Vienna is famous for its coffee houses, which originated in the late 19th century and provided a location for intellectual discussion and creative production for many famous Austrian and international personalities. A month is too short a time to visit them all, but we certainly got round a few, with everything from the iconic, traditional Cafe Central, to more modern, trendy student coffee shops. Here is a just a small selection of the Kaffeehaus scene.
Cafe Jelinek
Steps away from our apartment, I was very pleased to find out I’d be living within close proximity of the cafe named after my favourite Austrian author. The interior feels like it hasn’t been updated from the height of her novel career in the 1980s, but that’s all part of the charm.
Equilibrium
Literally round the corner from our apartment, this trendy little cafe bar doesn’t officially qualify as a Viennese coffee house, but they had a fantastic golden vanilla latte with oat milk, and it’s a perfect space to sit and get a bit of work done, with friendly service and even some tasty looking snacks.
Cafe Kafka
Although it meets all the criteria of an official Kaffeehaus (you have to serve a certain selection of traditional coffees), Kafka is still what’s known as an alternative Kaffeehaus, with edgy vibes and a transformation into a bar in the evenings. It’s cosy, inexpensive, full of character and frequented by the finest of Vienna’s alternative artsy scene. Really just the best place to spend an evening chatting and debating the night away.
Cafe Central
Well known as the Viennese coffee house, this is where you have to go if you want to see the original model of what a Kaffeehaus should be. It’s classy, relaxed, polite and sophisticated, with live piano music in the afternoons and a spectacular range of traditional Viennese desserts and French-style patisserie. They are open all day and serve lunch too - there’s always a queue and generally plenty of tourists, but if you book in advance and choose the right day, it’s still retained a lot of its authenticity, and really is just a lovely place to be. The cakes are surprisingly reasonably priced, and their vegan berry chocolate creation is really rather impressive. Another highlight was the Sisi’s Favourite, a rich, dense hazelnut, rum and apricot dessert named after the once Austrian princess. Not original, but an absolute must.
Phil
Much more modern than Central, Phil (pronounced like the German word ‘viel’) really is very cool. It’s clearly designed for students and young people, combining bookshop, cafe, record shop and bar all in one, with homemade matcha lemonade, tapas bites and cocktails alongside the classic coffee offerings. Exceptional vibes.
Baharat
This is another all in one, and is actually a charity project set up to support integration of refugees: it’s at once a hairdressers, cafe, second-hand shop, and event space. Inexpensive and very wholesome, it’s a lovely spot to spend an afternoon.
Zehn Siebzig
Located in the heart of the 7th district (postcode 1070), this is one of many trendy cafes serving a good selection of vegan offerings, this time including an oat milk beetroot latte. Nice interior and exterior spaces, handy location and tasty bites to eat, it’s an ideal spot to get some work done or meet for a catch up.
Landmann
Another institutional Kaffeehaus, Landmann is a little swankier, you might even say business-like, than Central, located just across the Ring from the Parlament, it’s a popular spot for official meetings and tourists alike. Priced accordingly, it’s not one to visit everyday, but is still a must for an insight into Vienna back then, and the Mozart hot chocolate was a real winner. Before you ask, sadly, it’s not vegan, but when in Vienna right?
