Oh, the Viennese coffee house. Described as a place “where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill”, you’ll always find locals huddled up in the corners of coffee houses, newspapers in hand, cups of coffee by their side, waiters bringing them glasses of water without so much as a beckon. The cafés here have the same offerings that other cafés usually do, but then again, they don’t.
Just what is it about Viennese coffee house culture that is so charming? Perhaps one reason lies in the ambience – the decor of each café is never the same, yet all exude the same warmth and are tantalisingly inviting, many even elaborate, as if trapped in time long before. Perhaps it may be the service – you’ll never be made to feel unwelcome and worst of all, rushed, in enjoying your cup of coffee. If anything, you’ll be more than welcome to spend a couple of hours just sitting there and taking it all in. Perhaps it may lie in the range of delightful Austrian cakes and pastries, from apfelstrudel to sacher tortes, to accompany your coffee. Whatever the reason may be, Vienna simply would not be Vienna without her coffee houses. Here is our list of where to get an experience of this very special culture, first-hand:
Café Central
One step into Café Central will have you mesmerised by its high, vaulted ceilings and opulent chandeliers, its large windows letting just the right amount of light in. Café Central is almost always crowded, a testament to the quality it has upheld since 1860, frequented even by Leon Trotsky. The waiters are polite, and you will never feel pressured to leave (you won’t want to!). While the food here is of good quality, the real deal lies in the wide range of cakes and tortes. Be sure to try the apfelstrudel here, which is a worthy contender for title of the best in Vienna. Come in the late afternoon, and enjoy live piano performances alongside your midday cake and coffee! Reservations can be made online via their website, and are highly recommended if you don’t want to wait.
Address: Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien, Austria
Book your reservations here!
Café Vollpension
Remember how grandmother always made the best food? At Café Vollpension, a short walk from Naschmarkt, you’ll be surprised to find many grandmothers (as well as a few grandfathers!) working here. This café functions as a social enterprise, employing those in need of some extra income, as well as providing an avenue for these grandmothers and grandfathers to socialise and interact with others. In fact, these very grandmothers are the ones who take charge of the baked goods, and you’ll find a host of traditional Austrian desserts, as well as other international treats available, done according to their own recipes. It is no wonder that the café is a popular spot for coffee and cake, especially with a generous topping of schlag (whipped cream) to top off any of the available bakes. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends.
Address: Schleifmühlgasse 16, 1040 Wien, Austrivollpension.wien
Book your reservations here.
Café Hawelka
Opened by Leopold and Josefine Hawelka in 1939, Café Hawelka was a meeting point for some of Austria's famous writers, poets and artists. Its popularity so much so that it was even the inspiration behind the 1976 song, “Jö, schau”. Since then, the decor has remained largely the same – chipped marble tables, well-aged wooden chairs and fraying curtains – one step in and it is as if you have been transported to an old Vienna. It is still a popular spot to drop by for cake and coffee, and is still managed by the same family. Pair your coffee with a buchteln, a sweet brioche roll that is made by the owners’ son.
Address: Dorotheergasse 6, 1010 Wien, Austria
Kaffee Alt Wien
Dimly-lit, decorated with dozens of old movie posters, there is a certain old-school charm to the unassuming Kaffee Alt Wien. While it may seem outdated and unfashionable in comparison to the much more glitzy cafés popping up around Vienna, it can also be called unpretentious, offering the same quality found elsewhere, without the added cost. Perhaps you may find it slightly familiar, for it was also opened by the couple behind Café Hawelka. Their offerings are short and simple, nothing elaborate – try their gulasch, a favourite here among locals. For sure, it serves one of the best apfelstrudels in the city – flaky, delicate and rich with juicy apples, the recipe being said to have been passed down through generations.
Café Landtmann
Thanks to its location near Rathaus, the elegant and exquisitely posh Café Landtmann boasts a list of illustrious clientele, of which includes Sigmund Freud. The interior is every bit as classy you would expect, done up in a typical, old-fashioned Viennese coffee house style, yet not a bit outdated. You have to get the kaiserschmarrn, a fluffy, shredded pancake served with a light dusting powdered sugar, accompanied by apple sauce and plum jam.
Café Museum
Like most Viennese coffee houses, Café Museum also enjoyed its fair share of famous Austrian patrons, and was a former hangout for the artistic side of the community, including Klimt, Schiele & Oskar Kokoschka. Its current decor is much more modern, while still replicating some of its original decor that was designed by architect Adolf Loos who was also a later patron. It offers an excellent selection of coffee and cakes.
Address: Operngasse 7, 1010 Wien, Austria
Café Sacher
Housed in the iconic Hotel Sacher, Café Sacher is the home of one of the most indulgent and delicious Viennese desserts: the sacher torte, or trademarked here as the Original Sacher-Torte. The chocolate cake is layered with a tangy apricot jam that only serves to enhance the flavour of the chocolate. The café, done up in a mix of burgundy and cream, with crystal chandeliers danglings from the ceiling, elucidates a certain warmth, cajoling you to stay longer. A perfect place to spend your afternoon, and a must visit for a slice of one of Vienna’s most brilliant desserts.
Address: Hotel Sacher, Philharmoniker Str. 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Café Savoy
Café Savoy is described as a “traditional coffee house and exceptional gay bar in one”. The inside is decorated splendidly, its crown jewel being its mirrors: the biggest mirrors made from one piece in all of Europe (second only to the ones found in Versailles!). Come for the architecture (and of course, coffee!), but stay for the ambience: its clientele consists mainly of older locals and those from the LGBT scene.
Address: Linke Wienzeile 36, 1060 Wien, Austria
Café Schwarzenberg
With a beautiful marble and wood-panelled interior, Schwarzenberg is a café devoted to the traditional coffee house culture of Vienna. In mirroring the essence of coffee houses as a meeting point for politicians, writers, musicians and artists, the food here is often complemented by a variety of activities such as private viewings, concerts and readings. While we would really recommend getting a coffee at most places, you must try their special hot chocolate, ‘Alt Wiener Art’, which is served with cinnamon, vanilla and whipped cream.
Address: Kärntner Ring 17, 1010 Wien, Austria
