Before diving into the intricacies of the best kosher foods in Vienna, Austria, it is crucial to understand what kosher foods are.
Kosher foods are foods prepared following strict Jewish dietary laws or Kashtur. First, understand that not all Jewish dishes are acceptable as kosher foods. The following guideline can help you understand what kosher foods are better.
What qualifies as Kosher food?
According to the Jewish dietary laws, the following guidelines should be followed for a meal to be considered kosher food:
- Meat from cud-chewing and cloven-hoofed mammals, such as sheep, deer, and goats
- For birds, you can only include chicken, goose, duck, and turkey
- For fish, the fins and scales should come off easily. So, tuna, herring, and carp only qualify as kosher when made by a kosher fishmonger
- Fish and meat or milk and meat should not be served together
- For processed food, it is only kosher when a rabbi is present
- Meat should be prepared under the shechita guidelines, which state that animals should not feel pain when being slaughtered
- Fruits and vegetables must be from non-hybrid plants grown on the ground with no insect infestations
Utensils used during preparation should not be the same ones used for serving food
What are the best kosher foods in Vienna, Austria, and where can you find them?
So, understand that Kosher food is not a specific type of food but different ordinary dishes made under the Jewish dietary laws. Some of these foods could include:
- Grilled salmon- which uses only fresh vegetables and no dairy products during preparation
- Pizza with different types of cheese but without the meat
- Roasted chicken or duck
- Coconut curry tofu for vegetarians, and so forth
The best Kosher foods in Vienna, Austria
If you are a local or international Jew looking for the best place to find kosher foods in Austria, you are in for a treat. If you are a traveler looking to explore new foods, the list below includes the best kosher foods you can find in restaurants, bakeries, and shops across Vienna, Austria.
1. Shakshouka
Shakshouka is one of the best kosher foods you can find in restaurants around Vienna. The meal, which is gluten-free and low-fat with no refined sugar, draws its background from Israel. It is a popular tomato and egg dish that you can enjoy leisurely for breakfast.
The mildly spicy shakshouka includes layers of seasoning comprising fresh or frozen herbs. These spices include salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. To prepare shakshouka, kosher restaurants use olive oil, onions, bell peppers (without seeds), eggs, tomato paste, and freshly diced tomatoes and parsley.
You can enjoy this filling breakfast or brunch meal at Bahur-Tov Kosher restaurant, Alef-Alef, Miznon, or Mea Shearim kosher restaurants in Vienna.
2. Kosher Pizza
As part of kosher rules, pizza can have cheese and sauce or no meat. However, this is not suggesting that you will not be happy with the meal. In fact, kosher pizza is one of the most delicious comfort foods you can eat while observing kosher rules.
The meal usually uses garlic bread lined with tomato sauce and cheese. But to make the flavors pop, the toppings on the pizza included fried melanzani (eggplants), some crunchy leaf salads, spicy mayonnaise, some avocado, and cocktail sauce.
You can enjoy this fantastic Kosher pizza at Novellino, Kosher Restaurant, or Pizza Prego when touring Vienna.
3. Lambchop plate
Lamb chops are a favorite dish to many meat lovers. The chops harbor a savory flavor with hints of mustard and delicious seasoning. Usually, restaurants serve a lamp chop plate with baked yams, vegetables, or potatoes.
The dish uses lamb chops, vegetable oil, black pepper, salt, and mustard. You can have the meal with noodles or green vegetables.
When in Vienna, you can enjoy a delicious lamb chop plate at Bahur Tov, or Mea Shearim, under the Kashrut of Rav Aminov. Alternatively, you can try out this delightful meat dish at Alef-Alef, or Snack bar Chez Berl under Rabbi Shwartz.
4. Skewers
There are many types of skewers you can enjoy while visiting Vienna, Austria. When you visit a kosher-guided food stall or restaurant, you can enjoy delicious skewers, usually made of beef or lamb.
You can order some lamb ribs marinated and grilled on a skewer or liver in the restaurant. The liver could be from a chicken or a lamb. Alternatively, you can order grilled chicken leg or cattle meat.
The same goes for delicious chicken kabobs.
5. Schnitzel sandwich
For the schnitzel or cutlets, you can choose chicken. The ingredients in the meal often include all-purpose flour, some salt, sesame seeds, baguettes, and an egg. The slaw contains mayonnaise, shredded cabbage, honey, mustard, salt, and black pepper.
You can enjoy delicious schnitzel sandwiches with hummus, tomatoes, cucumber, and tahina accompanying the chicken cutlets at Bahur Tov when you visit Vienna.
Alternatively, you can go with a pargiot sandwich consisting of grilled chicken legs, tahina, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
Bottom line
If you want to enjoy a wide range of kosher foods in Vienna, Austria, your best bet would be to find a Kosher-compliant restaurant. Usually, these restaurants operate under the supervision of a Rabbi. You would not have to worry about the kitchen mixing up utensils used to prepare meat dishes and those used to prepare dairy. You can also find some good pastries, for starters, at Ohel Moshe or Schefa. If you want to try out more than those listed above, you should visit Novellino and Kosher Deli restaurants.
