Vienna, Austria’s capital, is known for imperial palaces, historic buildings, world-class museums, and, of course, its cafes. The coffee houses in Vienna, Austria, were once a magnet for artists and intellectuals, including the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, Stalin, and Trotsky. They would spend hours together, debating controversial subjects and sharing their insights.
Today, Viennese coffeehouses are one of the city’s main attractions, revered for having had such an important historical role in shaping Viennese culture.
So what is the hype all about? What exactly qualifies as a traditional Viennese coffee house, and where are the best cafes in Vienna?
What’s the best coffeehouse in Vienna?
How We Picked Vienna’s Coffee Houses
Coffee and coffee shops are a giant part of Vienna’s cultural identity, and every visitor should experience it. We certainly did! We spent much of our 2-week winter itinerary either walking through the Christmas markets or warming up in Vienna’s famous coffee houses.
For us, soaking up the local vibe is half the fun of traveling somewhere new. Not wanting to waste precious time, we did our homework before the trip. We asked ourselves: Which coffee houses in Vienna have been around for over 100 years and have real historical value?
Truth be told, our list turned out pretty long, so we had to make some cuts. Places like Cafe Demel that are more famous for their pastries than coffee didn’t make this particular list (though they’re definitely worth visiting for other reasons!).
We tried to trim our selections down to a nice, neat “10 best coffeehouses” article, but we just couldn’t cut another one. So eleven it is! Consider it your bonus coffee spot – we couldn’t bear to leave it out.
Read on to discover these eleven historic gems and find out what makes each one special. You’ll see why Vienna’s coffee culture has earned its legendary status.
What qualifies as a traditional Vienna coffee shop?
Walk into a true Vienna coffee house, and you’re not just grabbing coffee—you’re stepping into a piece of living history that’s so special, UNESCO put it on their cultural heritage list. These places have been Vienna’s cozy hangout spots for centuries!
So how do you spot an authentic Viennese coffee house? Look for:
- Fancy marble tabletops,
- Those curved wooden Thonet chairs everyone copies
- Newspaper tables loaded with reading material
- Old-school elegant décor that screams “Habsburg heyday”
- A vibe that says “stay as long as you want.”
Here’s the beauty of Vienna’s coffee culture: nobody rushes you out. Seriously—it’s completely normal for a customer to linger on his own for hours, studying the omnipresent newspaper and feeling no pressure to order anything more.
When visiting Vienna, you’ll find that the (often grumpy) waiter will serve an obligatory glass of cold tap water along with your coffee. He will continue to bring free refills throughout the duration of your visit. (Maybe that’s why he’s grumpy; who knows?) You’ll also find that most cafes have a table stacked with the daily newspaper, all so their patrons can read and relax in their cozy environment.
As evening approaches, many coffeehouses transform. The lighting dims, creating pools of golden warmth amid the marble and wood. Piano music often fills the air, and some host literary readings. Almost all provide snacks and desserts, like their famous cakes and tarts, making it perfectly acceptable to transition from afternoon coffee to evening refreshments without ever changing your seat.
Best coffee houses in Vienna
With so much history and culture tied to its cafes, choosing among the coffee houses to visit in Vienna can be difficult. If you’re looking for the best coffee in Vienna, here is a guide to the coffee houses we visited and enjoyed:
Café Pruckel
Café Pruckel embodies all the traits synonymous with the Viennese coffee-drinking culture. This beautifully decorated Vienna-style cafe is a 1950s pastel pink color and filled with soft furnishings like scuffed armrests and faded upholstery, along with a rustic linoleum floor. The ceiling is adorned with a signature chandelier and a gold-plated stucco ceiling.
Combined, this creates an atmosphere that is a much-loved social meeting point in Vienna.
Visit Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 7 pm and 10 pm, and you can enjoy live piano music. To top it all off, you can also buy a famous Kaffeehaus newspaper holder as a souvenir.
Café Central
Cafe Central was first opened in 1876 and is built in the style of Romantic historicism. This is one of the most famous coffee houses in Vienna, having seen notable historical figures as Theodor Herzl, Leon Trotsky, Adolf Hitler, and Sigmund Freud walk through its doors.
The cafe closed at the end of World War II, but ultimately was refurbished and reopened in 1975. The old building’s architecture has been preserved and combined with new elements to ooze originality, charm, and style.
Cafe Central offers traditional Viennese cuisine, homemade cakes, pastries, and ambient piano music—all in line with the traditional sense of a coffee house in Vienna.
Café Landtmann
Another among the famous Vienna cafes that have seen notable personalities walk through its doors, Cafe Landtmann has hosted the likes of Freud, Paul McCartney, and Hillary Clinton.
You’re unlikely to find another cafe in Vienna that boasts the same mix of plush upholstery, white tablecloths, fine wood panels, historical inlay work, and 1920s-era mirrors. The cafe prides itself on its wide range of freshly baked cakes and strudels, but if you’re ready for a meal, they offer those as well.
💡 PRO TIP: While you’re in Vienna, be sure to try traditional Austrian dishes like Wiener schnitzel, Backhendl, tafelspitz, and goulash.
Café Frauenhuber
This is the oldest coffee house in Vienna, where Mozart and Beethoven used to play table music. Cafe Frauenhuber exudes a living room vibe, full of Viennese charm. Everything is set in a cozy manner, with red velvet benches, lace curtains, and Persian carpets on display.
If the great atmosphere isn’t enough to draw you in, then the delicious coffee and Viennese specialties surely will.
Café Sperl
This coffee house in Vienna exudes charm and offers its visitors a cozy atmosphere. Guests often like to spend hours reading newspapers amid velvet benches, an old piano, and a billiard table.
You’ll find a variety of international newspapers at Cafe Sperl. If you visit on a Sunday afternoon, you may find live operetta tunes being played in honor of the late composer Emmerich Kalman. He was one of the many regular writers and young artists who visited here.
Cafe Sperl prides itself on its delicious Sperl cake. The recipe is a secret; all we know is that it contains milk chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and almonds.
Café Hawelka
Located in the heart of the city, this Viennese coffee house serves as a popular meeting point for artists and an oasis of peace. Cafe Hawelka is less of a cafe and more of an institution with authentic charm.
You can expect vintage carpets and wooden Thonet chairs, as well as a creaking parquet floor and unusually friendly waiters. It’s probably the most legendary bohemian spot in Wien and is known for its yeasty, jam-filled sweet rolls.
Café Diglas
Cafe Diglas doubles as one of Vienna’s best patisseries. They offer live piano performances on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. The cafe offers a wonderful experience beyond the usual coffee house culture in Vienna.
Expect a traditional look and feel with a cozy atmosphere and the most delicious red currant cake! (as well as many other tasty treats and pastries).
Café Schwarzenberg
Café Schwarzenberg has been a popular meeting spot since it opened in the 19th century. It’s seen many locals enjoying their conversations over traditional tea and coffee specialties.
This coffee house is famed for being the oldest cafe on the Ringstrasse, though (as far as we know) it was never a favorite hangout among the 19th-century notables. Rather, this is the type of cafe where businessmen go to unwind with a coffee and newspaper after work.
Café Sacher Wien
Cafe Sacher is probably the most famous Viennese coffee house in the city, and you can usually expect to find a long queue of tourists outside, waiting to try the famous Sacher-torte cake.
The original Sacher-torte was first created in 1832 and led to 20 years of cake wars. In summary, the “original Sachertorte” can only be found here, and their recipe is a closely guarded secret.
So what is Sachertorte? It begins with two layers of soft chocolate sponge cake, thinly filled with apricot jam, and finally enveloped in a thin layer of glassy chocolate icing. A chocolate Sacher coin tops each serving, and a portion of unsweetened whipped cream accompanies it.
Maybe it’s because it’s such a tourist attraction, but the atmosphere at this popular coffee house is more upmarket than other older, more authentic coffee houses. Expect rooms that are reminiscent of imperial times. with red velvet-covered benches.
ⓘ TIP: If the lines at Sacher are too long, head over to Demel bakery. Both laid claims to offer the “original Sacher torte,” and they’re both delicious.
Café Gerstner
Gerstner Coffee House Vienna is a bohemian institution with a history from back in the 1840s when the Gerstners first opened their pastry shop in central Vienna. The Gerstner confectionery quickly became a popular meeting place for both local and international guests who gathered to linger and enjoy. Even Empress Elisabeth became a regular customer. Her favorite was the candied violets, which are still made in the traditional method today.
You’ll find that they still offer thriving culinary excellence today. As well, their delicious aroma of coffee will draw any passersby into the historic cafe.
It’s a trendy spot for urbanists and a popular stop near the Naschmarkt. They offer a mix of Viennese and Berlin food in a more modern style of coffeehouse, serving mouthwatering cakes and attractive open sandwiches.
Kleines Cafe
Unlike the previous cafes we’ve mentioned, Kleines Cafe (which means “little cafe”) has only been around since the 1970s. This cafe is the one you’re likely to find full of locals, with an authentic Viennese atmosphere. It’s a charming, low-key cafe where people go to get off the well-trodden tourist track and enjoy some tranquility in this small, smoky coffee house.
The cafe has an almost Mediterranean feel, centered around a cobblestoned square, an ancient church, and an old fountain.
What to order in a Viennese coffee house
If you visit any coffee houses in Vienna, you’ll soon discover that you can’t simply order “a coffee.” Traditionally, Viennese cafes consider “coffee” as an umbrella term for a variety of coffee specialties.
Some Viennese cafes even offer a delightful array of alcoholic coffees. These enticing concoctions, often laced with spirits like schnapps or rum, add an extra layer of warmth and indulgence to Vienna’s rich coffee culture.
You probably already know how you prefer your coffee. But if you want help figuring out what to order, here’s our guide to some of the most popular coffee styles:
- Wiener Melange—The most classic style in Vienna, the Melange is consists of espresso, milk, and a dollop of milk foam on top. Some cafes top it with whipped cream instead. (Technically, that’s not a melange, but no one’s going to listen to us.) Be sure to try the recipe at least once!
- Kleiner Schwarzer (Small Black)—Simply put, a shot of espresso. These are single shots that nowadays come from an espresso machine rather than a traditional Italian Moka. If you’d like a double-shot espresso, then you’d ask for a “großer Schwarzer” (großer means “big”).
- Kleiner Brauner (Small Brown)—This is an espresso that is generally served with a small jug of cream or milk. It’s basically a Viennese version of an espresso macchiato.
- Verlängerter (Long Black)—A verlängerter is an espresso made with twice the usual amount of water, making it a long black. You can also order it with some milk on the side, as a Verlängerter Braun.
- Cappuccino—Traditional coffee houses serve a cappuccino the Italian way: with milk foam. If you see Cappuccino con Panna, it will come with whipped cream instead. Note that in many cases, the terms melange and cappuccino are used interchangeably.
- Franziskaner—A Franziskaner is similar to a mélange, but it’s served with a dollop of whipped cream instead of milk foam.
- Other coffee specialties in Vienna—In many traditional Viennese coffee houses, the coffee menu extends beyond an entire page. Some coffeehouse specialties include rum or liqueur, which would be especially useful during winters in Vienna.
FAQ: Traditional Coffee Houses in Vienna
What makes Viennese coffee houses special?
Viennese coffee houses are iconic cultural landmarks, offering more than just coffee. They feature marble tabletops, Thonet chairs, and a relaxed atmosphere where patrons can linger for hours reading newspapers or enjoying live piano music. Recognized by UNESCO as part of Vienna’s cultural heritage, these cafes have a rich history as meeting places for intellectuals and artists like Freud, Mozart, and Trotsky.
What are the must-visit coffeehouses in Vienna?
Some of the most famous coffee houses to visit in Vienna include Café Central, known for its historical visitors and elegant architecture; Café Sperl, offering a cozy ambiance with velvet benches and live music; Café Landtmann, frequented by notable figures like Hillary Clinton; and Café Sacher Wien, home to the original Sachertorte cake. Each offers a unique blend of history, charm, and culinary delights.
What should I order at a Viennese coffee house?
Viennese coffee houses serve various coffee specialties. Popular choices include Wiener Melange (espresso with hot milk and foam), Kleiner Schwarzer (single espresso), Kleiner Brauner (espresso with cream or milk), and Verlängerter (long black). Many cafes also offer alcoholic coffees and traditional pastries like Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel.
How did Vienna’s coffee culture begin?
These cafes beautifully blend tradition and modernity, capturing the essence of Vienna’s past and present. They are popular gathering spots, where people may relax with a cup of coffee, a newspaper, or even live music. Their lasting appeal comes from their ability to maintain the cultural core of the city even as they change with modern preferences.
Why are Viennese coffee houses considered cultural treasures?
These cafes beautifully blend tradition and modernity, capturing the essence of Vienna’s past and present. They are popular gathering spots, where people may relax with a cup of coffee, a newspaper, or even live music. Their lasting appeal comes from their ability to maintain the cultural core of the city even as they change with modern preferences.
How Vienna coffee houses became a “thing”
You’ll find a mass of nostalgia wrapped around the Viennese coffee house concept. They have never been just a place to enjoy your coffee. From Day One, they have offered a place of solitude for intellectuals and residents to linger, read newspapers, and sip on the bitter bean.
The story behind these historic cafes is tied to the Siege of Vienna in 1683. Some people believe that the first coffee shops began because the Turks left behind a few sacks of coffee beans during their retreat. Whether or not that’s true, the introduction of coffee beans to Vienna soon led to coffeehouses opening across town, becoming a part of Vienna’s identity.
Many of the most renowned traditional coffee houses in Vienna are over 300 years old. While they have been renovated and updated over the years, they remain mostly unchanged. There are also many new ones, designed to serve as extended living rooms.
Final thoughts on traditional coffee houses in Vienna
Coffeehouses in Vienna were never just about the coffee. For hundreds of years, they’ve been part of the city’s rhythm. People came to read, to talk, to think out loud. Writers spent full days at their favorite tables. Friends gathered in the same corner week after week. These places were—and still are—a second home for many.
You’ll still feel that when you visit today. The newspapers are still there. The waiters still wear black and white. And locals still settle in for the long haul, treating the place like their living room.
If you only have one day in Vienna, you won’t be able to visit them all—but even one stop shows what makes these places special. They’re quiet, familiar, and welcoming. And once you sit down, you might not want to leave.
