Enjoy the Taste of Vienna

The modern stereotype of Vienna is featuring images of splendid buildings, well-planned clean streets and aristocratic lifestyle. There is no doubt that even the average tourist who is paying a visit to the Austrian capital is always experiencing one temptation – the Viennese cuisine. Combining tradition with innovation, the food and drinks found in the capital of the late Austro-Hungarian empire are one true pleasure for the guests of Vienna and inspiration for the cooks, no matter how much sophisticated are they.

Almost all hotels in Vienna are close to quality restaurants, offering the traditional Viennese dishes. However, the tradition in the cuisine here is almost entirely a interpretation of the cultural influences. Italian influence has been strong since roughly the early 17th Century. In the 18th Century, as a consequence of the French “Grand Siecle”, French cuisine became influential in Vienna, along with French etiquette and diplomatic language. In the second half of the 19th Century, cookbooks started to include Bohemian, Hungarian, Jewish, Polish and Southern Slavic features in Viennese cuisine. The croissant is also thought to have originated in Vienna after the Turkish Siege of Vienna.

Viennese cuisine is best known for its pastries, but also includes a wide range of other unique dishes. Among the famous examples are the Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (boiled beef, often served with apple and horseradish sauces) and sweets like Buchteln (yeast and butter baked good filled with apricot jam), Apfelstrudel (an apple-filled pastry) and Sachertorte (cake with whipped cream). All these dishes go together with the famous Viennese coffee, along with the products of the city's own vineyards and breweries.

Gastronomy as the art and science of good eating has been always an essential aspect of tourism. Hotels Vienna make sure that even the most capricious travellers would be satisfied.