Gastronomic guide to the Austrian capital
“If you don’t have at least one Hungarian grandmother, you’re not really from Vienna”. This traditional saying fully reflects the multiculturalism of the Austrian capital, whose gastronomic traditions derive from centuries of crucible cultural. A crossroads of encounters between the peoples of Bohemia, the Balkans, Italy and, of course, Hungary, the romantic city has collected culinary influences within its fortified walls that it has slowly made its own, defining the cornerstones of Viennese cuisine.
The ABC of Viennese cuisine
A world faithful to the traditions of Eastern Europe with dishes that are said to come as far back as Turkey, passed through Milan and Venice, such as the mythical Milanese cutlet. Breaded veal cutlet differs from the classic Milanese cutlet because it is served thin, strictly without the bone. Covered with flour, then dipped in egg and wrapped in breadcrumbs, it is browned in a pan with a mix of oil and butter and served together with the typical potato salad.
In addition to a recipe, a must in the menus of traditional as well as contemporary venues, Vienna is known slowly for the great variety of soups that restaurants serve with warm and velvety notes, or for the meat broths made by cooking bones and vegetables for hours on fire. in which to dip small savory pancakes (frittaten) and liver or semolina dumplings (Leberknödel and Griessnockerl).
Not to mention the Hungarian reaction of the Goulash, a kind of braised beef cooked over a very low heat after being stirred with onions and paprika. Finally, sweets like Mehlspeisen arrive from Bohemia, while in the windows of Viennese pastry shops, for almost two hundred years, the Sacher cakechocolate cake with apricot jam born within the walls of the homonymous hotel.
Those who want to embark on a gastronomic journey in the Austrian capital, therefore, must absolutely taste the recipes mentioned in the Beisl and the Heuriger (both traditional places in the city) and then explore the historic cafes that spread the word of contemporary bistronomy. Not to mention the new openings with an international allure, serving dishes plant-based and are frequented by the younger generations who love to experiment with a table.
Beisl and historic cafes
The first stop is in the traditional Beisl (whose name derives from the Yiddish word bajiss, home or) from the simple and convivial, recognizable by the large bar on which appear a frenetic rhythm glasses of wine and pints of beer. Here are places where you can enjoy an excellent meal, like the historic cafes which, having abandoned the splendor of past eras, are now renovated with a fresh and contemporary design. This is the case with the Bellaria coffeeat number 6 of Bellariastrasse, near the Natural History Museum of Vienna, whose menu includes the traditional Wiener Schnitzel and a wide variety of burgers (also in vegan version).
The new addresses in Vienna
For dinner a visit from Chez Bernard, recently opened on the top floor of the Hotel Motto in Mariahilfer Straße at 71a. Set in a completely renovated historic building from the late 1800s, it is characterized by a spectacular dome from which, at aperitif time, the light of the sunset permeates. In front of the counter at the bar surrounded by greenery, there are small tables gathered around a velvet armchairs. To start you can choose plateau of seafood crudités or some “Small bites” served with classic cocktails. Among the main courses, the grilled octopus and the chicken in red wine are worth trying.
Another address where you can find excellent cocktails and dishes to share is Zazataminside the Boutique Hotel Zola in Hillerstraße 11. In a dreamlike setting that combines dark colors with floral wallpapers, the table becomes a globe on which to place recipes from distant countries. Bao sandwiches, tamalesravioli with mushrooms e black cod match the tequila and mezcal-based creations of bartender Andre Guerra.
On the hills between Heurigen and vineyards
Finally, to feel like a real Viennese, it is necessary to go to the hills of the nineteenth district, enjoy the panorama that embraces the city and the waters of the Danube and start a pleasant walk along the vineyards. In fact, the Austrian capital is a real “city of wine” and counts, within its borders, as many as 140 producers who manage 650 hectares of land.
Along the way there are the Heurigen, inns that offer cold foods such as cold cuts and cheeses, to accompany the wine produced in these territories. Their name, in fact, comes from heuer (current year) because they used to serve the new wine to diners, diluted with a drop of water to create the famous Spritzer, still offered today in many Viennese bars.
Today the Heurigen are real restaurants: among the best known there is Mayer Am Pfasrrplatz which stands in one of the buildings where Ludwig Beethoven lived. A large buffet allows you to serve yourself with traditional preparations, while an à la carte menu contains proposals with seasonal ingredients such as pumpkin, declined in soups and baked preparations. Ideal for refreshing yourself after a long walk in the countryside and to discover the food and wine of contemporary Vienna, firmly linked to tradition, but always ambitious in looking ahead.