Aboard the MS Blue Danube @ Wachau Valley, Austria

An hour-long river cruise along the calm, meandering Danube winds through the picturesque Wachau valley in Lower Austria (home to numerous vineyards and villages), with regional sausages, pastries and wine furnished to banish the tide of hunger.

Gasthaus Postl @ Graz, Austria

The lack of an English-language menu makes ordering a potential challenge, but Gasthaus Postl works well enough for no-frills Austrian fare, including Graz-made sausages, at its most meat-and-carb-heavy.

Cafe-Konditorei Aida @ Vienna

In business for over a century, the storefront of this Viennese cafe tempts customers with the promise of the world's best ice cream. While that's an exaggeration, it may be worth trying the Sachertorte-flavoured ice cream, a richly flavoured chocolate-lover's take on one of Austria's most iconic cakes.

Aiola @ Graz, Austria

Grazing in Graz - perched on the Styrian capital's Schlossberg hill, Aiola makes it clear why Graz has been named 'City of Culinary Delights.' A menu abundant with Austria's natural bounty yields a bumper crop of lamb's lettuce with thyme potatoes, wild garlic ravioli with paprika, and risotto with dried and braised tomatoes - perfect for Graz-roots eating.