The best Food tours in vienna (or how not to order schnitzel)
Why follow the herd and always order schnitzel in Austria when you could order Kaiserschmarrn or Zwiebelrostbraten instead? Wait, Kaiser-what? Zweeb…zwah, … oh screw it, “er yeah, I’ll have a schnitzel please!“ Indeed, working out what to eat in any new city comes replete with the risk that your well-meaning attempt at full immersion into the local culture may result in being served something truly awful. I get it, this is Austria, and you’re not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to culinary delights here compared with many other countries, but nonetheless, it still seems a shame that a lot of traditional food in Austria is missed purely due to the notoriety of what is an overrated and overpriced Wiener Schnitzel. Don’t get me wrong, they do have a role to play of course, especially when your energy levels are low after a day of sightseeing, and when volume becomes more important than flavour, but there are many more interesting dishes out there to sample. Food tours are the ideal way to try lots of little dishes to give you a better understanding of what else is available to eat. So welcome to my guide on the best food tours in Vienna, as well as some of my personal recommendations for things to order instead…
How food tours can help you to understand a culture better
Food helps you to understand people. But more than that, food helps us to understand history, immigration, demographics, and current cultural trends. Let’s put that to the test now – let’s say you have one final meal request. What would you order? I’ve actually asked a lot of people this and most were heavily influenced by their geography or ancestry. Texans typically say BBQ, Californians would often choose Mexican food, and many Brits opted for Roast Dinners. Austrians I know choose schnitzel. It may indeed be a local favourite, but if you haven’t grown up with it you’re probably better able to see it for what it really is. So, when you’re in town, rather than going down a ‘better the devil you know’ route when it comes to ordering in restaurants, it seems logical to line up at least one food tour in Vienna to sample a whole host of other possibilities instead. After all, eating on holiday is supposed to be about trying new things that you can’t easily replicate back home. Food tours can also teach you loads about the history and traditions of the country you’re visiting too, and that’s why it is usually the first thing I do whenever I arrive somewhere new. So let’s tuck into some of the best food tours in Vienna for you to consider…
THe best food tours in vienna
For those of you who want to immerse yourselves in the local food culture in Vienna, then you have loads of options depending on what it is you’re mostly after…
For a great general overview of Vienna’s food scene, then check out this Tastes of Vienna food tour which takes you to some locations and districts that you wouldn’t find on your own, including Vienna’s 10th, 16th and 7th districts. These are areas of the city that you’d simply not find on your own, so this food tour does what it says on the tin! Expect to sample Austrian staples of pork belly and Goulash on this tour.
Vienna is world famous for its coffeehouses and cafe culture. In the early 1900’s these regularly hosted several of the 20th century’s most influential thinkers (Freud, Klimt, Schiele, and…er…Hitler). So if you want some coffee with your food tour then check out the Food, Coffee, and Market Walking Tour, as it takes a deep dive into Vienna’s famous coffee scene and even includes a private coffee tasting.
For all you dessert heads out there, then you can indulge your sugar cravings on the Sweet Secrets of Vienna Dessert Tour, where you’ll be able to consume enough chocolate, pastries and sweet treats to sink a ship.
And, even though I’ve been trashing it in this and other posts, for those of you that want to learn a how to cook the bit hitting Austrian classics of schnitzel and apple strudel, then you can pick up some meat bashing and apple rolling skills by joining an Austrian Cooking Class, where you’ll be preparing a 3-course meal with a local chef in Vienna’s 3rd district.
Vienna is the only capital city anywhere in the world with its own wine making tradition and industry, so it’s a great place to discover and learn about urban wine making on a tour. In particular the Heurige (wine tavern) culture is one not to be missed, so check out Venture Vienna, who offer wine tours in Vienna as well as a Vienna Woods Wine Tour (30 minutes south of Vienna) in the pretty Thermal Region. Expect a detailed wine tastings with a little bit of hiking to first earn those sips!
Another alternative would be Eat With, who offer you the chance to link up with passionate local cooks by visiting them in their own homes. It’s a cool way to meet both local people and other international travellers, and to learn about Viennese food culture from the Austrians themselves. It’s like a dinner part vibe. They also offer some cooking classes too.
MY ALTERNATIVE AUSTRIAN MENU
In order to successfully avoid the ever-present Schnitzel and Sacher Torte/Apple Strudel combo, you’re gonna need to learn about the other, tastier, Austrian dishes out there. On my Austrian menu, I’m only giving you a main and a dessert because quite frankly, both are massive and should be enough for even the hungriest tourist after a day of activities and tours in Vienna…
Main course: Zwiebelrostbraten
This is basically a cut of roasted beef served in a rich brown gravy, buried underneath a healthy pile of freshly battered & fried crispy onions. It’s typically served with thick-cut fried potato wedges. The vegetable element, as is often the case in Austria, amounts to a single splayed gherkin. Indeed, you’ll probably notice that many restaurants don’t seem really big on vegetables, as such, this dish makes for particularly good winter food. In fact, pretty much all of my favourite Austrian dishes are best eaten in winter time given their propensity to go heavy on the meat and potatoes. It’s beefy, you’ve got crunch from the onions, and some fried potatoes as well, so it ticks some important boxes.
Dessert: Kaiserschmarren
Kaiserschmarren translates to ‘Emperor’s mess’, as it was reportedly Kaiser Franz Josef’s favourite dessert. Essentially, this is a light and fluffy, yet thick pancake, diced up into large chunks, and flambéed in butter, sugar and rum to give a beautiful caramelised crunch. Sometimes it is served with raisins in the batter mix, sometimes not. It is dusted with icing sugar on top and normally served with a cold plum compote on the side. I know that apple sauce or other types of jam can be offered depending on where you get it from, but I’ve only ever had it with plum compote in Vienna at least. When you order it, alarm bells should ring if they don’t warn you that it will take about 20 minutes or so to prepare. It has to be made fresh to order otherwise the pancake goes all rubbery. You can often find Kaiserschmarren at Christmas or Easter markets, but I would avoid those in favour of the freshly made variety at a decent restaurant.
The best food tours in Vienna: in summary...
Whether its pastries, coffee, wine or even the dreaded schnitzel you should be able to find something you like on one of these food tours in Vienna. And if you’re still having trouble deciphering the menu, and you like the sound of both Zwiebelrostbraten and Kaiserschmarren, then give them a try. Just come hungry! Tip: If you’re a light eater and out with friends or family, then it might be worth sharing a main course, otherwise a lot of good food may go to waste. Check out part 2 to this post with more suggestions of traditional food in Austria, including a feature on the meatiest of all Viennese classics, the Vienna Stelze.
Bon appetit, or as the Austrians say, ‘mahlzeit’!
I am salivating at the thought of the dessert!
A very informative and well written description!
Most restaurants will give you a doggy bag (if too much food)without batting an eyelid so no food that you have paid for gets wasted. It’s the norm to ask.
You are absolutely right on the doggie bag front – thanks for this. Don’t be shy to ask, folks…