The Atlas · Nº 27 ·Austria

Most Popular Austrian Food

Austrian food is coffee-house pastry and mountain comfort: a crisp Wiener Schnitzel with lemon, apple strudel pulled paper-thin, dumplings sweet and savory by the dozen. It runs from the grand cafés of Vienna to cheese-laced alpine dishes up in Tyrol, always with something sweet to finish.

91 dishes ranked·6 in the global top 1,000 ·3,409 diner ratings·Best rank Nº 188

Plate I — The Origins

Fig. 1 Where 91 ranked austrian dishes were born. Dish origin

Drag to pan · Double-click or +/− to zoom · Select a marker for its entry

The Signature Dishes

The twelve highest-ranked Austrian dishes, by global position.

Wiener Saftgulasch, stew from Austria
Plate IIStew · Austria

1 Nº 188 worldwide

Wiener Saftgulasch

Stew · Viennese Goulash

Vienna's take on goulash, lean cubes of beef stewed low with a mountain of onions and sweet paprika until the sauce turns thick, glossy, and rust-red. Heartier and saucier than its Hungarian cousin, it is served with bread dumplings or a fried egg and a frankfurter on top.

★ 4.3|97% positive |34 ratings

Wachauer Marillenknödel, dumplings from Austria
Plate IIIDumplings · Austria

2 Nº 329 worldwide

Wachauer Marillenknödel

Dumplings · Apricot Dumplings

A whole Wachau apricot wrapped in a soft potato dough, boiled, then rolled in buttery toasted breadcrumbs and sugar. When the season's apricots are ripe along the Danube, the fruit bursts sweet-tart inside the dumpling, a summer specialty of the valley.

★ 4.2|93% positive |35 ratings

Kaiserschmarrn, pancake from Austria

3KaiserschmarrnNº 456

Pancake · Also Kaiserschmarren

The Emperor's mess, a fluffy pancake torn into ragged pieces as it cooks, caramelized in butter and sugar and dusted with icing sugar. Named for Emperor Franz Joseph, it comes with stewed plums or apple sauce and is dessert and lunch in equal measure.

★ 4.2|142 ratings

Kasnocken, dumplings from Austria

4KasnockenNº 759

Dumplings · Also Pinzgauer Kasnocken

Small soft dumplings, close to spätzle, coated in melted mountain cheese and topped with a heap of caramelized onions. A rich alpine dish from around Salzburg, it is the Austrian answer to mac and cheese, eaten after a long day in the mountains.

★ 4.1|28 ratings

Apfelstrudel, sweet pastry from Austria

5ApfelstrudelNº 818

Sweet Pastry · Also Štrůdl

Austria's great apple strudel, thin sheets of pastry stretched until you can read newsprint through them, wrapped around spiced apples, raisins, and buttered breadcrumbs. Baked golden and dusted with sugar, it is coffee-house food, served warm with cream or vanilla sauce.

★ 4.1|341 ratings

Topfenstrudel, sweet pastry from Austria

6TopfenstrudelNº 873

Sweet Pastry

The curd-cheese strudel, the same paper-thin pastry rolled not around fruit but around sweetened topfen, the fresh Austrian quark, sometimes with raisins or lemon. Baked and served warm with a pour of vanilla sauce, it is the creamier, tangier cousin of the apple version.

★ 4.0|68 ratings

Käseknödel, dumplings from Austria

7KäseknödelNº 1,198

Dumplings

Tyrolean cheese dumplings, stale bread bound with egg and milk, mixed with grated mountain cheese, rolled into balls, and simmered. Served in a clear broth or with melted butter and chives, they are hearty highland comfort food from the Alps.

★ 4.0|13 ratings

Kasspatzln, noodle dish from Austria

8KasspatzlnNº 1,228

Noodle Dish

Austria's cheese spätzle, little egg-dough noodles scraped into boiling water, then tossed with melted alpine cheese and crowned with fried onions. A staple of the western mountains shared with the Allgäu and Switzerland, gooey and rich straight from the pan.

★ 4.0|46 ratings

Backhendl, fried chicken dish from Austria

9BackhendlNº 1,319

Fried Chicken Dish · Also Wiener Backhendl

Viennese fried chicken, pieces coated in the same breadcrumb crust as a schnitzel and fried golden, a dish esteemed since the elegant Biedermeier era of the early 1800s. Traditionally served with a wedge of lemon and a potato or green salad.

★ 4.0|41 ratings

Kürbis Suppe, vegetable soup from Austria

10Kürbis SuppeNº 1,346

Vegetable Soup · Also Burgenländische Kürbiscremesuppe

A smooth pumpkin soup from Burgenland in the east, the squash simmered soft and puréed with cream, then finished with a dark swirl of Styrian pumpkin-seed oil. Nutty, autumnal, and simple, it shows off the region's most famous ingredient.

★ 3.9|49 ratings

Wiener Schnitzel, veal dish from Austria

11Wiener SchnitzelNº 1,513

Veal Dish

Austria's most famous dish, a thin veal cutlet pounded flat, breaded, and fried in butter until the crumb puffs away from the meat into a crisp, golden shell. By law only veal can bear the name Wiener Schnitzel, served with lemon and a potato salad or parsley potatoes.

★ 3.9|483 ratings

Krapfen, sweet pastry from Austria

12KrapfenNº 1,521

Sweet Pastry

The Austrian jam doughnut, a round of soft yeast dough fried until golden, filled with apricot jam, and dusted with icing sugar. Often called the first European doughnut, it is Carnival and Fasching food, piled high in bakery windows before Lent.

★ 3.9|460 ratings

The Departments

Every Austrian dish in our ranking, grouped the way you'd order them.

The Complete Ledger

All 91 Austrian dishes in the world ranking. Every entry, leaf by leaf.

91 entries
  1. 188 Wiener Saftgulasch Stew Vienna ★ 4.3
  2. 329 Wachauer Marillenknödel Dumplings Wachau ★ 4.2
  3. 456 Kaiserschmarrn Pancake Vienna ★ 4.2
  4. 759 Kasnocken Dumplings Zell am See District ★ 4.1
  5. 818 Apfelstrudel Sweet Pastry Vienna ★ 4.1
  6. 873 Topfenstrudel Sweet Pastry Vienna ★ 4.0
  7. 1,198 Käseknödel Dumplings Tyrol ★ 4.0
  8. 1,228 Kasspatzln Noodle Dish Tyrol ★ 4.0
  9. 1,319 Backhendl Fried Chicken Dish Vienna ★ 3.9
  10. 1,346 Kürbis Suppe Vegetable Soup Burgenland ★ 3.9
  11. 1,513 Wiener Schnitzel Veal Dish Vienna ★ 3.9
  12. 1,521 Krapfen Sweet Pastry Austria ★ 3.9
  13. 1,998 Kaspressknödel Dumplings Zell am See District ★ 3.9
  14. 2,132 Verhackert Spread Styria ★ 3.8
  15. 2,137 Spinatknödel Dumplings Tyrol ★ 3.8
  16. 2,175 S Schnitzel Wiener Art Pork Dish Vienna ★ 3.8
  17. 2,417 Germknödel Dumplings Austria ★ 3.8
  18. 2,672 Riebel Porridge Vorarlberg ★ 3.8
  19. 3,007 Strauben Deep-fried Dessert Tyrol ★ 3.8
  20. 3,035 Marillenfleck Cake Austria ★ 3.8
  21. 3,167 Moosbeernocken Pancake Tyrol ★ 3.8
  22. 3,168 Biedermeier-Torte Cake Vienna ★ 3.8
  23. 3,169 N Nuss Schnitten Cake Burgenland ★ 3.8
  24. 3,414 Kardinalschnitte Cake Vienna ★ 3.8
  25. 3,427 Mohnzelten Sweet Pastry Lower Austria ★ 3.8
  26. 3,462 Cremeschnitte Cake Austria ★ 3.8
  27. 3,488 Käferbohnensalat Salad Styria ★ 3.8
  28. 3,490 R Rindsgulasch Stew Austria ★ 3.8
  29. 3,665 Prügeltorte Cake Tyrol ★ 3.7
  30. 3,672 T Tiroler Knödel Dumplings Tyrol ★ 3.7
  31. 3,673 Brettljause Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual Austria ★ 3.7
  32. 3,764 Burgenländischer Krautstrudel Savory Pastry Burgenland ★ 3.7
  33. 3,765 Bauernkrapfen Sweet Pastry Carinthia ★ 3.7
  34. 3,820 G Grilled trout (Gegrillte Forelle) Freshwater Fish Dish Austria ★ 3.7
  35. 4,092 Bauernschmaus Meat Dish Austria ★ 3.7
  36. 4,158 Sacher-Torte Chocolate Cake Vienna ★ 3.7
  37. 4,183 Pilzeknödel Dumplings Tyrol ★ 3.7
  38. 4,245 Käsekrainer Sausage Austria ★ 3.7
  39. 4,285 Apfelradln Deep-fried Dessert Austria ★ 3.7
  40. 4,315 Topfentorte Cheese Dessert Austria ★ 3.7
  41. 4,382 Zwetschgenknödel Dumplings Austria ★ 3.7
  42. 4,577 Erdäpfelnidei Dumplings Austria ★ 3.7
  43. 4,654 Faschierte Laibchen Ground Meat Dish Austria ★ 3.7
  44. 4,960 Grammelpogatscherl Savory Pastry Burgenland ★ 3.7
  45. 5,135 Mohnnudeln Dumplings Lower Austria ★ 3.6
  46. 5,197 Bruckfleisch Offal Dish Vienna ★ 3.6
  47. 5,386 B Böhmisches Schwammerlgulasch Stew Vienna ★ 3.6
  48. 5,514 Spanische Windtorte Cake Austria ★ 3.6
  49. 5,605 Punschkrapfen Cake Austria ★ 3.6
  50. 5,664 Tiroler Omelett Egg Dish Tyrol ★ 3.6
  51. 5,705 Millirahmstrudel Sweet Pastry Vienna ★ 3.6
  52. 5,738 Fiakergulasch Stew Vienna ★ 3.6
  53. 5,808 Rindsuppe Soup Vienna ★ 3.6
  54. 5,817 Kaisersemmel Bread Austria ★ 3.6
  55. 5,899 Martinigans Goose Dish Burgenland ★ 3.6
  56. 5,970 Sterz Porridge Burgenland ★ 3.6
  57. 6,189 Bosna Sandwich Salzburg (state) ★ 3.6
  58. 6,272 Vanillekipferl Cookie Vienna ★ 3.5
  59. 6,337 Zillertaler Krapfen Savory Pastry Aschau im Zillertal ★ 3.5
  60. 6,392 R Rahmkoch Dessert Lungau ★ 3.5
  61. 6,564 Linzer Augen Cookie Linz ★ 3.5
  62. 6,605 Kärntner Kasnudeln Dumplings Carinthia ★ 3.5
  63. 6,644 Trześniewski Sandwiches (Trześniewski Brötchen) Sandwich type Vienna ★ 3.5
  64. 6,893 Tiroler Gröstl Breakfast Tyrol ★ 3.5
  65. 7,055 S Steirischer Heidensterz Porridge Styria ★ 3.5
  66. 7,294 Linzer Torte Cake Linz ★ 3.4
  67. 7,455 Krautfleckerl Pasta Vienna ★ 3.4
  68. 7,745 Tafelspitz Veal Dish Vienna ★ 3.3
  69. 7,750 Speckknödel Dumplings Tyrol ★ 3.3
  70. 8,217 Reindling Sweet Bread Carinthia ★ 3.1
  71. 8,234 Speckknödelsuppe Soup Tyrol ★ 3.1
  72. 8,392 Salzburger Nockerl Dessert Salzburg ★ 3.0
  73. 8,459 Beuschel Stew Vienna ★ 3.0
  74. 8,494 Klachelsuppe Meat Soup Styria
  75. 8,682 Panama Torte Chocolate Cake Austria
  76. 9,471 O Osterpinze Sweet Bread Austria
  77. 9,682 V Vienna-Style Stuffed Breast of Veal (Gefüllte Kalbsbrust nach Wiener Art) Veal Dish Vienna
  78. 9,740 K Kiachl Sweet Pastry Tyrol
  79. 9,759 S Sandtorte Cake Vienna
  80. 9,856 L Lungauer Schöpsernes Stew Lungau
  81. 9,958 G Grilled char (Gegrillte Saibling) Freshwater Fish Dish Austria
  82. 10,009 Old Vienna-Style Chicken Soup (Alt-Wiener Suppenhuhn) Chicken Soup Vienna
  83. 10,071 Paradeiskraut Vegetable Dish Apetlon
  84. 10,190 E Erdäpfelgulasch Stew Austria
  85. 10,200 L Lungenstrudel Dumplings Austria
  86. 10,268 K Kärntner Schlickkrapferln Pasta Carinthia
  87. 10,308 T Tiroler Wurstsalat Salad Tyrol
  88. 10,382 Pinzgauer Bladl Savory Pastry Zell am See District
  89. 10,490 K Kaspressknödel Suppe Soup Tyrol
  90. 10,491 T Tyrolean cheese soup (Tiroler Käsesuppe) Soup Tyrol
  91. 10,494 G Gebackene Blunznradln Blood Sausage Austria
Leaf 1 of 3

Gazetteer

A Regional Tour of Austrian Food

Where Austria's ranked dishes were born, and what to order there.

Questions, Answered

Austrian food, frequently asked. Answered from the data.

What is the most popular Austrian food?
The Wiener Schnitzel draws the most ratings, the crisp breaded veal cutlet that is Austria's calling card. Close behind come the jam doughnut Krapfen and Apfelstrudel, the flaky apple strudel. Our best-ranked Austrian dish is the paprika beef stew Wiener Saftgulasch. All 28 Austrian desserts & sweets →
What food is Austria known for?
Schnitzel, strudel, and dumplings. The Wiener Schnitzel is the icon, but Austria over-indexes hugely on dumplings, from savory Käseknödel to sweet apricot Wachauer Marillenknödel. Its coffee-house pastries are legendary too, led by Apfelstrudel and the emperor's-mess pancake Kaiserschmarrn. All 18 Austrian dumplings & pastries →
What is Austria's national dish?
The Wiener Schnitzel, the breaded veal cutlet fried to a crisp golden shell, is Austria's national dish, though by law only veal can carry the name. Also close to the heart is Tafelspitz, boiled beef in broth once favored by Emperor Franz Joseph. Our top-ranked is Wiener Saftgulasch.
What is the most famous Austrian dessert?
Apfelstrudel, the apple strudel of tissue-thin pastry wrapped around spiced apples, is the coffee-house classic. Its rival is the Sachertorte, a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam from a famous Vienna hotel. For something homelier, Kaiserschmarrn shreds a sweet pancake into caramelized pieces.
What should I eat in Vienna?
Vienna is Austria's deepest food city on our map, and its coffee houses are half the point. Have a Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad, a plate of Wiener Saftgulasch, and, with your Melange coffee, a slice of Apfelstrudel or a bowl of Kaiserschmarrn.