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Oh Vienna, I Love Your Cafés

I love Vienna for its old trams, beautiful architecture and historic cafés. It is also a special city because of its traditional coffee houses. But what is so special about Viennese coffee?? Let’s find out about more.

Viennese Coffee Houses

The Viennese coffee houses are not just coffee shops but institutions of social events and culture. They are places to hang out or simply read the newspaper. They are places where you can sit and write whole day! They are also places laden with marble tables where the piano is played and a group of gentlemen play cards in the corner. There’s a cosmopolitan air in the Viennese coffee houses. Here’s showing you a list of my favorite cafes in the city, which by sheer coincidence  (#NOT) are historic! 😉

Café Sperl:

Fans of the movie Before Sunrise will easily recognize this place. I visited it only because a major part of the movie was shot here. Remember the telephone chat?? It was so sweet. Right in the middle of the elegant Sperl! This place has been serving coffee since the year 1880 and stepping in will make you feel as if you walked back in time. Velvet upholstery, old furniture, dainty cups and impeccably dressed servers, Sperl is such a treat. Do try their famous double mocha with or without cream, a specialty that the server suggested me.

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Cafés in Vienna

Café Landtmann:

I saw more locals in Landtmann than anywhere. And also locals staring at me! It was as if I had invaded their space. This café is on a slightly different street, a walk away from the main landmarks and maybe that is why not as heavily thronged by tourists. A local suggested me to visit here and I am so glad for that. On both my visits to Vienna, I spent a good amount of time here with delicious goodies on my table. Their line of pastries are probably the best I saw. Ever.

 
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Cafés in Vienna

Café Griensteidl:

The Griendteidl is one of my favorites! Horse drawn carriages outside and a view of the Hofburg Complex is just what you need. Griendteidl has been a regular meeting place for literary influencers as well as locals. Being a 19th century café , Griendteidl is very charming. The interiors are lovely and sandwiches are excellent. Griendteidl  is also slightly more easy on the pocket despite being in the centre of Vienna. That being said, I saw very few tourists here too.

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Cafés in Vienna

Café Central:

There is a queue to enter this café. Yes! I couldn’t fathom how a queue that covered more than half the street would help me get that famed cup of coffee. But it was in about 10 minutes that I had got a seat next to the pastry counter. I wasn’t complaining 🙂 I doubt if they ever have a moment of peace. Cafe Central in Vienna is always jam packed but their service is super fast. Try any of the delicious pastries at the counter or if its too cold maybe a vegetable soup since.

Café Sacher:

Located in four different Austrian cities, Cafe Sacher is another coffee house in Vienna. It is part of a big hotel chain in the country. It is famous for inventing the Socher Torte which I went to try after a 3 hour walk in the city. The cozy atmosphere of Sacher Cafe made me long to see the Opera. Their torta is a chocolate cake, slightly pricey, but worth trying because the recipe goes as far as the year 1832.

I was fortunate to visit Vienna (Wien) twice in the past year. If you haven’t read my post on Imperial Vienna with Context Travel do read. It will give you a little more understanding of this elegant city!

"Where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill".

-The Intangible Cultural Heritage

49 Comments

  • […] usually share pics of food, but with Sacher Torte and Vienna’s gorgeous cafes (see Ishita’s post on Italophilia for a great round-up to whet your appetite further) it would have been rude not to snap both the […]

    Reply
    • Ishita
      May 5, 2018 at 2:57 pm

      Thank you dear 🤗 I love your photos and post. What a great time you had!

      Reply
  • marilyneb
    May 3, 2018 at 1:06 am

    I have now followed you to two of these – Sperl and Sacher. Both gorgeous. I’m sure I’ll fit at least one more in before we leave on Friday. I think, like you, I’ll come back here more than once 😁.

    Reply
    • Ishita
      May 3, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Safe travels!! I am waiting to hear back on your experiences.

      Reply
  • […] Oh Vienna, I Love Your Cafés […]

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  • […] Oh Vienna, I Love Your Cafés […]

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  • […] via Oh Vienna, I Love Your Cafés — Italophilia […]

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  • aumlifestyle
    September 12, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    The cafes look great here 😍

    Reply
    • Ishita
      September 12, 2017 at 12:36 pm

      They are wonderful!

      Reply
  • brilliantviewpoint
    August 18, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    Wonderful post on Vienna. That is my next stop, I am in Dublin now, so appreciate learning more about good cafes. http://Www.brilliantviewpoint.com

    Reply
    • Ishita
      August 19, 2017 at 10:58 am

      Thanks so much dear.

      Reply
    • Ishita
      August 19, 2017 at 10:58 am

      Safe travels and have fun

      Reply
  • maristravels
    July 15, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    How much weight did you gain while in Vienna? Come on, tell us. I lived on cakes while I was there but left just enough room for wiener schnitzel in the evening. The sweet and savoury of that very sweet city

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 27, 2017 at 6:27 am

      Haha I walked a lot so I guess it was ok. The cakes are simply delicious!

      Reply
  • Angela
    July 11, 2017 at 5:41 pm

    I so enjoyed this. I’ve always wanted to visit Vienna.

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 13, 2017 at 11:36 am

      Thanks Angela. Glad you did and here’s hoping you can visit soon!

      Reply
  • Kelly
    July 10, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    I shouldn’t be reading this while hungry because mmm…that Sacher torte! Think I’ll need to visit Vienna because these cafes are stunning!!

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 9:14 pm

      😘😘 I hope you can and very soon! Maybe next trip??

      Reply
  • Image Earth Travel
    July 10, 2017 at 5:59 pm

    Coffee shops are my ritual! 😉

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 9:14 pm

      Same pinch 😉

      Reply
  • Tanja
    July 10, 2017 at 3:26 pm

    and Kleines cafe? from the Before sunrise movie too?:)

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 5:08 pm

      I have only been to sperl from that movie 🙂

      Reply
  • Lyn
    July 10, 2017 at 5:43 am

    I could go there for the cafes alone. Although I have visited Vienna it is too long ago to remember the cafes. Beautiful city.

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 11:42 am

      Next time to Italy you should stop here 🙂 I love the old vibe here.

      Reply
  • Stacy di Anna Pollard
    July 10, 2017 at 1:59 am

    What a lovely post. The cafe culture of international cities is something I especially love too! And it’s not just for Europe — when I was in Buenos Aires, I was pleasantly surprised by abundance of quaint cafes and such delicious coffee and treats. I’m off soon to my favorite little Belgian cafe in Sydney to get my morning started. Hope you are well. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 11:41 am

      How wonderful! South America seems like a different world to me. I hardly ever hear much about it. Wonderful! Have fun..I’m off to work

      Reply
  • karenincalabria
    July 9, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    Nice. I, too, remember sitting in the Sacher Hotel with my torte, soaking up the atmosphere in proportion to the price of the cake. And I found out that it was easy to miss the downbeat of at the Vienna Opera, literally running up those many flights of steps to my seat in the nosebleed section. Yes, the music begins punctunally in Vienna!

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 10, 2017 at 11:40 am

      Everything is very proper there. No?? I thought even the people are like that. I mean very to the point.

      Reply
      • karenincalabria
        July 10, 2017 at 12:52 pm

        Yes, a little serious. There isn’t any joking around with the old-school Herr Ober. He knows exactly how many rolls you’ve eaten.

        Reply
        • Ishita
          July 10, 2017 at 1:01 pm

          Yes that movie! Plus they are closed..not friendly..that’s one thing I didn’t like

          Reply
          • karenincalabria
            July 10, 2017 at 2:38 pm

            I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve experienced many a Herr Ober. And my opera house experience – they ran out of programs in the top balconies, so as we were leaving, my friend happened to see one sitting on a chair in a box at a lower level. She went in and picked it up, not seeing the stout Austrian lady in her fur coat who was apparently said program’s owner. She started yelling and waving her arms like we had broken into her house. Yes, the programs weren’t free, but they were only a couple of Euros and it looked as though it had been abandoned…

            Reply
  • amindfultravellerblog
    July 9, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    I can’t believe that recipe was from 1832!
    Those cakes look amazing Ishita…..yum 🙂

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 8:09 pm

      You know I thought the same. Preserved since so long! 💞💞 Grazie!

      Reply
    • polentaebaccala
      July 10, 2017 at 12:02 am

      In Austria there is another famous cake called Linzer Torte, and the oldest verified recipe of it dates back to 1653 🙂

      Reply
      • amindfultravellerblog
        July 10, 2017 at 4:22 am

        No way…. amazing. Well, these will definitely have to go on my list to try. 😉

        Reply
        • Ishita
          July 10, 2017 at 11:42 am

          Yes it keeps growing 😉

          Reply
      • Ishita
        July 10, 2017 at 11:41 am

        Thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply
  • Sheree
    July 9, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    Many years ago I was fortunate to spend 6 weeks in Vienna and spent so much time hanging out in its famous coffee shops. Your post just transported me back in time! It’s about time I visited Vienna again.

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 8:08 pm

      That must be quite a great time. How did you find the people?? Yes you should return 🙂

      Reply
  • Darlene
    July 9, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    I only had one day in Vienna and loved it. I included it in my book Amanda on the Danube. My husband loves coffee and we stopped at three coffee shops during the day. We were never disappointed. We resisted Café Sacher. Maybe next time!!

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 8:08 pm

      Wow one day and 3 coffee shops! How fun 💖💖 yes next time. Worth going once.

      Reply
  • Manja Mexi Movie
    July 9, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    Ohh, Vienna, indeed. 🙂 My father used to work there in the 90’s for several years and I got to spend quite some time there. Oh yes, I remember their coffee with its many names and varieties, and its price that was always a surprise, more fit for a cocktail. The “1 EUR or less” espresso rule of Rome comes to mind (unless you sit down, that is). I loved Vienna, just strolling around, all that it has to offer, as for the people – they are much too cultured for me. Towards the end of my stay I had a feeling I might scream at the next person who says “excuse me” for brushing against me slightly. No wonder I find myself in Italy now. 😉
    All these desserts are seriously tempting, except the Sacher cake is a bit too dry for my taste.

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      Yes very pricey food in general and I understand what you mean about the people..not friendly for Italian standards. The Italians spoil us;) I liked the sacher cake

      Reply
  • thatanxioustraveller
    July 9, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    These all look wonderful! I’ve never been to Austria; my boyfriend has spent time there but never visited Vienna, so it’ll have to go on the list. I’ve also heard of the two different Sacher tortes – they both look pretty good to me!

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      That city isn’t for everyone I think..I did enjoy it more on my second visit. Happy travels!!

      Reply
  • polentaebaccala
    July 9, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    I also really like this city, I go there for work more times every year, and I love its cafè too.
    But IMHO in a list of the best cafès of Vienna there must be also Demel, which I think is the oldest and it was the official purveyor of the Imperial and Royal Court 🙂 moreover, I personally prefer their Sacher Torte than the one in the Hotel Sacher. It’s very interesting the story of their trial for the rights about the cake 🙂

    Reply
    • Ishita
      July 9, 2017 at 4:29 pm

      Your honest opinion is good. I missed demel both the times. I don’t know how 😉 the cake and the history is very interesting indeed. Say hello to the city for me the next time you are there for work!

      Reply

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