Food Recommendations for Austria Please!

We really loved the taffel spitz on our recent trip to Germany and Austria. It was quintessential comfort food.

There was a recent thread about this:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/restaurants-5ed0b094-3e0e-47c0-bde3-0d76abdbc034

A search of this site should net many results

Christi,

Thank you for that info for restaurants in Vienna. In addition to the info on that thread, I'm also looking for recommendations for where to get Sachertorte and Apfelstrudel in Vienna, as well as general restaurants in Salzburg. I appreciate any advice anyone can pass on! :)

I lived in Vienna ten years ago, and returned recently as a tourist with my wife for a two week visit.

I'd highly recommend Restaurant Leupold for an extensive menu of Viennese cuisine, some of it quite obscure now, but also a fine Wienerschnitzel (for half the price of Griechische Beisl). It's very comfortable, tourist-friendly, authentic, and inexpensive. My former landlady in Vienna, who has lived there her whole life, said it was the authority on "Wiener Küche."

You may also try Restaurant Schubert, right around the corner on Mölker Stieg, in a beautiful setting (Beethoven's apartment) and with a slightly more contemporary and refined menu, but excellent and still based in Austrian traditional food.

Julius Meinl Am Graben has nice service and extensive wine lists, with inexpensive snacks including rare roast beef on toast, etc.

Wein und Co has great food and spectacular austrian wines, as does Pub Klemo, slightly more "serious" wine bar with outstanding grub including rabbit ravioli.

I can't help you with the desserts except to say that everything I've had was bad. Including Demel, Hotel Sacher, and Landtmann. I'd avoid. Maybe Schwarzenberg could do it well...
Enjoy!

Wiener schnitzel and potato salad. Where? Neighborhoods pubs and restaurants. It's cheaper and maybe better outside the center. It was always good wherever I ordered it.

Sachet Torte - Hotel Sacher for the experience.
Demel for the Apfelstrudel. I will admit I have not ordered that there but they have an amazing variety of pastries and I've enjoyed everything I've had there.

As a local living in Vienna who cares about my cholesterol levels, I don't eat the heavy, touristy Austrian food so much. Interestingly, true Austrian cooking found in the home isn't really heavy at all.

That said, as the daughter of parents who visit regularly and rank eating schnitzel just under kisses from the grandkids, I would highly recommend Figlmuller for schnitzel but especially their potato salad. This link from a popular website used by the expat community here has a good list of good schnitzel places:

http://www.viennawurstelstand.com/guide/8-of-the-best-schnitzel-in-vienna/

You also must have some sausage from a Wurstelstand and here is a list of some of the best:

http://www.viennawurstelstand.com/guide/viennas-10-most-unique-wurstelstande-more-than-a-sausage-stand/

And here is a very reliable list of the best Gasthaus' in Vienna:

http://www.viennawurstelstand.com/guide/10-of-viennas-most-gemutliche-gasthauser/

As for desserts, I can't stand Sachertorte and I'm not alone. Dry, terrible stuff. That said, if you feel that you need to have it to say that you had it, then get it at Demel. Have your husband order the Strudel there and you have killed two birds with one stone.

There are many other great cafes, however, that are worth a visit. Cafe Diglas has the best overall desserts, in my opinion. Some would argue that Central holds that title. I really like to just drink a hot drink at Cafe Prueckel which has an excellent are deco atmosphere. Vollpension is a true little gem, however, that is staffed by grandma bakers who bake old time recipes and is filled with whimsy - it is an exceptionally popular place in Vienna right now.

Salzburg. We enjoyed the Gasthof Alter Fuchs (Old Fox) on the car free Linzergasse.

Emily, I'm glad to hear you say that Austrian food is not heavy! I agree --- it's the art of making heavy ingredients light as air. I'm always astounded by things like a good Wachauer Fischsuppe or a rich, clean beef stock used for Frittatensuppe. The cuisine of Austria is yet to be understood fully.

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to list your suggestions, it is very much appreciated!

I second Elaine's suggestion to go to Hotel Sacher for Sacher Torte. It's very posh but I'm sure you'll enjoy it.