Styrian food in Graz is one of the clearest regional identities in Austria. Dark-green pumpkin seed oil is the one ingredient you can't skip at any meal — drizzled over salads, soups, even ice cream. Unlike Viennese food and its big, showy portions, Graz leans on freshness and the real taste of produce grown in the region. Good restaurants often hang a sign naming the farm each ingredient came from, which makes every meal feel like more than just eating.
#1 Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil
The most distinctive ingredient of Styria and Graz. This oil is pressed from roasted seeds of a special pumpkin variety, Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca, grown only in this region. It runs dark green, almost black, with a deep roasted-nut flavor, and it carries an EU geographical indication. People in Graz drizzle it over everything from salads and pumpkin soup to vanilla ice cream. The first taste can feel strange, but you'll understand right away why locals love it this much.
- Real Kernoel must carry the Steirisches Kuerbiskernoel g.g.A. seal on the bottle — fakes and blended versions are sold widely.
- Order a salad or pumpkin soup at a local restaurant to taste it the traditional way before buying a bottle to take home.
- A small 250 ml bottle runs about 8-12 euros at the market — half the price of Vienna airport.
#2 Backhendl (Viennese Fried Chicken)
Austrian-style fried chicken with a history of more than 200 years. Unlike other fried chicken that uses a thick batter, Backhendl uses a light breadcrumb coating fried in very hot lard until it's crisp and golden evenly on every side. The meat inside stays soft and juicy, while the outside shatters lightly like Wiener Schnitzel, only it's chicken. It's served with Erdaepfelsalat potato salad drizzled with pumpkin oil and lemon, so it tastes clean and never too rich.
- Good Backhendl has to be fried fresh to order — if the kitchen says it takes 15-20 minutes, that's a good sign.
- Ask for the potato salad with Kernoel instead of plain dressing; that's the true Styrian combo.
- The better places use local organic Steirisches Freilandhuhn chicken — it costs a little more, but the difference in taste is clear.
#3 Tafelspitz
The king of traditional Austrian food and a particular favorite of Emperor Franz Joseph. It's a cut from the rump of beef (Tafelspitz) simmered in a broth of root vegetables, bay leaf and spices until it's soft and juicy. It comes served in clear golden broth alongside freshly grated horseradish, tart apple sauce and root vegetables. The flavor is clean and well-rounded rather than flashy, but every spoonful tells you the ingredients are good and the kitchen's work is precise.
- Order the vegetable soup as a first course made from the same Tafelspitz pot — good places often offer it this way.
- Freshly grated horseradish is worlds apart from the jarred kind; ask whether the place uses fresh or pre-made — fresh means quality.
- This dish takes a long time to make, and good places start simmering at dawn. Avoid ordering it somewhere that has just opened or looks rushed.
#4 Sterz (Styrian Cornmeal Porridge)
A true Styrian farmer's dish eaten for hundreds of years before it became a favorite in good restaurants. It's made from cornmeal or buckwheat roasted in butter or lard until fragrant, with a crumbly, crisp texture and an old-school taste. It's served with Steirische Speck, the local smoked bacon, fresh butter and sour milk. It isn't fancy, but it's the most honest flavor of Styria — and one most travelers never come across.
- Sterz is often an inside-menu item at Gasthaus places that doesn't get translated into English; order it by pronouncing it Shtertz and you'll get a smile from the owner.
- Eating it with Steirische Speck, the Styrian smoked bacon you can buy at the market, is the classic pairing.
- If a place in town doesn't have it, try driving out to the outskirts or a Styrian village near Graz where traditional places still make this dish.
#5 Apfelstrudel
The most famous Austrian pastry in the world, but the version in Graz is far better than the everyday kind, because local Konditorei (pastry shops) still use paper-thin dough stretched by hand until it's almost see-through. It wraps a filling of fresh Styrian apples, coarsely crushed and mixed with sugar, cinnamon, raisins and breadcrumbs, baked until the pastry turns crisp and brittle. It's served hot or warm with thick whipped cream — not just a dessert, but a craft that takes a long time to master.
- Ask whether the shop makes its strudel fresh daily or buys it frozen and reheats it — good places are proud to say they make it themselves every morning.
- Eat it hot, right out of the oven, for the best result; Austrian whipped cream is much heavier than Thai cream, so ask for a little less if it's not your thing.
- Konditorei Promenaden on Herrengasse is one of the oldest pastry shops in Graz — try comparing it with a newer spot in the Lend district.
#6 Styrian Sausages at Heuriger Wine Tavern
A Heuriger is a traditional Austrian wine tavern where the owner opens up their own house to sell the year's new wine along with simple food. Graz sits close to the Schilcher wine region, where the wine is made from the Blauer Wildbacher grape — sharply tart and a deep pink, a character you won't find anywhere else. You drink it with Styrian smoked sausages, hard Steirerkase cheese, dark bread and Liptauer, an herbed cheese spread. The mood is relaxed and made for long conversations.
- A real Heuriger hangs a pine branch or bough out front as a sign that it's open; if there's none, it means it's closed or the wine has run out.
- Schilcher wine is more tart than you'd expect — order a small glass to try first; some people love it, others need to ease into the taste.
- Most Heuriger are outside the city, so you'll need a tram or taxi 15-30 minutes out. Tourist Information in Graz has a map of the outskirts Heuriger you can ask for.
Where to stay in Graz for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Graz — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Hotel Feichtinger Graz
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Grand Hôtel Wiesler Graz
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Hotel Daniel Graz
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Zur Steirerstub'n
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Tours, tickets & activities in Graz
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Graz — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
Styrian food tastes best at local places that don't carry much English signage. The Lend district and the lanes of the old town have good restaurants where locals eat regularly, at prices more reasonable than the spots on the main square. Buy pumpkin seed oil to take home at Kaiser-Josef-Markt — it's better value than buying it at the airport.