From the Alpine valleys of Tyrol to the vineyards of Styria and the coffeehouses of Vienna, each part of the country eats differently, but with the same quiet precision that defines Austrian life.

With only 1,500 residents, remote Lech has more than 50 restaurants serving local ingredients.

First things first. You might be asking yourself, “What the hell is a knödel?” And, to be fair, I didn’t know either until this past fall. Not until I entered ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover the world’s best hotels, restaurants and wine. Over the next several weeks I shall be writing several stories about my ...