Explore Vienna’s Café Culture:
A Guide to the Best Traditional Coffee Houses

Viennese coffee houses have a long tradition dating back to 17^th century and gaining popularity with the establishment of café Kramer in 1720 (which no longer exists). Many of the traditional coffee houses in Vienna date back to the 19^th century. These cafes were once frequented by famous writers, artists, intellectuals, and musicians, and today they remain an essential part of Viennese life. Recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, the Viennese cafe culture is celebrated for its unique atmosphere

“Small marble-topped tables on which the coffee is served, Thonet chairs, alcoves, newspaper tables, and interior design details in the style of Historicism.”

I love Viennese café scene. While looking for the options to attend a Viennese Ball, I chose the Coffee Brewer’s Ball (Kafeesieder Ball), which celebrates Viennese coffee house tradition.

Needless to say, whether you are in Vienna for a day or a month, you should not miss these amazing cafes.

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Tips for Visiting Viennese Cafes

Viennese Food and Drinks you shouldn’t Miss

There are a few food and drinks that are traditionally Viennese and you should definitely try, while in Vienna:

• Wiener Melange – espresso with steamed milk and foam. It’s a Viennese invention and you might have tried it in other countries under the name of Viennese coffee. This is my favorite coffee and I order it whenever I get a chance.
• Sacher torte – chocolate sponge with jam and glazed with chocolate. This cake was invented at the Sacher café (see below), where you should try it at least once. Despite being a chocolate cake lover, this cake is one of my least favorites.

• Apfelstrudel – traditional Austrian strudel with apple filling often sometimes served with custard, whipped cream or ice cream.
• Wiener Schnitzel – it’s a breaded and fried veal cutlet served with garnish. While you won’t find it in all cafes, many of them do offer good food. You should definitely try this local dish whether in a café or in a restaurant.

Most of the cafes on this list offer dairy free milk options. Some of them also provide gluten free cakes.

Opening Times of the Viennese Cafes

Most Viennese cafes have long opening times – usually from 7-8am to after 11pm. This is an amazing opportunity for you to café hop and visit as many of them as possible.

Advance Reservation at the Viennese Cafes

The most popular cafes usually have very long queues, especially during the high touristy seasons, like in summer or before Christmas. If you absolutely want to visit them without waiting, either turn up very early in the morning or reserve in advance – sometimes 2-4 weeks advance booking is necessary.

That said there are many cafes on this list, which you can most probably visit with little to no queuing involved.

Visit Viennese Cafes Alone

Interestingly, visiting Viennese cafes alone is a tradition. Historically frequented by intellectuals, artists and writers, these cafes have creative vibes and many people enjoy the atmosphere alone.

Unlike in many other countries, where for some reason going and eating alone has been considered strange (especially until the recent years), in Vienna you would find numerous people sitting alone, sipping their coffee and reading.

Language

You will find the waiter speaking English in all the cafes listed here, as they are mainly in quite touristy areas. Plus, in my experience, most Viennese do speak English very well. However, if you try to tell them a few words in German, it would be nice.

Prices

None of the cafes on this list are cheap. Vienna is a quite expensive city and these grand cafes with long traditions do have steep prices. However, you should set some budget aside for them, if you can afford it. They are worth it!

Visit Viennese Cafes after the Formal Events

It’s very common for Viennnese to go to a coffee shop shop after an opera performance, a Ball or another formal event. In some of the cafes, you will find beautifully dressed people in the evening coming after their formal event. If you want a cup of coffee or some food after the event, head to one of the amazing coffee shops listed below.

Stay in Central Areas for Easy Access to Traditional Coffee Houses in Vienna

Luxury Hotels in Central Vienna

(Golden pinned hotels on the map)

The following hotels are not only luxurious but represent the sightseeing venues themselves.

• Hotel Sacher: This hotels certainly deserves the first spot, due to its reach history dating back to 1876, as well as its modern comforts. You have probably heard of it due to its famous Sacher Torte. This elegant 19th century luxurious stay will be a great start for your Viennese Ball adventure.
• Hotel Imperial: Another opulent 5-star hotel, which boasts its historical routes back to 1873. It’s beautiful halls are among the best in vienna.
• Palais Coburg: This luxurious hotel is located slightly farther – 15 minutes walk to Hofburg, however it used to be a count’s residence since it was built in 1840. It’s one of the amazing historical hotels in Vienna.
• Ambassador Hotel: Until 1898, when the hotel was built, a Concert Hall was located here and hosted Mozart and Beethoven. Since the hotel opened, it was the venue for royalty and celebrities, as well as official visitors.
• Grand Hotel Wien: This is the relatively cheaper 5-star hotel on the list, but its history is no less magnificent.

Mid-Range Stay in Central Vienna

(Purple pinned hotels on the map)

If you can’t splurge on luxury, there are plenty of charming mid-range hotels within walking distance of many traditional cafes.

• A great example is Hotel Graf Stadion a clean, welcoming 3-star hotel, where we stayed during the Viennese Ball season. It keeps some historic elements, like its old staircase and elevator, but offers modern comfort at a more affordable price.
• A more modern option close to all attractions is the Holiday Inn. This reasonably priced hotel is very centrally located near Karlskirche and at a walking distance to the Ringstrasse.

Most Famous and Beautiful Traditional Coffee Houses in Vienna

(Red pinned cafes on the map)

Café Mozart

This is my favorite café in Vienna, maybe only contested by Café Schwarzenberg. This café first opened in the 18^th century, although changed over time and was named Mozart only in the beginning of the 20^th century. The café was frequented by famous writers, musicians and actors, including Orson Wells and Graham Greene.

The interior of this classic Viennese coffee house is beautiful with big windows and classic upholstery. You definitely have to try the Mozart cake. They also have delicious ice cream sandaes and, of course, coffee – I always order Melange, when in Vienna. The café even offers gluten free cakes. My parents loved this place as well.

Given its very central location – near opera and just across Albertina – the café is very popular among tourists. So, you may have a problem finding a seat, especially if you visit during the peak times – in summer or around Christmas. So you may prefer to book it at least a week in advance via Google or their website. Otherwise, do drop by, you may be lucky and find a table free.

Café Sacher

You will probably find this café first on every list of Viennese cafes. This is where the famous Sacher torte – a chocolate cake with jam – was invented in 1832 for Metternich’s guests. I personally don’t like Sacher torte at all (even though I love chocolate cakes a lot), it’s very dry for me. I have tried it here, as well as in other cafes. However, you should try it at its original location to see if you like it or not. Plus, I do believe everyone should definitely visit this café at least once because of its history and ambiance.

This is a café, which has to be booked in advance, unless you are visiting in a very low season, like February. If you are visiting in summer though, you should reserve at least 2 weeks in advance on their official website. I went only once, about 10 years ago and we had to queue about 15 mins in November. Nowadays, queues are much longer, sometimes even a couple of hours – that doesn’t sound like an appealing idea to me.

Café Schwarzenberg

This traditional Viennese coffee house opened in the 19^th century and was one of the go-to places for the Viennese society of the time. It still remains very popular, especially among the opera-goers. If you come here late in the evening, you will find beautifully dressed people getting their drinks and food after the opera performance.

This café is another of my favorites. I love its 19^th century charm and very spacious room. They also have outdoor seating, but I 100% recommend sitting inside to soak up the atmosphere.

As this café is centrally located, it may be crowded, so you may want to look into booking it, if you are visiting in the touristy season. I personally never needed to during the Autumn and Winter months, but you can reserve via Google or their website.

I especially loved visiting it alone, getting my coffee and reading here. They have a wonderful selection of coffees and cakes, you will definitely find one to your liking. My favorite cake here is their chocolate cake – I think the name was the opera cake, however, I may be remembering it wrong. I haven’t tried their food, but I am sure it’s good, as everything else here.

Café Landtmann

Opened in 1873 this café still amazes with its beautiful décor – old upholstery, chandeliers, decorated columns and much more. It also has generous outside seating space. The must try cake here is apfelstrudel with custard. They also have gluten free options.

The café is also known, as Freud’s favorite – not sure how true that is 😊 You may manage to get into this café without reservations way in advance, just with a short queue. But you can also book via Google or their website.

Café Central

This is another one of the gorgeous traditional Viennese cafes. Once you enter it, a gorgeous dome-like structure with golden lights of the chandeliers greets you. They also have live piano performances throughout the day. I especially love their mousse cakes and, of course, all sort of coffees.

The history also is important here – opened in 1876, this was a café frequented by famous people, like Freud, Kokoschka, Adler and Trotsky.

This is one of the cafes, where you better make a reservation via Google or their own website, unless you want to queue for a while. In summer, I only found an option to book 3 weeks in advance, no earlier. Although sometimes you may be lucky queueing and have them find you a table just half an hour later. I did manage to get in without a queue once, but that was winter time.

Café Jelinek

Somewhat farther from the Ringstrasse area, this café is more frequented by locals than tourists. It has a charming old feel. They offer you a selection of newspapers you can read while sitting at the café. You should come to have your breakfast, homemade cakes and coffee here.

Unlike most cafes on this list, you probably will be fine simply turning up without a prior reservation. If you still want to pre-book, you will have to call them, not sure if you can book via website.

Café Sperl

Opened in 1880, this café retains 19^th century atmosphere, the beautiful wooden décor with marble top tables and large windows. Interestingly, you will find antique billiard tables in the middle of the room. You can grab a newspaper to read while drinking your coffee.

Prices here are slightly lower than in the other traditional coffee houses nearby. But as with all the other cafes, you will most probably have to queue to enter. However, reservations are made only by phone, which complicates things.

Café Hawelka

This café is less grand than others on this list. It has old-time quaint and cozy vibes. What’s especially unique about it is that opened in 1945, it’s been owned by the same family for generations. It’s been popular with young artists and writers. For instance, it was visited by Andy Warhol.

People mostly come here for drinks, although they do have cakes and food. You might encounter a queue but you won’t have to wait long. I am not sure if it can be booked in advance to avoid the queues though.

Other Notable Traditional Coffee Houses in Vienna

(Blue pinned cafes on the map)

Café im Kunsthistorischen Museum Wien: This museum café has to be on every list simply because of its beauty. The Vienna art museum is an absolute must to visit itself, and you shouldn’t miss this café either.

Café Demel: This popular pastry shop (opened in 1888) has a huge selection of cakes. As soon as you enter, you are greeted with the smell of cakes. The golden old-time interior, traditional marble table tops and wooden charm make it worth a visit. Note that this café has shorter opening hours than most on this list.

Café Votiv: Established in 1876, this café has been popular with students for many years. If you want a traditional charm with less queues, check his one out.

Café Museum: Opened in 1899 it was frequented by famous people, like Klimt, Wagner, Kokoschka and Schiele in this case, as many other cafes 😊 The café also offers gluten free cakes.

Café Frauenhuber: This café is less popular but no less beautiful in its traditional setting. Opened in 1824, its predecessor café/restaurant in this building dated to 1720, where Mozart and Beethoven performed.

Café Ritter: Another 19^th century traditional coffee house with all that you would expect – wooden décor, marble tabletops, chandeliers newspapers, delicious cakes and of course coffee. Please, note that the café is cash only.

Café Prückel: This café is more “modern” for Viennese standards. Opened in 1903, it was redecorated in 1950s 😊 Therefore, you won’t find the wooden panels or marble tabletops, however, it has the atmosphere of the traditional Viennese coffee house. It is also frequented more by locals rather than tourists.

Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker: Dating back to 1847, this café’s décor is breathtaking. Just the paintings on the ceiling of the second floor are amazing. It’s often crowded, so you might wish to reserve it.

Café Goldegg: Unlike its peers on this list, café Goldegg has darker, art nouveau feel. It’s located near Belvedere and the main train station, so can be easily accessed.

Café Aida: While not as traditional, as other cafes, Aida has become increasingly popular. It started, as a cake shop and since 1946 became a café. The branch I linked here, is the oldest, although there are several around the city.

Adlerhof: While it used to be a Viennese pub, currently, it’s bar and café. It has many elements of the traditional Viennese coffee house and is cozy and quaint.

Café Eiles: Established in 1901, this café has a beautiful décor and offers highly rated food. While it was recently renovated, it still keeps its traditional vibes.

Café Restaurant Bräunerhof: Opened in 1920s under a different name (Sans Soucci), this café has been an artistic and literary hub. It maintains traditional wooden décor and upholstery and the old-time vibes.

Kaffee Alt Wien: Early 20^th century vibe with darker atmosphere, posters on the walls and marble tables.

Café Gloriette: A classic café inside the Schonbrunn palace.

Modern Café Scene in Vienna

(Green pinned cafes on the map)

In addition to traditional coffee houses, mainly concentrated in the city center, Vienna also offers a number of modern cafes (so called third generation cafes). Here is the list of some of the beautiful cafes with good coffee:

• Balthasar Coffee Bar
• Viennese Coffee Roastery
• Coffee Pirates
• GOTA Coffee Experts
• Brass Monkey
• Caffè Couture
• Jonas Reindl Coffee Roasters
• Kaffeein
• La Gioia
• Café Comet
• Vollpension

Which one is your favourite Viennese coffee house? Mine is certainly Cafe Mozart – the atmosphere, Mozart cake, and Melange here always draw me in.

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