Austrian Cuisine: Mahlzeit 139 Einspänner, black coffee topped with a heaping serving
of whipped cream and served in a tall glass
Fiaker, black coffee with rum or brandy served in a glass
Kaffee Johann Strauss, a large black coffee served with
whipped cream and apricot liqueur
Wiener Eiskaffee, cold coffee poured over vanilla ice cream
topped with whipped cream
Türkischer, very strong Turkish coffee
Coffee is always served on a silver tray with a glass
of water.
You can enjoy a coffeehouse even if you don’t drink
coffee. If you want a cup of tea, ask for ein schwarzen Tee and
specify if you want it with milk or lemon. You could also try
Früchtetee (fruit tea) or Grüner Tee (green tea). There is also
a wide array of herbal teas such as Fenchel (fennel), Kamille
(camomile) and Pfefferminz (peppermint). For those with a
sweet tooth, hot chocolate is always a good choice.
Austrian Wines
Unlike many of their neighbours, Austrians drink a substantial
amount of wine. Wine cultivation and drinking have their
roots in the Celtic and Roman periods. Sixty per cent of all
wines are cultivated in Lower Austria, in the Wachau valley
and the Weinviertel. The Wachau is a scenic valley of terraced
vineyards climbing up the hills, alongside the Danube River
between Krems and Melk. The Weinviertel (wine quarter),
located in the northern part of Lower Austria, is the largest
wine-growing region in Austria. Much of the famous Grüner
Veltliner is produced here. One of the most popular white
wines, it has won awards for the best wine grown in Vienna.
The province of Burgenland, known primarily for its red
wines, produces 32 per cent of all wine. Styria contributes 7
per cent, and the remaining 1 per cent is grown on the hills
surrounding Vienna.
Head into Lower Austria, Burgenland or Styria if you enjoy
wine tasting. You can then buy your favourite right on the
spot. Most Austrian wine is consumed locally, with only about
20 per cent exported. Overall, when compared with wines
from other countries, the quality of Austrian wine ranges from