A good gut instinct: the Azwanger sisters

Since 2019, the delightful bistro with a deli counter offers exquisite products from Austria, Spain, France and Italy. We met with Valerie Egelkraut-Kopp and Andrea Glück-Kopp, the charming Azwanger sisters, to talk, among other things, about tradition – and about two different gourmet worlds in the heart of Salzburg.

Dear Andrea, dear Valerie, you are the fourth generation in an old-established business. What does Azwanger mean for you personally?

Andrea: For me it is above all a feeling – the memory of how our mother always used to make us our Wurstsemmerl [Kaiser roll with sausage] for school, for instance. At that time, we still had a deli counter in the shop. The smell of the Wurstsemmerl, the feeling at the time – that's one of the things I associate with our shop.

Valerie: Tradition is the first thing I think of. Both of us worked in different fields in Vienna for many years. When we eventually took over the business here, it was clear for us that we were going to continue the tradition, but with a modern twist.

The business has existed since 1656 and has been owned by your family since 1919. What has changed?

Andrea: From a structural point of view, the shop in Getreidegasse is still the way it used to be. While this has a certain charm, it also comes with its challenges – of a logistical nature, for instance. We have our storage room in the cellar. When we have to bring bottles upstairs with our team, we definitely get our exercise in.

Valerie: The product range has changed a lot over the years, of course. When we took over the shop in 2016, we definitely thought it important to go back to the roots – purchasing products from small manufacturers, things you wouldn't find everywhere and things that local Salzburgers would want to buy. Today, we often invite manufacturers to present their products directly in the shop. That's always well received.

Andrea: As new entrepreneurs it was important to us to bring in our own ideas and visions. What we've always refuse to compromise on, however, is quality. That is what we stand for – with the passion. Our top priority is always the value-for-money ratio. In times of online Shopping, this is not always easy. We also think it's important to find time to chat with the customers.

Your gourmet shop is in one of the passages of the Getreidegasse. What can you tell us about that?

Valerie: The chronicle of our business states that in around 1400, the Azwanger house was divided into two sides: the one facing the Trabegasse, i.e. the Getreidegasse, and the one facing the Frauengarten, i.e. the Universitätsplatz. In between the two is the Azwanger passage, which has been open to the public again since 2003. So today, it's back to how it used to be. Our main shop is on the Getreidegasse side and since 2019 we've had our bistro on the Grünmarkt at Universitätsplatz. When we were children, there was a small branch of the main shop there. 

Andrea: The passage is also a popular photo motif, because it's relatively long and narrower towards one end. It's a great background for pictures.

Your bistro on Universitätsplatz is a popular place for locals to meet for a drink. Do visitors get talking to the locals there too?

Valerie: Definitely. We see that regularly. Sometimes international guests find their way through the passage to our bistro on Universitätsplatz.

Andrea: It's two worlds, the Getreidegasse and the Universitätsplatz. The guests we send over to the bistro are virtually going into another world. It means a lot to us, that the bistro is now a place where people meet. It's a good mix of people and the atmosphere is always pleasant. We are particularly pleased that Salzburg locals enjoy coming our bistro. 

Which products are your bestsellers?

Valerie: That's hard to say. Basically, exquisite brandies are very popular. We have a large selection of the finest brandies  and top producers from the region – for instance pure distillate from the Guglhof in Hallein.

Andrea: Chocolate is always a hit – and jam. We work with family-run manufacturers, who produce very small amounts. Basically we always recommend things we ourselves like to eat. We try a lot. If you know the product first-hand, recommending it is a different experience. 

Do you have a favourite place outdoors, where people can enjoy your delicacies?

Valerie: I really like the Mönchsberg – it has so many lovely places to offer. Up there, you almost feel like you're on some pasture somewhere. You're surrounded by nature, yet still in the middle of town.

Andrea: At the Leopoldskroner Weiher pond. I can really relax there.

Which dish stands for Salzburg in your opinion?

Valerie: Salzburger Nockerl. I really enjoy them. I don't often eat them, but when I do, I relish every bite.

Which Salzburg delicacies would you recommend to us?

Valerie: Venusbrüstchen [Venus nipples] – they are a Salzburg delicacy apart from the Mozartkugel. The recipe has allegedly been around since Mozart's times.

More about

• R.F. Azwanger - Specializing in fine wines and delicatessen products
• Salzburg’s traditional Businesses