Austrian Cuisine: Mahlzeit 129Lunch
Lunch can be a formal or informal affair, and is usually eaten
between noon and 1:00 pm. For many busy workers, a quick
bite from a Würstelstand (kiosk selling a variety of sausages),
sandwich shop or pizzeria is all they have time for. Since
their clientele are often in a rush, most of these eateries
do not offer seating, but rather tiny-topped, tall tables for
customers to stand around. Every Stehcafe is usually packed
at lunchtime. Don’t worry if this is not how you want to spend
your lunch hour. Traditionally, lunch used to be the biggest
meal of the day, and there are a large number of restaurants
available where you are invited in to sit and take your time
to enjoy your meal. Many restaurants offer a set lunch menu,
which includes soup, entrée and dessert. For those on a
budget, this is the best option. If the day’s special doesn’t
appeal to you, the menu will have all the usual dishes.
Jause
Jause is a short coffee break taken in mid-afternoon, around
3:00 to 4:00 pm, primarily by those who either do not eat a
big dinner or who eat much later at night. It provides people
with an opportunity to relax and enjoy something sweet. The
cafés and Konditorei begin to get very crowded with retirees
and students around this time of day.
Dinner
Dinner is eaten between 7:00 and 8:00 pm and is quite
a substantial hot meal. This is especially true for workers
who eat a quick lunch. Restaurants offer the same hearty
meals served at lunch. For those who have had a substantial
lunch or a particularly filling Jause, dinner may be ham or
cold cuts, served with pickles, a salad and one of the many
delicious breads.
Where Should You Eat?
Beiseln
Beiseln are neighbourhood pub-restaurants that offer low-
priced, simple home-style food and beer. They are warm and
cozy, and can be easily recognised by the chalkboard outside