Food & Drink
Eating in Western Styria
Styrian cuisine is rustic, seasonal, and deeply connected to the land. It is farm-to-table not as a trend, but as a way of life that has continued for centuries. The food here is honest — built on quality ingredients, served generously, and best enjoyed slowly.
The essentials you must try
Brettljause
The quintessential Buschenschank meal. A wooden board (Brett) loaded with cured meats, local cheeses, spreads, pickled vegetables, horseradish, and fresh bread. Simple, magnificent, and best paired with a glass of Schilcher on a sunny terrace overlooking the vineyards.
Kürbiskernöl (Pumpkin seed oil)
Styria's "green gold." A dark, viscous oil pressed from local pumpkin seeds with an intense, nutty flavour. You'll find it drizzled on salads, stirred into soups, poured over vanilla ice cream, and used in ways you'd never expect. Once you've tasted the real thing, you'll want to bring bottles home.
Verhackertes
A smoked pork spread that's a Styrian specialty. Spread it on dark bread and you have one of the most satisfying simple meals in Austrian cuisine.
Backhendl
Styrian-style breaded fried chicken, often served with a salad dressed generously with pumpkin seed oil.
Steirisches Wurzelfleisch
A traditional Styrian pork dish cooked with root vegetables, served with grated horseradish and roasted potatoes. Hearty and comforting.
Sturm (in autumn)
Sturm is young, partially fermented grape juice — cloudy, slightly fizzy, sweet, and deceptively strong. It's available only for a few weeks during harvest season (typically late September to October) and is as much a social event as a drink.
Kastanien (Chestnuts)
In autumn, roasted chestnuts appear everywhere — at markets, in restaurants, and in dedicated stalls. They pair perfectly with Sturm.
Food, wine, and nearby stops
The closest wine addresses sit in the Gundersdorf cluster, where several wineries can be reached on foot by forest and vineyard tracks. For a full meal, use the drive times: Gasthäuser and Graz restaurants are better planned by car or taxi.
Walkable wineries around Gundersdorf
These are the first calls for Schilcher near the house. The walkable entries show the trail estimate first, then the drive time.
Weingut Trapl
A farm wine tavern (Buschenschank) serving the estate's own Schilcher wine alongside cold platters at shared tables. Open Friday to Sunday from early afternoon, and walkable from the Mosthütte in about 30 minutes.
Weingut&Buschenschank Weber
A Buschenschank open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from the early afternoon, serving the family's own Schilcher wine and cold platters at shared tables. Walkable from the Mosthütte in about 25 minutes.
Schilcherweinbau Vollmaier vulgo Wieser
A working farmstead that sells its own Schilcher wines directly from the cellar — bottle sales only, no seating. Call or send a WhatsApp before visiting (English is fine).
Call ahead Call or WhatsApp first — English is fine.
Not a Buschenschank — this is cellar-door bottle sales only, no seating. Call or send a WhatsApp ahead (English is fine) before you go.
Wein- und Kastanienhof Klug
A combined winery and chestnut farm offering self-service wine and farm-produce sales, with chestnut tours available in autumn. Open six days a week.
Wein- & Genuss Laden Familie Kleindienst
A tasting room and bottle shop where you can try and buy the Kleindienst family's wines, including their Schilcher. Not a sit-down Buschenschank — open for sales Monday to Saturday.
Primarily a tasting room and bottle shop rather than a sit-down Buschenschank — come to taste and take wine home.
Buschenschank
A Buschenschank run by Weingut Hiden, open Wednesday through Saturday from 2 pm, serving cold platters and the estate's own wine.
Weingut Buschenschank Machater
A farm wine tavern open Saturday from noon and Sunday from noon, serving the estate's own wines with cold platters indoors and on a sunny terrace.
Winzergasthof Windisch
A winery inn (Winzergasthof) serving hot meals Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from late morning; accommodation is also available on site.
Buschenschänke
A Buschenschank serves the farm's own wine with cold food. Check opening hours before you walk.
Schilcherweingut Friedrich
A Schilcher-focused winery with a tasting room and shop open six days a week, offering a broad range of Schilcher styles — from still to sparkling — to taste and buy.
Weingut und Buschenschank Lazarus
A well-established Buschenschank open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 am, serving the estate's Schilcher with cold platters; one of the larger places in the area and has a children's playground.
Winzerei Schober
A Buschenschank open Thursday through Sunday from noon, serving the Schober family's own wines and cold platters; the family also rents holiday accommodation on the property.
Langmann Weingut Buschenschank
A Buschenschank in a forested hillside setting, open Thursday through Saturday from early afternoon; serves the estate's own wines alongside traditional cold platters.
Gasthäuser
Theresas - Eine Art Gasthaus
A traditional Styrian inn about 24 km away with a short daily menu of hot dishes; cash only, so come prepared, and reservations are recommended.
Stainzerhof Hotel & Restaurant
Modern hotel in a 1900s brewery with a high-end restaurant, a riverside terrace & a gym.
Fuchswirt St. Stefan ob Stainz
Restaurant
Hotel und Restaurant Schilcherlandhof & Winzerhaus Sierling Eins
Bright venue with modest rooms, as well as a country-style restaurant & breakfast.
Restaurants
Restaurant Ya Habibi
A Moroccan restaurant in the Graz area, about 38 km away, open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 pm.
Caylend
A restaurant in Graz, about 37 km away, serving Austrian cuisine with an emphasis on fish and seafood; open evenings from Wednesday and from midday on weekends.
Mohrenwirt Graz
A traditional Austrian restaurant in Graz, about 37 km away, known for classic dishes including beef tartare and Wiener Schnitzel; open Wednesday through Saturday.
Francis
A bistro in Graz, about 36 km away, serving a tapas-style sharing menu with modern dishes; open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 am.
Bakeries
Bäckerei Café G&K Klary
A small bakery-café in the area known for its rye bread and pastries; walkable from the Mosthütte in about 45 minutes.
Supermarkets and farm shops
Stainzer Hofladen
A farm shop in Stainz selling regional products from local farms, including food, preserves, and liqueurs; open Thursday through Saturday.
Hubmann - Mein Kaufhaus
A general store (Kaufhaus) in Stainz stocking groceries, local specialties, and clothing; open Monday through Saturday.
Attractions
Useful nearby stops for a wet day, a family visit, or a short Stainz outing.
Schloss Stainz
A hilltop castle in Stainz about 11 km away that houses regional museums; the interior is accessible only through museum admission, and there is a café on site.
Museen in Schloss Stainz: Jagdmuseum, Landwirtschaftsmuseum und Erzherzog Johann Museum
Three museums inside Schloss Stainz covering hunting history, regional agriculture, and the life of Archduke Johann; open Wednesday to Sunday. Note: strollers are not permitted inside.
Stainzer Flascherlzug - Ausflugsziel für Familien im Schilcherland
A narrow-gauge tourist railway running about 11 km through the Stainz area; a steam locomotive operates on weekends, while a diesel engine is used on weekdays.
Know before you go
How a Buschenschank works — Order a Brettljause (shared board) and a glass of Schilcher. The table is yours as long as you want it.
A Buschenschank is not a restaurant — it's a wine tavern where the winemaker serves their own wine and cold food only (no beer, no hot dishes, by law). You typically order at the counter or from a simple menu. The main thing to order is a Brettljause — a wooden board with cured meats, cheese, spreads, bread, and pickles. It's meant to share. Pair it with a glass (or carafe) of Schilcher, the local rosé. There is no rush. No one will bring you a bill until you ask for it. Linger, enjoy, watch the vineyards. Tip by rounding up (e.g. €18.50 → €20). Say 'Zahlen bitte' when you're ready to pay.
Eating at a Gasthaus — A traditional inn. Seat yourself, order from the menu, pay at your table when ready.
A Gasthaus is a traditional inn serving hot food. Unlike many American restaurants, you usually seat yourself — look for a free table and sit down. If a table has a 'Stammtisch' sign, that's the regulars' table — avoid it. Water is not automatically served (and tap water is uncommon to order in restaurants — ask for 'ein Leitungswasser' if you want it, or order mineral water). Bread may come to the table and is usually charged extra. Tipping: round up by 5–10% (e.g. €23 → €25). You pay at your table — say 'Zahlen bitte' and they'll bring the bill. Credit cards are increasingly accepted but cash is still king in rural Austria.
Cash is king — Bring cash (euros). Many small places don't accept cards.
Rural Austria still runs significantly on cash. Buschenschänke, farm shops, small Gasthäuser, and markets may not accept cards. ATMs (Bankomaten) are available in Stainz and other towns. Withdraw enough euros to cover a few days of local spending. Larger restaurants and supermarkets accept cards. When paying cash, hand the money directly to the server and state the total you want to pay (including tip) — e.g., hand them €30 and say 'Dreißig' if the bill is €27.
Tipping — Round up 5–10%. Say the amount you want to pay when handing over cash.
Tipping in Austria is not like the US — there's no 20% expectation. Round up by 5–10%. If the bill is €18.50, pay €20. If it's €45, pay €50. The key difference: you tell the server the total you want to pay when you hand over the money. Don't leave coins on the table. Say 'Stimmt so' (keep the change) or state the rounded amount. At Buschenschänke, a small round-up is appreciated but not expected.
In Graz
If you venture into Graz (20 min), you'll find an excellent dining scene. Graz was designated a UNESCO City of Design and has a vibrant food culture ranging from traditional Gasthäuser to modern restaurants.
Cooking at home
The Mosthütte kitchen is fully equipped for serious cooking, and sourcing ingredients locally is a pleasure.
Farm shops and direct sellers (Ab Hof)
Many local farms sell directly to the public. Look for Ab Hof Verkauf signs along the road. You'll find eggs, cheese, honey, fruit, bread, and — of course — pumpkin seed oil and wine.
Markets
- Graz farmers' market (Kaiser-Josef-Platz): Daily except Sunday. One of the best markets in Austria.
Drinking beyond Schilcher
- Sauvignon Blanc: Southern Styria is renowned for world-class Sauvignon Blanc — a short drive to the Südsteiermark wine road.
- Gelber Muskateller: Aromatic and floral, another Styrian specialty.
- Schilcher Frizzante: Sparkling Schilcher — light, refreshing, perfect for a sunny afternoon.
- Most: Apple and pear cider — the traditional drink that gives the Mosthütte its name.
- Schnaps: Fruit brandies made from local fruit — Williams pear, apple, plum, elderflower.
- Beer: Puntigamer and Gösser are the local Styrian lagers. Craft beer is growing in Graz.
Dietary notes
Austrian cuisine is meat-heavy, but vegetarian options are increasingly available. Buschenschänke always have cheese, bread, and vegetable options. Graz has dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Cooking at home with market ingredients is easy and rewarding.
See also: The Schilcher Wine Road, Seasonal Guide