Spending a full day in Salzburg is bound to make you hungry! But where and what to eat? In this guide, you will find an overview of the most typical foods and some suggested restaurants.
Austrian cuisine is quite similar to Bavarian cuisine. Austrians will tell you that they cook the same dishes better – and often, that is quite true! In addition to typical mountain fare, Austria has adopted numerous dishes from countries that once belonged to the Habsburg Empire.
The focus of this article is local food. Obviously, you will also find Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. food in Salzburg. Burgers, too.
Typical Main Courses
- Wiener Schnitzel – a piece of meat is beaten flat, breaded and shallow-fried. A proper Wiener Schnitzel is veal, but there are also „Viennese-style Schnitzels“ made of pork or turkey. Typically served with potato salad or fried potatoes
- Backhendl – Austrian-style fried chicken. You may well be served half a chicken that has been chopped into pieces. Some will be on the bone, others boneless. If you want just some meat, many restaurants will also serve Backhendlsalat: a mixed salad with a few pieces of fried chicken on top
- Sausage – served either in a bun (to go) or on a plate with fried potatoes
- Goulash – originally a Hungarian soup, it is eaten as a meat stew with a bread dumpling
- Kasnocken – what Bavarians call Käsespätzle. German spätzle noodles are fried in a pan with melted cheese to form a crust and served with crispy fried onions
- Knödel – Knödel means dumpling. They are made of various „base materials“, traditionally creatively using leftovers. Bread and potato dumplings are often served as side dishes; cheese or liver dumplings may be served in soup; spinach or beetroot dumplings are typically served on their own
Typical Desserts
- Salzburger Nockerl – this is the iconic Salzburg dessert. Personally, I find it totally overrated. Essentially, it consists of beaten egg whites and air
- Palatschinken – thin, crepes-like pancakes served with jam or chocolate sauce
- Apple strudel – apple pieces and raisins are placed on a superthin pastry sheet, rolled into a log and baked in the oven. Served with vanilla sauce or ice-cream
- Mozartkugel – not really a dessert, but rather a chocolate praliné filled with nougat and pistachio. They are sold everywhere. The big bags often aren’t that good. Go to Fürst ⬇️ for the real thing.
Typical Beverages
- Obviously, Salzburg has its own beer. It is called Augustiner, but has nothing to do with the Augustiner served in Munich. It comes from a local Augustinian brewery
- Radler – shandy. Beer mixed with lemonade
- Wine – Austria has quite a wine industry. Ask your server for recommendations
- Gespritzter – juice (or wine) mixed with tap water or sparkling water. It’s what we call „Schorle“ in Germany
- Almdudler – an Austrian herbal lemonade. Opinions vary widely whether or not it’s drinkable
Soft drinks and water are available, too, of course. Just remember that many restaurants will charge you even for tap water.
Where to Eat
If you are happy with a sausage to go, head to the market on University Square where you will find a number of sausage trucks (Mon-Sat only, excluding public holidays).
Another very popular fast-food place is Balkan-Grill Walter, tucked away in a little alleyway off Getreidegasse. It is particularly well-known for its Bosna, two small fried sausages served in a bun. Think Austrian-style hot dog.
Just on the edge of the old town is Zwettler’s Wirtshaus, and a few steps beyond that, Wirtshaus zum Zirkelwirt.
St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, founded in the year 803 (yes, in the 9th century), claims to be the oldest restaurant in Europe. Not cheap.
About a ten-minute walk from the old town is Bärenwirt, a restaurant from 1663. They are particularly well-known for their fried chicken. In true Austrian style, they also serve the fried organs (as well as a side of potato salad).
If you’re more into coffee and cake, Café Tomaselli has been owned by the same family since 1852. The café held the first license to sell coffee in Salzburg, back in 1700.
Just across the square from Tomaselli is the Cafe Konditorei Fürst, where the Mozartkugel was invented. They have other outlets, too.
On the other side of the river Café Sacher and its world-famous Sachertorte awaits. You should come with a tolerance for high prices. They also have a shop where you can buy a whole Torte or a Sacher cube.
For a sweet treat other than a Mozartkugel, I like Gelateria La Romana dal 1947. It’s on the other side of the river, in the new town.
Paying for Your Meal
Traditionally, Austria (and Germany) are heavily cash-based. Card payments are accepted in almost all restaurants and cafés. But not in all. If you have no cash on you at all, ask before you sit down whether you can pay by card.
Some places may have a minimum spend for card payments (often €10). On the other hand, we are increasingly seeing places that only accept cards.
Add a 10 % tip to the check if you were happy with the service.
Needless to say, only Euros are accepted for payment.
More Salzburg
- Munich to Salzburg by Train
- 1-Day Itinerary
- Top Sights
- Understanding the Culture
1 Kommentar