Tafelspitz

Tafelspitz is a cut - the tip of the rump, from the top of the hindquarter - and a method: simmered slowly in broth with root vegetables and bones until tender, then sliced across the grain and served in some of its own stock. The service is what makes it a ritual in Vienna: the broth comes first as a soup, often with pancake strips or semolina dumplings, then the meat with roast potatoes, creamed spinach, Apfelkren - grated apple and horseradish - and Schnittlauchsauce, a chive sauce thickened with bread. Franz Joseph is popularly said to have eaten it almost daily, which is repeated everywhere and is probably an exaggeration built on a real preference. There are several related cuts and any decent Beisl will explain which one you are getting.

What you actually see

• A named cut, simmered - rump tip cooked slowly in broth with roots and bones.
• Broth served first - the stock as a soup course before the meat.
• Apple horseradish and chive sauce - the two condiments that define the plate.
• A whole ritual - the sequence of courses out of one pot.

When to go

All year; it is a lunch dish traditionally. A meal.

Honest expectations

It is boiled beef, and people expecting a roast are sometimes disappointed. The famous restaurants charge well above a neighbourhood Beisl for the same dish. Portions are large.

Nearby

The first district Beisln and the classic restaurants around the Ring all serve it.