Salzburg impressed me during my first visit in 1999 where the romance of its spires, churches, river, mountains and rolling, green hillsides was an influence since childhood, thanks to that film locals love to dislike, The Sound of Music. As with my visit in ’99, going on a SoM tour was a highlight of my visit (there are many to choose from but Panorama Tours has been the best).
Salzburg’s sheer beauty and walkable charm made it my Austrian city of choice even back then, far above expansive Vienna, which despite it’s fantastic architecture and even more fantastic musical history, live classical music and grand opera house, felt a bit cold to me. My second go-to Austrian city is Innsbruck (read about my explorations here).
Returning nearly 14 years later, I am even more in love with Salzburg. This visit, I found more hidden treasures, walked further afield, and down each narrow, car-less street.
I stayed in a local apartment directly across the Staatsbrücke bridge looking at Old Town, down narrow, cobblestone alley, Steingasse street.
Here are a few of my favorite tastes and discoveries:
FRIDRICH
Just a couple doors down from my wonderful apartment on narrow, cobblestoned Steingasse street, is tiny wine bar, Fridrich. Run by Fridrich himself since 1986, I would easily call this one of my favorite bars in Europe. I’m a spirits and cocktail girl first, so I don’t typically note a wine bar as favorite bar.
Though the bar, under arched stone ceiling is intimatly sexy, Fridrich almost imparts a subtle punk-rock attitude to the relaxed, glowing environs. It’s partly his expert knowledge of all things Austrian – he tasted me through the crisp, earthy notes of Nigl (pronounced nee-gel) Gelber Muskateller white wine, harvested from tiered, hillside vineyards, and likewise, earthy, complex Golles schnaps. During another visit, he recommended a glass of lovely Stiegelman Grauburgunder Weingut, a white wine I’d also loved at a restaurant in the Tyrolean-chic village of Kitzbuhel.
The other reason for Fridrich’s uniqueness is his impeccable musical tastes and expansive vinyl and CD collection, which he plays interchangeably like a sophisticated DJ. His top of the line sound system envelops the bar with a tapestry of sound.
There’s a wonderful woman who works with him, demure yet engaging, both of them offering recommendations, pours, humorous asides. Lou Reed died the last night we were in Salzburg. Fridrich told us the news, then put on Reed’s music. We all raised a glass, shedding a tender tear. It’s that kind of a bar.
The Renaissance Man and I were so inspired, we dreamt of opening our own tiny bar like this somewhere in the world: a place where you immediately feel like a local, where what is poured and what is played is of equal importance, where there is nothing to prove, only to relax, savor to feel at home.
STIFTSKELLER ST. PETER
As the world’s oldest known operational restaurant since 803 AD, Stiftskeller St. Peter’s history may insinuate food is an afterthought, but it’s a one-of-a-kind dining experience with unexpectedly strong food.
Built into the stone cliffs of Salzburg’s Old Town, and off the square housing St. Peter’s gorgeous church and mesmerizing graveyard – among the most beautiful in the world – Stiftskeller is an upscale restaurant, also known for their Mozart dinners upstairs in multiple dining rooms, both intimate and grand. As I went to the restroom upstairs by the grand dining room, I got chills hearing the strains of the orchestra playing Mozart here in the town of his birth, while everyone dined at long tables by candlelight.
We ate downstairs in a warm, wood-walled dining room with red and white seating, and paintings of monks mingling with modern art.
Entering the restaurant, one passes through a stone archway that, in my November visit, was completely covered in pine boughs. Aromatic and magical, the archway then opens into a stone courtyard which is a standing bar area in the shadow of the steep stone cliffs carved out by monks above. At this time of year, the courtyard was packed with Christmas trees. Benedictine monks were running Stiftskeller as recently as 20 years ago and still live on square that houses the restaurant. The whole operation is mesmerizing.
Food and service were better than I expected. In fact, we had a top-notch server who had worked in restaurants around the world, including the US, had studied hospitality and was a consummate, warm professional. Our meal was a series of high points and artful plating, including beef tartare in pine nut butter formed into a square, young venison saddle in Glennfiddich Scotch glace (yes!), and upscale versions of Germanic classics like veal weiner schnitzel, breaded and pan fried, with parsley potatoes and cranberries.
Desserts (we tried three) were also a highlight, including a variation of plum dumplings partnered with stewed plums and plum ice cream. Though the restaurant was expensive, it wasn’t outrageous compared to other meals in Austria and even pricier Switzerland, and it certainly delivered a one-of-a-kind experience.
Next issue I will delve into Austrian spirits, exciting and virtually unknown by many spirits fans. I will share more about Austrian schnaps/brandies and fantastic shops like Sporer, on Salzburg’s main, touristy-yet-delightful shopping street, Getreidegasse, since 1903.
Augustiner Brau, Salzburg’s famed brewery since 1621, is a festive gathering of locals. Whether you sit in the beer garden or one of the beer halls, it’s a slice of local’s life. Though tourists certainly seek out the brewery, it’s sprawling grounds welcome all ages – there’s even a playground with a beer barrel to climb through for the kids!
I watched grandpas enjoy a beer with their grandkids, couples toast each other over beer and pretzels, even a family playing a game out of fish bones collected from the garbage in the garden (odd, but there must be a story behind that). Though food vendors in and around the brewery are hardly gourmand, it’s inspiring to see the likes of whole fish, head and all, on a stick for snacking with beer.
Just down the street from the brewery, Blumen & Feinkost market, with its retro, pinup girl logo, felt like a slice of home infused with Germanic spirit. Browsing through this organic market, heavy on produce, fine meats and cheeses, breads and the like, made me start envisioning a picnic.
Chocolate lovers: head to Zotter Schoko-laden in the Old Town. Organic, fair trade, artisan and uniquely funky in its flavor profiles, the internationally popular, artisan chocolate bar line is a true Austrian success story. While I have sampled Zotter bars for years from shops in San Francisco (like Chocolate Covered in Noe, and The Candy Store in Russian Hill), this is the first I’ve seen the range of Zotter chocolates in one place. They don’t all work for me – some are far too subtle and bland. But when they do work, they represent a fine example of the range of chocolate bar flavors yet to be explored. How about apples, carrots and ginger? Or cheese, walnut, grape? Maybe sacramental wine and frankincense chocolate bars are more your speed? Zotter bars never read “boring.”
Quickly escalating prices after ordering a few seemingly affordable bites is one downside. So could be the hotel setting on bustling, touristy (yet still charming) shopping street, Getreidegasse (or it’s just conveniently located?)
Ultimately, Carpe Diem Finest FingerFood pleases with its mini-gourmet cones filled with burgers and fries or scallops. On a sunny day, the chic patio is an ideal way to enjoy these playful, gourmet cones and Austrian wine or internationally popular (you can find it at Whole Foods), local kombucha brand, Carpe Diem, which the restaurant is named after.
