Idyllic lakes, imposing mountain backdrops and cuisine to excite the senses: the Salzkammergut offers a wide variety of delights.
Weddings of the rulers or the approaching winter: two occasions that once triggered large fish migrations from the Salzkammergut towards Vienna and Graz. In 1548, for example, there was an order to send “as large a number of char and trout as possible” to the imperial court in Vienna when the cold set in. This type of ‘natural tax’ was called Zinse vom Chrunglsee-Winkl, and when Archduke Karl II married in 1571, the Grundlseer and Altausseer fish masters together transported 447 Altausseer, 1,676 Grundlseer and 800 Toplitzseer char to Graz, where Karl II had established his seat of power. It is not known exactly how the goods were transported, but it presumably involved water.
Even then, the fish from the Salzkammergut were popular far beyond the rather narrow borders of the region. Later, it was no longer the fish that travelled to the people, but the people who visited the homes of the fish, and tourism discovered the Salzkammergut. This was triggered by the summer retreats of the imperial family in Bad Ischl and the construction of the railway connection, which brought the region closer to the capital. From the 19th century onwards, the lakes in the border region between Salzburg, Upper Austria and Styria became a romantic place for the Viennese aristocracy and upper middle classes, along with the poets, painters and composers. This popularity has been preserved and complemented by ‘normal’ tourism, with the stately villas, hotels, shipping lines, theatres and spa houses built at that time still in use today. It is an idyll close to the water that attracts guests without a second thought. The small accommodation establishments have become relatively large hotels, and the char has become a culinary speciality that no gastronome in the region can afford to ignore. From fishermen’s huts to village inns, from stylish pop-up restaurants to classy top-class restaurants: the lakes deliver, the guests enjoy.
Chef Thomas Höfler, for example, creates holistic taste experiences of the highest level in the Landhaus zu Appesbach on Lake Wolfgang. His mosaic of char with teriyaki cucumber, sesame lemon and caviar served as a starter is accompanied by breathtaking views over the lake.
At the Wassermann at Grundlsee, Stefan Haas enchants with char fillets confit in nut butter, and served with a fermented mushroom sauce. And at the ‘Seewiese’ at the far end of Lake Altaussee, you can fortify yourself after a leisurely walk around the lake with a whole roasted char from the in-house fishery.
PURE PLEASURE
It is an inspiring, unpredictable, sometimes capricious backdrop: “It is the first landscape I have seen that makes me permanently homesick,” is how acting giant Klaus Maria Brandauer, who comes from Ausseerland, described the intimate relationship with the place he calls home. And, according to noted writer Friedrich Torberg: “Whoever comes to Altaussee wants to go nowhere but Altaussee, and if he wanted to, he couldn't.” He is correct in both parts of that statement, because as well as its beauty, Altaussee is a dead end: into the village, past the church and cemetery, to the lake. You can drive or hike around it, but that’s as far as you go. The rock walls form a natural border and frame the lake like a huge stage set.
The locations and the food can be enjoyed from sunrise to sunset and beyond, with the Seevilla, for example, offering a rich breakfast on its own platform in the middle of the lake with a view of the Loser, Trisselwand and Dachstein massif. The boats used to transport the guests are made of larch or spruce wood, with their unmistakable box shape and prow (gransel) making them look like the more rustic version of Venetian gondolas: the plätte are the traditional boats in the Salzkammergut. In the Ausseerland region, the elegant, slender, handmade crafts popular today for excursions across the lake were used as working vehicles for transporting wood and gravel back in the day.
Back to food history, and it was at Nußdorf am Attersee where an innovation from France was presented at what was then the local pub: for the first time in 1877, a menu was handed to guests as a guide through the food on offer. The first edition, which has become an antique, can still be admired in the Das Bräu restaurant at Hotel Aichinger today, while the current venue features modern interpretations of classics and innovative new creations. Carpaccio of young beef with pickled porcini mushrooms, boiled beef with roasted apples, and smoked eel with Piedmont hazelnut: Chef Julian Schwamberger conjures up dishes of reliable excellence based on the best ingredients, as does his colleague Florian Karrer in the fine-dining beach club Achterdeck, also part of the boutique Hotel Aichinger.
Das Bräu is also a partner of the Kulinarium Attersee initiative. Under this umbrella, five restaurants around Lake Attersee have dedicated themselves to a concerted emphasis on regional delicacies. From the Genussufer in Unterach, that overlooks the lake, to the somewhat elevated Wachtberg, there is a colourful repertoire of specialities, from Attersee char and pike to Attersee vinegar, and crunchy vegetables from the gardens in the area.
One lake away – at Lake Traunsee – Lukas Nagl also draws inspiration for his dishes from the taste-intensive products and gastronomic tradition of the Salzkammergut. At the Bootshaus, he derives from this an unadulterated line of cuisine that is uncompromisingly rooted in the region: cosmopolitan, simple, and reduced to the essentials, yet it still tastes refined. To accompany this, small, innovative vintners get their deserved stage in the Bootshaus. An exciting concept that is lived out almost a touch more radically in the Litzlberger Keller in Seewalchen am Attersee, is a summer pop-up kitchen model, SOUL. With Antonia Schmiedleitner, ‘The Next Generation’ is once again in charge of the kitchen in this historic house until October. Gustav Klimt not only lived at the venue, he also immortalised the 300-year-old former storage cellar of the local brewery in one of his paintings, which was later auctioned off for €13million in New York. The cellar itself later became an inn, which Schmiedleitner's parents took over in 2009. It was there that daughter Antonia, together with Eva Schnabl and Moritz Schwenk, started their pop-up epicurean experiment last summer, which will be continued this year, the trio serving light and modern dishes.
It is an example of the intensive culinary arcs from tradition and region towards innovative and international worlds of taste that are becoming more and more common on the lakes. SeeSushi in Strobl on Lake Wolfgang, for example, creates a crossover to Japanese cuisine, and you feel transported to the sea when crispy pulpo is presented at Langostino on Lake Attersee, or fresh fish from Italy at ‘Ristorante Fischer’.
The region’s charm is fed by this potpourri of aristocratic heritage, breathtaking natural landscapes between lakes and mountains, established culinary arts, and avant-garde interventions on the menus. This results in a comprehensive wellness programme for palate and spirit, absorbed completely during walks along the shorelines, be it around the Attersee, the Traunsee or the Grundlsee – the former being the largest lake (located only in Austria) with an area of around 46 square kilometres. On the Grundslee, the MS Rudolf can be found, a vessel launched almost 130 years ago as a steamship in a Linz shipyard and converted to a diesel engine 70 years ago, now running as an environmentally-friendly diesel-electric hybrid. With her, you can set off on a three-lake expedition that takes you via Lake Grundl to Lake Toplitz, and on to the somewhat more remote Lake Kammersee. At Toplitzsee, you change to a smaller boat that takes you from the west to the east shore; short walks and forest paths serve as a connection between the lakes. A tour that promises an overdose of idyll.
IN THE DIRNDL STRONGHOLD
Of course, the splendour of nature can also be enjoyed from one of the numerous sun terraces around the lakes. From the Wassermann or its sister restaurant Seeblick at Grundlsee, to the Seevilla in Altaussee, and Das James in Bad Aussee: just sit down, look out, and take it all in. There is a good chance that you will encounter another characteristic: traditional costume is omnipresent among locals, as well as visitors. Dirndl and lederhosen have become everyday uniforms, even away from traditional folk festivals, with plenty of work going into their creation: at least 100 hours of work are required for an original Ausseer ‘Hirschlederne’, which is made to measure by hand, with the embroidery on each trouser leg alone taking around 15 hours; for top of the range, a pair of nine-seam leather trousers, make that 20 hours! The advantage is that they are forgiving of culinary overindulgence because they only adhere to the strict limits of clothing sizes to a limited extent, instead ‘growing’ with the wearer. So, one char, please!
You can start the day here with a six-course breakfast menu – and end it on a high note with fine dining in the evening.
Markt 15, 5360 St. Wolfgang
T: +43 6138 23760, cortisen.at
With a view over Lake Wolfgang, enjoy the Mediterranean cuisine creations of Lucas Bosca, and sample from the well-stocked vinotheque.
Mondsee-Bundesstraße 10, 5340 St. Gilgen
T: +43 664 4435701, haus-am-hang.at
Thomas Höfler's cuisine ranges from Austrian classics to unusual gourmet creations. There is also an extensive wine list.
Au 18, 5360 St. Wolfgang
T: +43 6138 22090, appesbach.com
Fish from the lake are delivered freshly caught to the restaurant, along with meat from Salzburg farmers: chef Christian Rescher can rely on the best regional quality for the ingredients.
Markt 17, 5360 St. Wolfgang
T: +43 6138 20055, ledererhaus.com
Dishes with a Japanese and international twist – from brunch to ‘warm delights’, from ‘SeeViche’ from Aussee char to mountain shrimp.
Weißenbachtalstraße 15, 5350 Strobl
T: +43 677 64600573, seesushi.net
Lukas Nagl processes regional products and flavours from all over the world with creative ease into independent creations. This is accompanied by correspondingly sensitively selected wines.
Klosterplatz 4, 4801 Traunkirchen
T: +43 7617 2216, dastraunsee.at
In one of Austria’s oldest wine taverns, guests can expect traditional dishes such as polenta dumplings and boiled beef, served with a large slice of gourmet glitter.
Maximilianstraße 1, 4813 Altmünster
T: +43 664 1821188, maximilianstube.at
A modern ambience presents an equally modern line of cuisine, plus a well-stocked wine selection with a focus on Austrian vintners.
Linzer Straße 4, 4810 Gmunden
T: +43 7612 23444, hirschengmunden.at
Schnitzel meets curry: Arnold Kuppek spoils his guests with a mix of local dishes and international trend dishes.
Schlossstraße 8, 4050 Traun
T: +43 7229 668822, schlosstraun.at
The location with its Grundlsee view is breathtaking, as are Stefan Haas’s menus; nice wine list too.
Archkogl 31, 8993 Grundlsee
T: +43 3622 8477263, grundlsee.mondihotels.com
In addition to the à la carte restaurant in the hotel – try the char! – the bar is a popular local meeting place.
Kurhausplatz 62, 8990 Bad Aussee
T: +43 3622 525070, erzherzogjohann.at
Lake enjoyment at a venue where Chef Roland Wechselberger enchants guests, offering Austrian cuisine combined with international influences.
Fischerndorf 60, 8992 Altaussee
T: +43 3622 71302, seevilla.at
Down-to-earth inn cuisine based on traditional recipes – Tafelspitz (boiled beef) and Salzburger Nockerln (dumplings) are well worth trying.
Archkogel 31, 8993 Grundlsee
T: +43 3622 8477, grundlsee.mondihotels.com
Hearty cuisine made from regional ingredients in which tradition is interpreted in a contemporary way. As a side dish, there is an impressive view of the lake and mountains.
Mosern 22, 8993 Grundlsee
T: +43 3622 86044, seehotelgrundlsee.at
Das James
Krainer sausage, sauerkraut soup with grammel dumplings, flamed Alpine salmon: chef Christian Wölkart's creations are deeply rooted in the region.
Sommersbergseestraße 392, 8990 Bad Aussee
T: +43 676 847670800, dasjames.at
A stopover on a tour of the lake. The location is just as spectacular as the well-stocked menu. Before the fish, try the breadcrumb soup and the tender ribs.
Fischerndorf 77, 8992 Altaussee
T: +43 3622 71205, seewiesealtaussee.at
The Ausseerstube dining room that dates back to the 1920s, is a meeting place for celebrities as well as locals. Nature’s treasures – char, game and fine wines – play the leading role.
Fischerndorf 17, 8992 Altaussee
T: +43 3622 71347, hirschen-altaussee.at
A finely souffled Wiener Schnitzel with lukewarm potato salad, or would you prefer a freshly fried Reinanke from the lake? No matter what you choose, you’re always right.
Am Anger 1, 4865 Nußdorf
T: +43 7666 8007, hotel-aichinger.at
At the gates of Seewalchen, Wolfgang Reiter spoils his guests with fine cuisine in a dignified ambience.
Neuhausen 1, 4860 Lenzing
T: +43 7662 2725
Christian Rutschetschin proves that you can enjoy the finest seafood at Langostinos, with monkfish and mussels a regular delight; the Attersee fish are also popular.
Bahnhofstraße 4, 4861 Schörfling am Attersee
T: +43 7662 29050, langostinos.at
A tip, especially during the game season: fresh boar with flambéed plum complements the freshly caught fish on offer.
Bach 24, 4852 Weyregg
T: +43 7664 20753, bachtaverne.at
Exciting address due to an innovative pop-up concept, with which the young generation presents itself over the summer: char, bao bun and vegan steak included.
Moos 8, 4863 Seewalchen am Attersee
T: +43 7662 2312, litzlbergerkeller.at
Ristorante Fischer Sepp da Michele
Every Wednesday and Friday, in addition to Attersee fish, fresh Branzino, Doraden or Calamari from Italy are served.
Moos 14, 4863 Seewalchen am Attersee
T: +43 660 68372144, fischer-sepp.at
