Austria’s gastronomic story began with simple, agricultural food traditions. Its central location in Europe, with varied climates and landscapes, provided a rich bounty of grains, root vegetables, and meats, establishing the foundation for a hearty, rustic cuisine.
In the Middle Ages, Austrian cuisine was primarily peasant food, but monasteries played a pivotal role in improving culinary standards, introducing herbs, spices, and brewing techniques. They also contributed to the advent of Austria’s baking tradition, which still thrives today in the country’s vast array of breads and pastries.
A significant shift in Austrian cuisine came with the Habsburg Dynasty (13th-20th century), known for their expansive realm extending to Spain, the Netherlands, and parts of Italy. As a result, Austrian cuisine began to absorb flavors and techniques from these various regions. The classic Austrian dish, Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet, is thought to have been influenced by the Italian cotoletta alla milanese.
The Habsburg’s rule also introduced lavish court feasts, where intricate pastries and sweets gained prominence, leading to the birth of Austria’s renowned pastry tradition. Delights such as Apfelstrudel, Sachertorte, and Kaiserschmarrn have their roots in this period and are now internationally associated with Austrian cuisine.
In the 19th century, Austria’s coffee culture began to flourish, sparked by bags of coffee left behind by the Turks after the Siege of Vienna in 1683. Viennese coffee houses, considered an institution today, became social hubs, serving a wide variety of coffee alongside traditional pastries.
