled and baked until golden. Usually served warm with whipped cream or vanilla sauce.

Kaiserschmarrn

Shredded, caramelized pancake made with eggs and flour, sometimes with raisins, and served with fruit compote (often plum or apple). A popular dessert or sweet main dish.

Sachertorte

Vienna’s legendary chocolate cake—dense and dark, with a layer of apricot jam and a shiny chocolate glaze. Often served with unsweetened whipped cream.

Topfenstrudel

A sweet strudel filled with a creamy quark (Topfen) cheese mixture. A lighter alternative to apple strudel and beloved across Austria.

Buchteln

Soft yeast rolls filled with jam or poppy seeds, baked together so they form a pull-apart bread. Often served with vanilla sauce.

Snacks & Street Food

Würstel

Served from Würstelstände (sausage stands), varieties include Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage), Burenwurst, and Frankfurter. Typically eaten with mustard, bread, and pickles.

Leberkäse

Despite its name ("liver cheese"), Leberkäse is a baked meatloaf made from finely ground pork and beef. It is typically served warm in a roll with mustard and is a staple of Austrian snack bars and butcher shops.