In recent years, Austria has become a gourmet hotspot for many.

The best way to experience all aspects of Austrian cuisine is to travel around the country and there is no better way to accomplish that than by train! Our Austria Railpass will give you the flexibility you need to see it all, at a price that will still allow you to splurge on some nice meals along the way.

For this issue of Explorer, our Top Ten list focuses on our picks of some of the best dishes to try while in Austria. Don’t be shy, embrace the culture that surrounds you and experience the great flavors of Austria!

Due to the regional differences in ingredients and influences, we’ve broken our list down into regional dishes. Guten appetit!

10. Carinthia – The most sought after delicacy of this region is undoubtedly Carinthian Kasnudeln. There are over 200 variations of this dough pocket full of goodness! The main ingredients are mashed potatoes, onions, curd cheese, leek and parsley, however, the best-kept secret of this dish is the filling, so you cannot be too sure of exactly what’s inside! Be adventurous though and you’re sure to enjoy! Popular cities in this region are Klagenfurt and Villach.

9. Styria – In this region, you should definitely try to taste something prepared with pumpkin seed oil. The Styrian pumpkin seed oil is a true delicacy in Austria. Having a mild nutty taste, it is terrific on salads, or you may find it mixed in with local menus. Trust us, after tasting this “green gold”, as it’s known in Austria, you’ll want to bring a bottle home with you! A true delight to awaken your taste buds. A great city to visit in this region is Graz.

8. Tyrol – If you find yourself in Innsbruck, Kitzbuhel or St Anton, then you’re in the Tyrol region. In these parts, you should definitely try the Tiroler Leber mit Polenta, a delightful dish! This meal is made of veal or beef liver with onions, “speck” (a special cured/cubed ham), capers, lemon juice and white wine. It is then served on top of a dish of polenta. The flavors infuse together creating a unique flavor that will leave you satisfied at the end of your meal (but of course you’ll still have room for some dessert!).

7. Voralberg – Taking the train to Feldkirch, Bregenz or Bludenz? Treat yourself to a tasty dish of Schlutzkrapfen. While it may be tricky to say, it is very easy to eat the whole dish! This delicacy is well-known in the Voralberg region. It is a spinach stuffed pasta pocket, similar to a ravioli. It is served with melted butter on top with some parmesan cheese. It is a great meal for kids as most kids enjoy a good ravioli! A simple meal with extraordinary flavor.

6. Burgenland – A visit to the Burgenland region, including cities of Eisenstadt and Rust, is an opportunity for you to experience Burgenlandische Gaenseleber. This is goose liver that has been simmered with onions and local spices. It is delicious and definitely something to try while you’re exploring this “land of castles”.

5. Salzburg – Most trips to Austria include a stop in Salzburg, found in the Salzburg region, and yours should be no exception! Of course, the surrounding area has plenty to see and do that will keep you busy, but you’ll need to stop for some food eventually. We recommend treating yourself to some Kasnocken. These are amazing cheese dumplings. They have such an incredible taste, you’ll find it hard to stop eating them! Also, due to the location, freshwater fish are also a favorite, especially trout.

4. Upper Austria - In the Upper Austrian region you’ll visit cities such as Gmunden, Hallstatt and Mondsee. Around this region you’ll find various types of dumplings. We’ve not tried a dumpling in this region that wasn’t amazing! Check out the local menus and find the local dumpling specific to the town or village you’re in. Order it and we can almost guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

3. Lower Austria - Serviettenknoedel mit Semmelkren is a very popular dish in the Lower Austria region. It is a baked bread loaf served with a saffron gravy. Again, it sounds like a simple meal, but the flavor is tremendous. You can find this dish when you travel to Krems, Durnstein, Melk and several others found within this region. And after your great meal, stop by one of the numerous spas found in the region for some needed relaxation!

2. Vienna - The two cities that make up the Vienna region are, Vienna and Grinzing. Some must try’s while you’re in this region are Fiaker Goulash and of course, Wiener Schnitzel! Fiaker Goulash is a delicious Viennese paprika beef stew. It is quite similar to Hungarian Goulash. The Fiaker Goulash is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, a pickled cucumber and fried egg. Weiner Schnitzel is simply a breaded veal cutlet. This is usually served with a lemon slice, potatoes with butter and parsley and some lingonberry jam. Both these dishes are amazing and worth trying.

1. Don’t forget dessert – If you weren’t aware, Austrians make and consume many desserts. They pride themselves on their sweets and with good reason! It’s almost a challenge to find a dessert that you don’t like while traveling around Austria. Some noteworthy favorites to make a point of tasting are; Sachertorte, Doboschtorte, Marzipan and Apfelstrudel.

Sachertorte is a torte (cake) made with chocolate and in some regions, apricot jam. It got its name from its creator, Eduard Sacher.

Doboschtorte is a layered torte made with chocolate frosting and caramel glaze (maybe not the most diabetic-friendly dessert!).

Marzipan is another favorite in Austria. This is a sweet almond paste. In some regions in Austria they dip the marzipan in some terrific chocolate, it is out of this world!

And lastly, a true crowd-pleaser is the Apfelstrudel. This dessert is probably one of the most popular in all of Austria. It is basically an apple strudel, but the way it’s prepared in Austria makes it that much better! The pastry is paper thin, meaning through a single layer of the pastry you could read a newspaper. Inside it is filled with chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and bread crumbs. In some areas they include a few drops of rum as well It is then topped with some powdered sugar and ready for you to taste!

Austria has a variety of delicacies, we suggest trying them all! (especially the desserts!) Be adventurous, sometimes it’s best not to investigate every ingredient in a dish, rather just make sure you’re not allergic to anything within it (you can ask you server, many speak English). It’s also best sometimes to visit the smaller, off-the-main-street type restaurants, they tend to have a more traditional menu.

Use the trains in Austria to visit all of these great regions. Taking a train is not just a way to get from one city to the next, but rather, it turns into part of your experience. You may meet a nice local who can give you advice on what to see and do next, maybe even invite you over for a home cooked meal! (well, anything can happen, that’s what makes traveling so much fun!) Using an Austria railpass you have the freedom to go where you want, when you want, a great freedom to have as you journey through the country!

As you travel, just remember, you don’t know how long it will be until you get back there, so you might as well go for it and try as much as you can. You don’t want to regret not trying something when you return back home. And keep in mind, you can have McDonald’s when you’re back home, don’t visit a familiar fast food joint while traveling abroad, especially when you’re surrounded by such spectacular cuisine!