Taste Austria's Culinary Landscape
#eatAUT
Forget everything you thought you knew about Austrian cuisine. While classic dishes like Wiener Schnitzel will always have a place on the table, a new wave of culinary creativity is quietly reshaping the food scene. From the rustic mountain kitchens to the cutting-edge restaurants in the heart of the cities, Austria's food culture is evolving, blending rich tradition with bold innovation.
Across the country, chefs are looking beyond the familiar to explore the unique flavours of the lakes, the forests, the mountains, and the fields. They are reconnecting with the land and its seasons, turning local ingredients into exceptional dishes that reflect the culinary spirit of Austria.
Explore our untold culinary stories and meet the extraordinary chefs who transform local ingredients into masterpieces, allowing you to taste the essence of your surroundings with every bite.
When it comes to Austrian cuisine, most people think of Schnitzel and Strudel, but, the country's lakes and rivers hide a culinary secret that is just beginning to gain international recognition: freshwater fish.
In the Alpine and lake-rich region of Carinthia, a new generation of chefs is redefining how fish is sourced, prepared, and enjoyed.
Carinthia is home to over 1,000 lakes, rivers, and streams, offering a diverse variety of freshwater fish. Fish was once central to the region’s cuisine, but declined due to industrialization and changing food trends. Today, visionary chefs and fish experts are revitalizing them in spectacular fashion.
"Austria has some of the cleanest waters in the world—our fish should be known for their quality just like our wine."
Gerhard Satran, owner & head chef of Stiftsschmiede restaurant
From lake to plate
One such chef is Gerhard Satran, a renowned chef and Austria’s leading fish chef. At his lakeside restaurant, Stiftsschmiede on Lake Ossiach in Carinthia, he champions wild-caught and sustainably farmed fish, often prepared over an open fire.
Together with other top chefs, Gerhard recently organized a fish-focused culinary experiment, where they turned 15 types of local fish into 18 creative dishes—from sashimi-style Zander (pike perch) rolls to smoked Reinanke (whitefish) and Amur carp baked in a wood oven.
Taste the region
At Genießerhotel Die Forelle on Lake Weißensee, Hannes Müller takes a similarly hyper-local approach to fish cuisine. With numerous awards to his name, he follows his “berg.see.küche” (mountain lake cuisine) philosophy, using only ingredients sourced from the surrounding Alpine region.
His approach is simple: respect the seasons, collaborate with local fishers, and let the natural flavours shine.
His favorite? Flussbarsch (perch), a delicate yet flavourful fish that thrives in the pristine waters of Lake Weißensee. "With this incredible resource at our doorstep, why look elsewhere?" he asks.
Austria’s forests are more than just a scenic backdrop for Alpine adventures—they are a living pantry, brimming with flavours waiting to be discovered.
From foraged mushrooms to wild herbs and berries, a creative generation of chefs is turning to the woods for inspiration, showcasing the deep connection between cuisine and nature.
Two Austrian chefs in the Salzburg region, Hans-Jörg Unterrainer and Vitus Winkler, are at the forefront of transforming forest ingredients into extraordinary culinary experiences. Both are part of a larger gastronomy movement—a return to the wild. Instead of relying on imported ingredients, they focus on seasonal, hyper-local products that reflect Austria’s rich natural heritage.
"There’s a mystical energy when you walk deep into the woods. You feel the power of nature, and when you collect ingredients, you become part of that ecosystem."
Vitus Winkler, owner and head chef of Kräuterreich restaurant
Hunting for the perfect bite
For Hans-Jörg Unterrainer, an award-winning sommelier and restaurateur at Kirchenwirt in Leogang, the forest is not just a place to gather ingredients—it’s a place of adventure.
His favorite ingredient? Steinpilze (porcini mushrooms).
"A porcini mushroom isn’t something you just buy—it’s something you earn. You need patience, knowledge, and the thrill of the search," he explains.
His ultimate dish? Toasted black bread, Alpine butter, pan-seared porcini mushrooms, and fresh chives—simple, yet delicious.
And the perfect wine pairing? A well-aged Grüner Veltliner with a rich, creamy texture.
Beyond the food, he believes Austrian hospitality is deeply rooted in friendship and connection, much like the symbiotic relationships found in the forest. "The culinary scene in Pinzgau, near Salzburg, is like a family. We share knowledge, collaborate, and enjoy life—whether through food, wine, or even music," he says.
5 hours, 5 dishes
In the Salzburg region of Pongau, chef Vitus Winkler of Michelin-starred Kräuterreich takes forest-inspired cuisine to the next level. He believes the forest is not just a source of ingredients but of a culinary philosophy.
He recently embarked on a unique challenge: 5 hours in the woods, 5 dishes inspired by nature—a tribute to the depth and diversity of the forest. The results:
Blueberries, lichen sauce, horseradish, fresh wood sorrel, wood sorrel ice cream
Deer heart, pickled rowanberries, celery cream, walnut leaf foam, black walnuts, meadowsweet
Venison tartare, hedge woundwort foam, fried zucchini blossom, horseradish sour cream, herb dust, fresh forest herbs, wild blackberries
Agnolotti, hay cream cheese, nettle-spinach cream, nettle oil, buttermilk, pickled nettle, nettle-celery cream, cooked elderberries, puffed buckwheat
Edible slate stone, char tartare, char wrapped in spinach, fresh watercress, watercress cream, watercress oil, buttermilk beurre blanc, sunflower seeds.
The Alps have always influenced what we eat—not just for flavour, but out of necessity. With long winters and short growing seasons, food had to be hearty, seasonal, and preservable. Limited agriculture meant people relied on mountain grains, root vegetables, dairy from Alpine cattle, and wild herbs and mushrooms. High-energy meals like speck, cheese, and rye bread fueled the tough, physical labor of farming steep slopes and herding livestock.
In Tirol, a new wave of chefs is taking this rich culinary history and giving it a modern twist. They’re combining tradition with innovation, creating dishes that tell the story of the land itself.
Chefs Christoph Krabichler and Claudia Kogler are at the forefront of this culinary movement, each bringing their own unique approach—one exploring the region’s terroir, the other reinventing classic mountain dishes.
A bite of history
If there’s one dish that captures the soul of Tirol, it’s the Marend—a traditional afternoon snack of bread, cheeses, meats, and pickled vegetables, originally shared among farmers and mountaineers after a long day of work. But this humble "Brettljause" ("board snack") is more than sustenance; it’s ritual, heritage, and fosters community.
Chef Claudia Kogler of Die Wilderin in Innsbruck is redefining this classic: “A Brettljause is pure flavour. It’s about honoring ingredients in their fullest form.”
Her White Mountain Lamb Marend, for instance, features rare cuts like lamb brain pralines, marinated tongue carpaccio, and bone marrow—all from the same animal, raised by a local farmer.
For her, the Marend isn’t just a dish; it’s a philosophy of place. Her team sources nearly everything within the region: “We know the farmers, the fields, the forests. That connection shows in every bite.”
From rock to recipe
Chef Christoph Krabichler, one of the most innovative minds in Tirolean cuisine and a passionate educator training young chefs, draws inspiration from the earth itself.
In a high-altitude conversation in the mountains, he and geologist Hannah Pomell explored how the Alps' geological history influences the flavors of food.
The result? A dish that reads like a map of the region:
Spring char, cured in Halltal Valley stone salt for 30 hours, honoring the region’s salt mining heritage.
Fermented quince and pickled beet, reflecting the acidic and alkaline soils of the Inn Valley.
Larch pine, adding a resinous aroma, symbolising the Alpine forest’s scent.
Chardonnay reduction infused with the mineral tang of Alpine soil.
Served on ceramic shaped from local clay, referencing the Haller Ton (a deep geological layer under the mountain).
“These Alps were once under the sea, you can still taste that. Everything on that plate comes from a story that started hundreds of thousands of years ago. What we taste today is a direct result of geological time.”
Christoph Krabichler, chef, cookbook author, and educator
Austria’s wine culture runs deep, dating back over 2,000 years, shaped by monks, emperors, and generations of vintners who coaxed flavour from the country’s complex soils.
While much of the world still sees wine as food’s supporting act, in Styria—a region of rolling vineyards and volcanic terroir—a quiet revolution is underway, where winemakers are redefining the relationship between wine and cuisine.
As more wine lovers seek sustainability, authenticity, and bold new flavours, Styria's wines are gaining international attention. With cool climates, diverse soils, and passionate winemakers, the region is proving that great wine isn’t just about history—it’s about the future.
“This land has rhythm. It influences the grapes, the wine, the people.”
Verena Langmann, Langmann winery
Wine pairing upside down
In a bold reimagining of tradition, Austria’s most celebrated chef, Heinz Reitbauer, turned food-and-wine pairing on its head. Instead of selecting wines to complement his dishes, he designed dishes inspired by the wines.
At Steirereck am Pogusch in the Styrian Alps, he partnered with three of the region’s top wineries—Tement, Langmann, and Engel—to create a menu where the wine led the way.
The winemakers brought their own stories, philosophies, and a sense of place to the table, all emphasising organic or biodynamic practices, allowing the land to speak through every bottle.
As head chef behind Vienna’s world-renowned Steirereck restaurant, Heinz believes this wine-first approach was more than just a challenge—it's a creative breakthrough and the beginning of a deeper culinary shift.
“A great pairing is about creating a dialogue between the dish and the wine, where each enhances the other. Austria has always had great wine. But now we’re learning how to cook with it—not just for it.”
Heinz Reitbauer, chef at Steirereck am Pogusch
So...
Bread is more than just food in Austria—it’s a cultural institution. From rustic farmhouse loaves to artisanal rye sourdoughs, Austrian bakers take their craft seriously.
Today, a creative generation of chefs, bakers, and artists is reimagining this everyday staple in exciting ways. Whether through innovative takes on the classic Butterbrot (bread with butter) or transforming bread into an artistic canvas, Austria’s bread culture is evolving like never before.
Next time you bite into a slice of Austrian bread, take a moment to taste the centuries of tradition—and the fresh wave of innovation—baked into every loaf.
A breadly competition
Few things are as comforting for Austrians as a thick slice of fresh bread with butter. But Andreas Herbst and Alfred Rohrmoser from the Salzburg region took it to another level.
Andreas is head chef at Hotel Riederalm's restaurant "dahoam," where he creates international, creative gourmet dishes with a touch of the region.
Alfred is the owner and head chef of Reinbachstube "fredl’s," a heartfelt project where cuisine is defined by true craftsmanship, pure ingredients, and modern interpretation.
Their love for this simple pleasure of a Butterbrot was the foundation for a culinary competition: Who could elevate the Butterbrot to new heights?
Andrea's take: A hearty Bauernbrot (farmhouse loaf) served with Angus beef slow-cooked in bread miso, paired with buttercream.
Alfred's take: A Four Seasons Fishbread, featuring a fish butter spread, house-cured, grilled, and smoked fish.
For both chefs, the secret lies in the quality of the bread and butter.
"The best bread needs a long fermentation, high-quality local grains, and time. And real butter? It should never be artificially softened—the firmer, the better."
Andreas Herbst, head chef at “dahoam” restaurant
The art of bread
While some Austrian chefs focus on flavour, others see bread as an art form. In Carinthia, baker Veronika Dörfler and artist Katya Frei collaborated to turn freshly baked loaves into works of art.
Veronika, who runs the small organic bakery Hefehaus in Feldkirchen, is committed to long-fermentation sourdoughs and regional ingredients.
Katya, a graphic artist, carved intricate designs into the dough before baking, creating bread sculptures inspired by Carinthia’s lakes, mountains, and misty landscapes.
"It’s fascinating, the bread rises in the oven, and the design transforms—it’s like watching nature take its course," says Katya.
For Veronika, this project was a natural extension of her philosophy: bread is both nourishment and tradition, but it can also be something more—an experience.
Austria has long been known as the land of Kaiserschmarrn, Apfelstrudel, and Sachertorte. For centuries, its dessert culture has been defined by butter, sugar, nuts, and a love of layered indulgence.
But today, a new pâtissier movement is reimagining this legacy, elevating and transforming tradition, with a keen eye on sustainability, health, and storytelling.
Two voices stand out in this evolution: Raphaela Wirrer from Vorarlberg and Lena Zachs from Burgenland. Both honor Austria’s rich dessert heritage while asking: What happens when we turn sugar down and turn creativity up?
In Austria, dessert has always been a conversation between ritual and reinvention. And now, this conversation is getting sweeter—and smarter.
“In Burgenland, people have always valued food. Especially at weddings, we would enjoy things we couldn't afford every day. [...] Wedding cookies were as essential as the rings. Guests would travel for days on foot, and they’d leave with a bundle of pastries."
Aloisia Bischof, wedding baker and coffee house owner
Reinventing tradition
In the eastern province of Burgenland, sweets have always played a role in life’s most joyful moments. Aloisia Bischof, one of the region’s most respected wedding bakers, has been making "Hochzeitsmehlspeisen"—delicate, ornate pastries for weddings—for decades.
Her cookies and pastries, like Nussstangerl (nut sticks), are rooted in scarcity and celebration. In the past, people lacked ingredients like chocolate or butter, relying instead on lard and local walnuts.
That reverence for tradition is what drew Lena Zachs, a French-trained pâtissière from the region, back to her roots. She took Aloisia’s Nussstangerl, for instance, and transformed it into her own creation: the Nussdiamant (nut diamant).
Lena uses solely regional, seasonal ingredients—even if it nudges customers to try something unexpected. “If someone wants a strawberry cake in winter, they’ll leave with a baked apple tart. And they’ll be happy,” she laughs.
“I asked myself: What’s the soul of this pastry? It’s the nut. So I kept that, paired it with chocolate, and gave it a sleek, minimal shape. Tradition doesn’t mean you can’t be bold. It means knowing what to keep.”
Lena Zachs, pâtissière
Less sugar, more flavour
In the village of Schwarzenberg in Vorarlberg, Raphaela Wirrer is shaking up expectations of what a dessert can—and should—be. As head pâtissière at Hotel Hirschen, she creates desserts that are visually striking, balanced in flavour, and surprisingly low in sugar.
“We’ve trained ourselves to expect sweetness above all. But sugar can mute flavour. When you reduce it, real aromas come through—floral, nutty, acidic,” says Raphaela, who was named Pâtissière of the Year 2024.
Her signature dish? A potato-based dessert that combines caramelized parsnip, pickled fig, and candied shiso leaf. “I’m not anti-sugar,” she clarifies. “But I want to use ingredients that have natural sweetness—root vegetables, fruit at peak ripeness, even muscovado sugar. And sometimes, a little acidity or salt makes the sweet elements shine even more.”
“Dessert should surprise and delight. It should be more than a sugar bomb—it should tell a story.”
Raphaela Wirrer, head pâtissière at Hotel Hirschen