Gamlitz Restaurant Tips by lotharlerch

There are many good restaurants in the area but the best approach to the local wines and tasty local snacks is the "Buschenschank". According to a very old Austrian law the vintners can serve their own wines and other food they are producing themselves at their farmsteads and pay less taxes for it. The number of days they are allowed to do it is limited. A wreath or bush of twigs hanging above the entrance shows that the place is open that day. Therefore the name "Buschenschank". It is the same what in other wine producing areas of Austria (for example Lower Austria) is called Heurige. There are always enough open along the wine roads. In good weather you are here sitting on great terraces right between the wine hills with a great view over the landscape which often is named the "Styrian Tuscany". It really strongly reminds of the Tuscan landscape. The best time to enjoy a Buschenschank is from middle afternoon until early evening.

Two warnings: 1.) This area is heavily visited on weekends in September and October. Avoid the weekends under this time if you can.
2.) If you see a bus parking near a Buschenschank dont enter, look for an other one, there are enough open around.

Favorite Dish: You get here exclusively the wines of the place where you are. If you do not particulary ask for anything special you get the wine of the last harvest, this means form November onwards the wine of the running year. The weeks after the grapes are harvested you can drink the "Sturm" which is the only partially fermented juice of the grapes in its intermediate state on the way to the wine. Since not all sugar of the grapes is fermented to alcohol it is sweet and looking hazy. It is very tempting to drink from it much more than you should ;-). To the wine (or the Sturm) you get very tasty local snacks. You should not miss to try the typical Styrian farmer's salads which can come in many varaitions containing cold beef, cheese, beans, onions, etc. but always with a great dressing of vinegar and the famous Styrian pumpkin seed oil ("Kernöl", the Green Gold of Styria). For this the seeds of a special type of pumpkin are taken which is only cultivated in Styria and in a few neighbouring regions of Southern Burgenland, Northern Slovenia and Western Hungary. To get the oil the seeds which have no shells are first roasted and then pressed only mechanically. The result is a dark green oil looking at thefirst glance like the stuff you get out of the engine of your car when it is due to change the oil. Pumpkin seed oil has a great nutty taste which you almost inevitably will love. In ancient times this was the poor man's oil but you cn easily understand that nowadays this stuff is not cheap. You can also buy it here at the spot but expect the same prices as for excellent olive oil in Tuscany.

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Everywhere along the wine roads.

Rating: 5

Theme: Local