A Viennese Whirl (musings on Vienna’s coffee scene)
4 days / 3 nights in Vienna and I’m hanging out for a good coffee… but sadly I’ll have to wait until I get home for that
A tour of Vienna would not be complete without a visit to a traditional coffee house to consume a wickedly calorific slice (or 2) of cake accompanied by a Wiener Melange1, an Einspänner2 or a Fiaker3.
The guidebooks advise that Vienna is known for its grumpy waiters and slow service and they are not shy about sticking to this stereotype. Quite how the Viennese put up with this I will never know, but there is definitely room for improvement.
It’s not all doom and gloom however as the cafes all have great interiors, reflecting the rich cultural history and Viennese way of life, sometimes dating back more than 100 years.
Although a smoking ban was introduced most cafes (over 50m2) still allow smoking in certain areas (which may be larger than the designated non-smoking area). Cafes under 50m2 can choose to allow smoking in all parts of the building or prohibit it entirely.
Coffee is not cheap in Vienna, with a decidedly average cup costing more than €3.50, and frequently more than €5.
A visit to Cafe Sacher (at Hotel Sacher, Philharmonikerstrasse 4, opposite the State Opera House) to try the Original Sacher-Torte is a must for any tourist. The Sacher-Torte tasted better here than anywhere else we tried it and the service was good also.
For the cafe with the best view head to Schloss Schönbronn and walk (or catch the land train) to the Gloriette, on the hill above the palace. From here you have a great view over Vienna’s suburbs, whilst you devour yet another slice of the city’s finest cakes or desserts. If you’re visiting Schloss Schönbronn then buy a Sisi ticket which gives you access to all the rooms and also parts of the Hofburg Palace in the centre of the city.
Whilst in Vienna I met up with Rüdiger from Vienna School of Coffee and had the privilege of a guided tour of his extremely well appointed premises (Hahngasse 22, nearest station is Rossauer Lände on the U4, visitors by appointment ), who is helping to improve the quality of coffee in Vienna 1 cup at a time. Together with his business partner Johanna they are changing the face of coffee in Vienna.
Following a recommendation from my city guide Luke (whom I would love to thank and hope to return the favour very soon!) I visited Dots, an experimental cafe on Mariahilferstrasse, to try a shot of Afro Coffee. Red Bull is behind Afro Coffee , and has developed a franchise model currently being rolled out in Salzburg, Graz and Vienna before (possible) further expansion into other parts of Europe. At this stage only ground coffee can be purchased, but the shot I had didn’t excite me enough to buy a can to bring home. There is certainly potential, and with a single origin focus (Africa – the source of inspiration behind the name, but also a pun with the hairstyles on the logo) the only aspect left to develop are the baristas skills to justify the €2.20 espresso price.
The best coffee of my trip was at Phil – diagonally across from Cafe Sperl on Gumpendorferstrasse (I’ve been hanging out to type that and it’s even more fun saying it!) – where everything (including the table and chairs, light fittings and even the bookshelves) is for sale. There is a friendly vibe here and the retro Faema machine is pretty cool to look at. The staff are friendly too which made a nice change.
The worst coffee of my trip was at the Spanish Riding School cafe.
Lastly (but by no means least!) I’d like to thank my city guide and fellow kiwi Luke who introduced me to a fabulous Rum bar (a few doors along from Cafe Prückel) and hooked me up with other local contacts during my stay, and a special shout out to Brian Jones , who introduced me to Luke at the WBC Barista Party, which led to a memorable stay in Vienna.
Despite it’s small footprint, there is much to do in Vienna and a return visit is on the cards, to take in the sights that we could see this time around. But I will be taking my coffee making equipment with me again…
Viennese Coffee Terms
- Wiener Melange: Similar to a latte but often containing whipped cream
- Einspänner: Long Black / Americano with whipped cream on top
- Fiaker: Long Black / Americano with Rum (named after the city’s horse drawn carriages)
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