A personal Graz food guide covering what to eat in Austria’s food capital, from Styrian pumpkin seed oil and runner bean salad to traditional breweries, historic bakeries, rooftop cafés and restaurants we tried during our visit.
Overview
Before visiting Graz, we had a rough idea that Styria was known for good food, but we did not quite appreciate how strongly food shapes the city until we arrived. Graz feels different from some of Austria’s more polished city breaks. It is still unmistakably Austrian, with schnitzel, roast meats, dumplings and rich pastries, but there is also a softer Mediterranean influence running through the food culture.
This is partly geography and partly atmosphere. Styria sits in Austria’s south-east, with vineyards, orchards, pumpkin fields, farms and warmer influences from nearby Slovenia and northern Italy. In Graz, that translates into a food scene where hearty Austrian classics sit alongside lighter salads, local fish, seasonal vegetables, Styrian wine and small tapas-style starter plates.
It is easy to see why Graz is often described as Austria’s food capital. Meals here felt regional without being old-fashioned, generous without being heavy for the sake of it, and often surprisingly fresh. We came expecting good Austrian food. We left with two litres of pumpkin seed oil in our luggage.
This Graz food guide covers what food Graz is known for, a few practical dining tips, and the restaurants and cafés we personally tried during our stay.
What Food is Graz Known For?
Graz is the capital of Styria, and much of its food identity comes from the region around it. This is not a city where the local specialities feel like a tourist checklist. They appear naturally on menus, in markets, in salads, in wine lists and even in bakeries.
Some of the foods to look out for in Graz include:
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Styrian pumpkin seed oil is probably the flavour that stayed with us the most. It is dark green, rich, nutty and far more intense than we expected. The first time we tried it was on a broad bean salad, and it completely changed the dish. It brings a deep roasted pumpkin flavour that works particularly well with salads, potatoes, beans and even, apparently, vanilla ice cream.
It is not especially cheap, but once you try proper Styrian pumpkin seed oil, you understand why people treat it almost like a regional treasure. We enjoyed it so much that we bought two litres on the way home.
Käferbohnensalat / Runner Bean Salad
Käferbohnensalat is a classic Styrian runner bean salad, often dressed with pumpkin seed oil and vinegar. The name is sometimes translated as “bug bean salad”, which sounds much less appetising than it tastes.
The beans are large and creamy, and the pumpkin seed oil gives the salad a deep, earthy flavour. It is a good starter if you want something local but not too heavy before a main course.
Trout and Arctic Char
Styria’s rivers and clean mountain waters mean freshwater fish appears on many menus. Trout and Arctic char are both common, often served simply with seasonal vegetables, potatoes or pasta.
We tried mountain char at Der Steirer, and it was one of the more refined dishes we had in Graz. If you normally associate Austrian food mainly with meat and dumplings, the fish dishes in Graz are a good reminder that Styrian cuisine has a lighter side too.
Brettljause
Brettljause roughly translates as a “snack on a board”, though it is usually more substantial than that makes it sound. Expect cured meats, cheese, spreads, pickles, bread and sometimes horseradish or eggs.
It is especially common in Styria’s wine taverns, but you may also come across it in Graz. It is a good option if you want something rustic and regional without committing to a full hot meal.
Styrian Wine
Styria is one of Austria’s key wine regions, particularly known for fresh white wines. If you enjoy wine, Graz is a good place to try local bottles by the glass, especially Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling or Morillon, the Styrian name often used for Chardonnay.
Wine fits very naturally into the dining culture here. Even traditional restaurants often have a more interesting local wine list than you might expect.
Apple Strudel and Austrian Pastries
Styria is orchard country, so apple-based desserts are common. Apple strudel is an obvious one, but bakeries in Graz are also good places to try older Austrian pastries such as Topfenstrudel, nut croissants and small almond biscuits.
We found the pastry culture in Graz less flashy than in Vienna but very satisfying, especially if you like old-school bakeries with history and character.
Dining Tips for Graz
Book Popular Restaurants Ahead
One thing we learnt quickly is that Graz restaurants can be busy even on a weekday. When we first tried to eat at Der Steirer at around 10pm on a Wednesday, it was still packed. The staff tried to help, but the restaurant was busy right up until closing.
If there is somewhere you particularly want to eat, especially for dinner, book ahead. Graz may feel relaxed during the day, but the better-known restaurants are not necessarily places where you can always walk in.
Try the Styrian Tapas-Style Starters
A typical thing we noticed when dining in Graz is that many places offer small starter plates or tapas-style portions. These are useful if you want to try a few Styrian flavours without ordering several full dishes.
This is where you might find things like bean salad, spreads, cured meats, small fish dishes or seasonal vegetables. It also makes dining in Graz more flexible, especially if you are sharing.
Don’t Leave Without Trying Pumpkin Seed Oil
Even if you are not usually excited by salad dressing, try pumpkin seed oil at least once. It is one of those ingredients that makes much more sense when tasted in context. On a simple bean salad or potato salad, it gives the dish a completely different depth.
If you want to buy some to take home, check that you are buying genuine Styrian pumpkin seed oil. It is often sold in supermarkets, markets and specialist food shops around Graz.
Use Food Markets for a Casual Lunch
Graz has a strong market culture, and the farmers’ markets are a good way to experience the city’s food scene without sitting down for a full restaurant meal. Kaiser-Josef-Markt, behind the opera house, is one of the main ones and is especially good if you enjoy local produce, bread, cheese, fruit, juices and seasonal ingredients.
For a cheaper lunch in Graz, markets and bakeries can be a good alternative to restaurants, especially if you are travelling on a tighter budget or want something quick between sightseeing stops.
Brewery Restaurants Are Good for Hearty Food
If you want schnitzel, beer, spaetzle or classic Austrian comfort food, Graz’s brewery restaurants are a good place to look. They are usually casual, spacious and less formal than some of the more refined Styrian restaurants.
We found Gösser Bräu especially easy for a first evening meal after arriving by train. Sometimes, after a travel day, beer and schnitzel are exactly what you need.
Best Places to Eat in Graz
1. Glöckl Bräu
Glöckl Bräu sits just under the famous Glockenspiel, which immediately makes it feel like the sort of place that could lean too heavily on its location. We were slightly cautious for that reason, but the meal turned out to be one of the most enjoyable traditional Austrian meals we had in Graz.
I ordered the cheese spaetzle with fried onions, while Hristina went for the cevapi with fries and red pepper paste. We also shared a traditional Styrian broad bean salad with pumpkin seed oil.
The spaetzle were tender, rich and full of cheese, with proper cheese pull in every bite. It was the kind of dish that made complete sense in a beer hall setting, even if the weather outside was around 35 degrees. The fried onions added crunch and sweetness, cutting through some of the richness.
The broad bean salad was the surprise of the meal. It was fresh, simple and made memorable by the pumpkin seed oil. This was our first proper encounter with it, and we were intrigued straight away. The oil had a roasted, almost savoury depth that made the salad feel far more interesting than it looked at first glance.
Hristina was less convinced by the cevapi. I tried them too and found them a little dense, so this would not be the dish I would return for. But the spaetzle, salad and overall atmosphere made Glöckl Bräu feel like a good place to try classic Styrian and Austrian food in the heart of the old town.
To finish, we shared Kaiserschmarrn. If you have not tried it before, imagine torn pieces of fluffy Austrian pancake, somewhere between a Dutch baby pancake and a lighter Yorkshire pudding, served with apple jam and dusted with sugar. It is simple, comforting and very Austrian.
Despite the central location, Glöckl Bräu did not feel like a tourist trap to us. It felt busy, traditional and reliable, with generous portions and a setting that works especially well if this is your first meal in Graz.
2. Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax
Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax is one of those places we wanted to visit before we had even properly planned our food stops. The old wooden façade is beautiful, and the whole bakery feels like a small piece of imperial Austria that has somehow continued quietly into the present day.
There may be trendier or more modern pastry shops in Graz, but we came here because we wanted to try an old-school Austrian bakery with history. It felt like the right place for that.
I had the Topfenstrudel, while Hristina chose the walnut croissant. The Topfenstrudel was generous in size, with a sweet cottage cheese filling, raisins and soft pastry. It was not overly sweet, which I appreciated, and it had that comforting, slightly old-fashioned quality you hope for in a traditional bakery.
Hristina’s walnut croissant was different from the buttery French-style croissants most people might expect. It was nuttier, denser and crisp around the edges, with a proper walnut flavour running through it.
One of our favourite small moments in Graz was taking the pastries away and eating them in the sun near the Schlossberg Museum area. We sat with the city below us, enjoying the views and taking our time rather than rushing to the next stop. It is exactly the kind of travel moment that makes a bakery visit feel more memorable than a formal café stop.
Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax is also known for its small Sissi kisses, almond biscuits named after Empress Elisabeth of Austria. We did not build a whole tasting session around them, but they are a nice detail if you want to pick up something small and traditional.
3. Freiblick Tagescafé
Freiblick Tagescafé is less about traditional Styrian food and more about the view. It sits on the rooftop of the Kastner & Öhler department store, making it a useful stop if you want a coffee, cake or drink with a panoramic look across Graz.
We came here after seeing it mentioned in a YouTube video, and it did deliver on the setting. Graz is a very attractive city from above, with red rooftops, church towers and the Schlossberg rising nearby. If you are visiting on a clear day, it is a good place to pause between sightseeing stops.
Since Styria is known for its orchards, it felt rude not to try an apple juice. I also ordered the house chocolate cake. It was not a Sachertorte-style showpiece, but it was a good chocolate sponge with a gooey layer on top.
The food and drinks were pleasant, but the view is the reason to come here. It is a good option for a lighter break rather than a main meal, especially if you want somewhere central where you can sit down without committing to a long lunch.
4. Der Steirer
Der Steirer is probably the restaurant in Graz we were most excited to try. It is known for Styrian food, but it does not feel stuck in the past. The menu takes regional ingredients and Austrian classics and presents them in a more polished, modern way.
We first tried to go for dinner on our arrival night, but even at around 10pm on a Wednesday it was full. The staff were friendly and tried to accommodate us, but it was clear the restaurant was busy right up to closing. That alone says quite a lot. If you want to eat here for dinner, book ahead.
We returned the next day for lunch, and although it was still busy, we managed to get a table.
I ordered the braised veal cheeks with wild garlic mashed potatoes. At the time of writing, this dish no longer appears to be on the menu, but it was one of the most memorable plates we had in Graz. The veal cheeks were so tender they could almost be eaten with a spoon. This is the kind of cooking that takes a cheaper cut of meat and turns it into something deeply satisfying through time, patience and skill.
The wild garlic mash added freshness, which the dish needed. Without it, the plate could have become too rich, but the slight sharpness and green flavour balanced the meat beautifully. I enjoyed it so much that I even asked for the recipe.
Hristina ordered mountain char served with orzo pasta. The fish was fresh, carefully cooked and much lighter than my dish. The orzo was also well done, making the plate feel refined but still comforting.
For dessert, we could not ignore the apple strudel, especially after the waiter told us it had been freshly baked that morning. Given Styria’s orchard culture, it felt like the right thing to order. The pastry tasted fresh and homemade, and the filling had a good balance of sweetness without becoming heavy. Served with cream, it was a very satisfying end to the meal.
Der Steirer is the place I would suggest if you want a more complete introduction to Styrian food in Graz. It is popular for a reason, and while it is not the cheapest restaurant in the city, it feels like a good choice for a proper lunch or dinner.
5. Gösser Bräu
On our first evening in Graz, we wanted something simple, Austrian and relaxed. After travelling by train, a brewery restaurant felt like the right choice, so we went to Gösser Bräu.
The restaurant is large, with plenty of seating, so it felt easier to visit without booking than some of the smaller or more popular restaurants in the centre. It is the kind of place that works well when you want beer, hearty food and a casual atmosphere.
I ordered the schnitzel with boiled potatoes, while Hristina had the cheese spaetzle. Both dishes were very good. My schnitzel was enormous and so flattened that it had to be cut in two to fit on the plate. It came with cranberry jam, which worked well with the richness of the fried meat and added a little sharpness.
Hristina’s spaetzle were also strong: cheesy, rich and properly comforting, with the kind of cheese pull that makes the dish feel indulgent rather than plain.
Since this is a brewery, I tried some of the less commercial beers, including a darker stout-like option that was smooth and easy to drink. The beer menu is extensive enough that you can make the visit partly about tasting different styles, not just having a quick pint with dinner.
Gösser Bräu is a good choice for classic Austrian beer food in Graz. It may not be as refined as Der Steirer, but it is generous, relaxed and especially convenient for a first night in the city.
Graz Food Markets
If you want to understand why Graz is known for food, visit at least one market. Restaurants show you the finished version of Styrian cuisine, but the markets show you where the ingredients begin.
Kaiser-Josef-Markt
Kaiser-Josef-Markt is one of the main food markets in Graz and sits behind the opera house. It is a good place to look for fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, juices, flowers and local produce.
This is also a useful stop if you are looking for cheap places to eat in Graz. You can pick up bakery items, snacks or simple market food without sitting down for a full restaurant meal.
Lendplatz Market
Lendplatz Market is another good option, particularly if you are staying on the western side of the river or exploring the Lend district. It has a slightly more local neighbourhood feel and can work well for breakfast, a casual lunch or a slower morning wander.
For us, Graz felt like a city where markets are not just decorative attractions. They are part of the food rhythm of the place, and they help explain why seasonal and regional ingredients appear so naturally on menus.
Food Tours in Graz
If you want more context around Styrian food, a food tour in Graz can be a good way to connect the city’s markets, restaurants and regional specialities. This is especially useful if you only have a short stay and want to understand what makes Graz’s food scene different from Vienna, Salzburg or other Austrian cities.
A good Graz food tour might include local markets, pumpkin seed oil, Styrian wine, traditional snacks, pastries and regional dishes such as Käferbohnensalat or Brettljause. It can also help with the small details that are easy to miss when you are ordering on your own, such as which dishes are seasonal, which wines are local, and how Styrian flavours fit together.
If you are visiting Graz for the first time and food is a priority, I would consider doing a tour early in your stay. That way, you can use what you learn to make better choices for the rest of your meals.
Cheap Places to Eat in Graz
Graz is not the cheapest city in Austria, but eating well does not always mean choosing formal restaurants.
For cheaper meals in Graz, look at:
- Bakeries for pastries, sandwiches and breakfast
- Farmers’ markets for local snacks and casual lunches
- Brewery restaurants for large portions and filling Austrian classics
- Lunch menus at traditional restaurants
- Takeaway pastries or strudel eaten in one of the city’s viewpoints or squares
Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax worked well for us albeit pastries weren’t cheap but were substantial and easy to take away. Gösser Bräu and Glöckl Bräu are not necessarily “cheap eats” in the strictest sense, but the portions were generous, which makes them good value if you are hungry.
Vegan and Vegetarian Food in Graz
We did not focus specifically on vegan food in Graz during this trip, so I would not want to pretend this is a complete vegan guide. That said, vegetarian options were not difficult to find, especially if you are happy with dishes such as cheese spaetzle, salads, pastries, soups and market food.
Pumpkin seed oil, bean salads, potato salads and seasonal vegetables are a big part of Styrian cooking, so there are plenty of plant-based flavours in the local food culture. Fully vegan dining will require a bit more planning, particularly in traditional restaurants where menus still lean heavily towards meat, fish, dairy and eggs.
If vegan food in Graz is a priority, I would suggest checking menus before booking and using markets or more modern cafés to balance out the traditional meals.
Final Thoughts
Graz surprised us as a food city. It was not just one standout meal or one famous dish, but the way local flavours kept appearing throughout the trip: pumpkin seed oil on salads, apple in pastries and desserts, freshwater fish on restaurant menus, Styrian wine, generous brewery food and bakeries that still feel connected to an older Austria.
The city’s food scene suits travellers who enjoy eating regionally without needing every meal to be fine dining. You can have a hearty schnitzel in a brewery, a refined lunch at Der Steirer, a pastry on the Schlossberg, or a simple market snack and still feel like you are experiencing a different side of Graz each time.
For us, the taste that stayed behind was the pumpkin seed oil. It was new, unexpected and completely tied to the place. Even now, opening one of the bottles we brought home takes us straight back to that first bean salad in the heat of Graz, sitting under the clock tower and realising that Styria had a few flavours we had not met before.
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