Vienna Food Tour: Essential Austrian Cuisine

Whet your appetite for Viennese cuisine and cakes worthy of an emperor
From US$524 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Various local specialty shops and restaurants
Photos & Highlights
  • Vienna food tour led by local food expert or food writer
  • Features tastings of unique regional specialties and local Viennese products, such as cheese, sausage, and baked goods
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Tour Description
Vienna’s taste for indulgence permeates the city, reaching from the palaces and surrounding vineyards into the very shops and streets of the city. On this Vienna food tour, we'll join a local food expert to explore traditional Austrian foods and new trends in this exciting gastronomic destination. We'll dive into specialty food shops, enjoy some tastings, and learn how Austrian food today is evolving with an eye to tradition.

Vienna Food Tour

This walk will usually start by sampling some traditional Viennese goulasch and dumplings, a dish that highlights the history of Vienna as the center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. We may discuss the regional variations between goulashes from different countries and how the unique Austrian version evolved.

Our next visits vary from tour to tour depending on our appetites. Stops may include a local cheese specialty shop to sample a variety of cheeses, from silky and mild to full and complex; savory snacks or sausages at a local cafe; a famous local confectionery shop that once had a branch on Fifth Avenue; an Austrian wine cellar; or a street food stand, to relish hearty favorites like Leberkäse—a type of sausage popular throughout Europe’s German-speaking nations. While walking the sidewalks of Vienna, we'll develop a sense of gastronomy's role in the everyday lives of Austrians and the important relationship between a city and its gastronomic traditions.

We'll finish our sensory tour with a sweet treat in a local pastry shop or cafe, getting a glimpse of the cafe culture for which Vienna is known. It is not uncommon for patrons to buy a Wiener Melange - coffee with milk foam - and then simply spend the whole day in the coffeehouse. As gathering places for Vienna's intelligentsia, cafes have historically served as a mise en scene for political, artistic, and social movements. As our walk draws to a close, we'll consider the importance of these intellectual gathering places and how they provide a tableau of Viennese Gemütlichkeit - that famed coziness.

At the end of this walk, we’ll have a greater understanding of how the contemporary food scene in the city converges with tradition and how culinary craftsmanship has shaped the way of life—and we will have indulged in true Viennese fashion.

Learn more about this experience in our Context Stories. 

FAQ

Can I participate in food tours if I have food allergies or other dietary restrictions?
This tour may be possible to adapt to vegetarian diets, however, Viennese cuisine is very meat-heavy so the tastings would be more limited. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be possible to adapt for vegan diets. Please note when you are booking the tour if you have any dietary restrictions. 

Is this walk suitable for people with limited mobility?
Yes, it is. There is mild walking, with the possibility of some type of seating in most of the venues. There are no staircases. There may be wheelchair-accessible washrooms available.
Where You'll Start
38 Reviews (4.85)

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We had never taken a food tour before and thought it might be an interesting way to learn about a city. Kathi was an outstanding and delightful guide. She took us to several restaurants and cafes and kept us spellbound with her vast knowledge of Vienna. We’re so glad we took this tour!
Alexa was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with!
We had a wonderful time on our food tour with Regine! She was very knowledgeable about the Viennese food scene and connected it with the history of the region. She provided recommendations, encouraged questions and gave additional tips based on areas of interest. It was very well planned out especially for such a crowded and busy time of the year. We highly recommend this tour! It was a terrific way to introduce our group to Austrian cuisine. If you are planning ahead we would recommend this tour early on in your trip so you can take advantage of her recommendations and make your reservations early!