In the Restaurant
Austrian menus are full of terms that leave even native German speakers puzzled. Here's the translation aid:
Menu Decoder
| On the Menu | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Beilagen | Side dishes (potatoes, dumplings, salad, etc.) |
| Erdäpfelsalat | Potato salad (warm, with vinegar-oil dressing) |
| Häuptelsalat | Head lettuce |
| Vogerlsalat | Lamb's lettuce / Corn salad |
| Grammeln | Cracklings (rendered bacon cubes) |
| Grammelschmalz | Pork lard with cracklings (spread) |
| Liptauer | Spiced curd spread (with paprika, onions, caraway) |
| Brettljause | Cold platter on a wooden board (ham, cheese, spreads) |
| Jause | Snack / Light meal |
| Nockerl | Small dumplings/Spätzle variant |
| Sterz | Roasted cornmeal or buckwheat flour |
| Heuriger | Young wine of the current vintage |
| Gespritzter | Wine spritzer (white wine with soda) |
| Krügerl | Half-liter of beer |
| Seidel / Seiterl | Small beer (0.3 liters) |
| Pfiff | Very small beer (0.2 liters) |
| Stamperl | Shot glass (2 cl) |
| Spritzer / G'spritzter | White wine spritzer |
| Sturm | Partially fermented grape must (only Sept./Oct.) |
Useful Phrases
- "Haben Sie einen Tisch frei?" — Reservation is recommended in upscale restaurants
- "Was empfehlen Sie?" — Waiters in Austria know the menu and are happy to advise
- "Die Rechnung, bitte" or "Zahlen, bitte"
- "Machen Sie [amount]" — when giving a tip
- "Getrennt, bitte" — each pays their part (less common than in Germany, but acceptable among friends)
