Austrian Cuisine

Austrian cuisine covers the many local and regional cooking traditions of Austria, with Viennese cuisine rooted in Habsburg imperial practice standing alongside distinct styles from the country's individual states. It shares close affinities with the food of neighboring Central European lands, particularly Hungary through the shared history of the Austro Hungarian Empire, as well as Bavaria, Bohemia and northern Italy, the product of centuries of cultural exchange and imperial rule. The cuisine is especially known for its pastries, including Kaiserschmarrn and apple strudel, and for hearty meat dishes such as Wiener schnitzel, a breaded veal cutlet, prepared alongside goulash, dumplings and slow cooked stews using beef, pork, veal and game including venison, wild boar and pheasant. Elaborate baked goods and desserts such as Sachertorte and Linzertorte are a further hallmark, and each Austrian state contributes its own local specialties reflecting its particular geography and history.