Austrians show their hospitality through food. Walk into a mountain hut at 9,000 feet and you better believe there is a Tiroler Gröstl and a pint of Austrian beer waiting for you. Every region has its own local cuisine, but the principle of mindful cooking and eating stays the same. Restaurants and inns tend to have a long history of family leadership and it's not uncommon for the owner to moonlight as chef de cuisine. This creates the kind of homey atmosphere that makes patrons spend hours in Austria's cosy restaurants and coffee houses.