If there’s one food most closely associated with Vienna, then it’s the Wiener Schnitzel.
- Vegetarians and vegans look away (I’m one, too)
- Fried, breaded escalopes typically made of pork, veal, turkey or chicken
- Side dishes are often more or less just decoration
- See also: Viennese food
So what is a Wiener Schnitzel?
Traditionally, a Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal pounded thin by a meat tenderizer, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order), and fried until golden. Although closely linked with Vienna (Wiener means “Viennese” in German), the Schnitzel actually originated in Milan, Italy.
The dish is not one of those traditions only found in tourism brochures. It really is a hugely popular meal in Austrian homes, though most families use pork rather than veal (see later). If you’re OK with eating meat, having a Wiener Schnitzel certainly counts toward your collection of authentic Viennese experiences.
This popularity becomes evident when you enter any restaurant. You find Schnitzel on just about every single menu in the city (which makes it perfect for comparing prices across establishments). Some locations, such as Figlmüller, might even consider the dish as their raison d’être.
With time, various derivatives of the basic format have appeared. Of those, the most popular option is probably the “Cordon Bleu”, which takes the basic Schnitzel and adds a filling of melted cheese and chopped ham. The dish even has its own snack version: the Schnitzelsemmel is a Schnitzel roll and exactly as it sounds – a bread roll with a piece of Schnitzel as filling.
Pork or veal?
If a restaurant sells Schnitzel made from some other meat than veal, then they have to say so. In other words, assume your Schnitzel is veal if not otherwise labelled in the menu.
You’ll soon discover that veal Schnitzel is actually relatively rare in restaurants, not least because of the expense. Most places have the pork (“Schnitzel vom Schwein”) version instead. The menu might also feature a turkey (“Putenschnitzel”) or chicken (“Huhnerschnitzel”) option, too.
As for what else comes with your Schnitzel, well, good luck with that. Most restaurants definitely give you a slice of lemon.
And that’s about it. I’m (almost) serious.
Don’t be surprised to get a near pizza-sized piece of meat deposited on your plate with a couple of spoonfuls of potato salad, rice, or French fries as a garnish side dish.