Austrian Food: What to Eat and What It Costs
Austrian food is hearty, unfussy, and built around a handful of dishes done extremely well: wiener schnitzel, goulash, and dumplings (Knödel) are the backbone. A casual meal runs €12–20, a sit-down dinner €20–40 per person. Vienna's Naschmarkt and other food markets are the best place to graze across several stalls in one visit rather than committing to one restaurant.
Austrian cuisine doesn't try to reinvent itself every season, and honestly, that's the appeal — a proper wiener schnitzel is a specific, exacting thing (pounded thin, breaded, pan-fried in butter or clarified butter, served with a lemon wedge, nothing more), and getting it right is the whole point, not a starting point for a twist.
Must-try dishes
| Dish | What it is | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Wiener Schnitzel | Breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet (or pork — ask, since 'Wiener' technically means veal) | €16–28 |
| Gulasch (goulash) | A rich, paprika-based beef stew, usually served with bread dumplings | €12–18 |
| Knödel | Bread or potato dumplings, served as a side or filled and served as a main | €8–14 |
| Tafelspitz | Boiled beef in broth with horseradish and apple sauce — a genuine Habsburg-era classic | €18–26 |
| Käsespätzle | Austrian-Alpine egg noodles baked with cheese and topped with fried onions | €12–16 |
Is 'Wiener Schnitzel' always veal?
Technically, yes — under Austrian culinary tradition, 'Wiener Schnitzel' specifically means veal, while the same dish made with pork is usually labeled 'Schnitzel Wiener Art' (schnitzel in the Viennese style). Most restaurants are upfront about which one you're getting; ask if the menu doesn't specify and it matters to you.
Vienna's food markets
The Naschmarkt is Vienna's biggest and oldest market — produce and specialty-food stalls by day, a lively strip of bars and small restaurants along its edge by night, and one of the best places to sample several things (Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Austrian stalls sit side by side) without committing to one sit-down meal.
Where to eat
- A traditional Gasthaus (inn) — the classic, unpretentious setting for schnitzel and goulash, found in every neighborhood, not just tourist zones.
- A Heuriger — a wine tavern, mostly on Vienna's outskirts, serving home-style buffet food alongside the current vintage of local wine — a genuinely local, low-key evening.
- The Naschmarkt — for grazing across cuisines in one visit.
What it costs, all in
| Meal type | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Sausage stand snack (Würstelstand) | €4–7 |
| Casual restaurant | €12–20 |
| Traditional Gasthaus dinner | €20–35 |
| Fine dining | €60–120+ |
Dietary needs
- Vegetarian: most menus have a Käseschnitzel (cheese-filled, breaded and fried) or mushroom-based option; ask for 'ohne Fleisch' (without meat) to be clear.
- Vegan: genuinely strong scene in Vienna specifically; noticeably harder in small towns and traditional Gasthäuser, where a side-salad may be the only fallback — check ahead.
- Halal: limited outside Vienna, where a handful of dedicated restaurants and shops exist; smaller towns essentially have none.