Page 302 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

300  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Austrian cooking forms one of the classic dishes are common in the south and west.
European schools of cuisine, incorporating Larger cities are also home to Italian, Greek,
many elements, such as Wiener Schnitzel, that Turkish and Chinese restaurants.
have become standard across the continent. The restaurants listed on pages 310–25
Traditional Austrian fare such as breaded have been selected from the best on offer,
chicken, boiled beef and Gulasch soup is across all price ranges. They are organized
served in almost all establishments. Freshwater by region and price. The phrase book on
fish is a feature of Austria’s many lakes and page 380 will help you order a meal, although
rivers, while hearty dumplings and noodle most restaurants will have English menus.

restaurants, often located within
the luxury hotels, which offer
first-class international menus
prepared by top chefs.
A Wirtshaus is a country inn
and a Gasthaus is a slightly
more sophisticated restaurant –
both typically concentrate
on local cuisine. A Beisl is
something like a local pub
serving drinks alongside hot
meals. Many old-fashioned,
richly furnished, traditional
cafés in Vienna and Salzburg are
tourist attractions in themselves,
and serve light meals.
Display of pastries and rolls at the charming Café Mozart (see p310) One uniquely Austrian
culinary establishment is the
What to Eat and When Opening Hours
Heuriger, a simple wine bar in
For breakfast, Austrians tend A few small grocery stores, the wine-growing villages,
to eat a roll or two with butter bakeries and coffee houses offering light meals at low
and jam, accompanied by open as early as 7am, but most prices. Here, wine is served
coffee. Most hotels offer a self- open between 8am and 10am. at your table in a glass mug,
service buffet breakfast, which Restaurants are usually open and food is available from a
generally includes a variety of from around 11am to 10pm, buffet. If fir branches are
meats and eggs. Even small although many establishments displayed outside it means
bakeries usually have a few take a break after lunch (around that the Heuriger is open and
tables for sitting and enjoying 3pm) and then reopen at is serving the fresh home-
a breakfast pastry. around 6pm for dinner. Rural pressed vintage.
Most restaurants serve lunch restaurants often serve as
from noon to 2 or 3pm. Many meeting points for locals
offer a Tagesmenü (fixed-price and may remain open until
menu of the day), or a Tagesteller the early hours, although the
(dish of the day), as one of the kitchen may close much earlier.
best-priced options. This is At a country inn it may be
usually displayed on a blackboard difficult to order a meal after
outside the restaurant. 9pm. Many places close for the
.Austrians are very health- Ruhetag (day off set aside for
conscious and fiercely dedi- rest), and may also be closed
cated to local ingredients, on public holidays.
which are often emphasized in
restaurants and cafés located
in the country side or by a lake. Types of Restaurants
and Snack Bars
Menus often show in detail
the country of origin of meats, A wide range of restaurants,
fish and even mushrooms. It is bars and snack bars offer
increasingly common to see modest or grand meals at any
allergy information on the time of day. There are a large Formal dining at the celebrated Vestibül
menu as well. number of upmarket in Vienna (see p312)

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