What to eat in Graz
Breaded half a chicken, a bacon spread and a rosé from a local grape, plus a fixed set lunch that few other cities on this site offer.
- Backhendl
- €13–13.90
- Pumpkin-seed-oil salad
- €15.20–18.20
- Schilcher (1/8 l)
- €4.80 (1/8 l)
Styrian food sticks to a handful of fixed points: Backhendl, a breaded half chicken, runs €13–13.90; a cheese salad with pumpkin-seed oil €15.20–18.20; Schilcher, a rosé from a local grape, €4.80 (1/8 l) for an eighth of a litre. Unlike some cities on this site, the old town in Graz does have a fixed set lunch, €9.80–11.90, cheaper than the evening menu.
Backhendl — a breaded half chicken
Steirisches Backhendl, a whole chicken cut into pieces, breaded and deep-fried, counts as the Styrian speciality par excellence. At Bauernwirt and at Die Herzl it runs €13–13.90 for half a chicken; the full meal at Bauernwirt costs more.
A cheese salad with pumpkin-seed oil
A Bauernschafkäse salad with pumpkin-seed oil, in a small or large portion, €15.20–18.20. The pumpkin-seed oil from around Graz is the same product the hub page mentions as having protected origin status; here, instead of the backstory, it's simply eaten.
Schilcher — the rosé of western Styria
Schilcher is made exclusively from the Blauer Wildbacher grape, native to western Styria, hence its protected-origin (DAC) status since 2017. At Wirtshaus Bernsteiner it runs €4.80 (1/8 l) for an eighth of a litre; another venue in this round did not give a verifiable price.
Verhackert — a bacon-and-lard spread
Finely chopped cold-smoked bacon, lard and garlic, spread on a thick slice of bread. At Die Herzl it runs €7.90. The flavour is all fat and smoke, with nothing to soften it, so it's not for everyone.
Käsekrainer and döner
At the stall on the Südtirolerplatz a Käsekrainer, a cheese-filled sausage, runs €4.10–8; a döner at Europakebap sits at the top of the same range. Both are eaten standing, no booking needed.
A set lunch in the old town
Unlike some cities on this site, where the menu is the same at noon and in the evening, old-town restaurants in Graz offer a fixed set lunch, €9.80–11.90. It's a cheaper weekday option that disappears in the evening, when it's back to paying per dish off the regular menu, €19.70–20.60.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
What is Backhendl?
A breaded, deep-fried half chicken, a Styrian speciality. It runs €13–13.90.
Is Schilcher available everywhere in Graz?
Not everywhere. It's a western Styrian wine, found in taverns with a regional list, such as Wirtshaus Bernsteiner.
Is there a fixed set lunch at restaurants?
Yes. Old-town restaurants offer a set lunch, €9.80–11.90, cheaper than the evening menu.
Ready for Graz?
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