Leberkas-Pepi (Vienna Central Station)

Minced meat, fat, and water emulsified into a smooth paste, brightened with spices, then cooked into deliciousness – most cities have their local sausage variety. Boloney, mortadella, párizsi, and so on. But I’m partial to one that originated somewhere between Bavaria and Upper Austria: the Leberkäse. It is best enjoyed when slipped inside a palm-sized kaiser roll, soft and crunchy, with the meat’s nicely darkened crust betraying the hours it spent oven-baking.

Any Billa or Spar supermarket serves a solid Leberkäsesemmel in Vienna, but if you would like the premium version – for about €1.5 more – opt for Leberkas-Pepi at the Central Station (they have another location near the Opera). All meat is sourced from farmers in Upper Austria. The classic Leberkäse is made from a beef-pork mixture; I often get the spicy Leberkäse studded with melted cheese. There’s even a vegan version, although I think that one needs more work. A side of mustard, perhaps a beer – life can be good.