Experience The Enticing Coffee Culture In Vienna, Austria

The history behind Vienna’s café culture

The first coffee house in Vienna opened in 1683. Although coffee houses already existed in several other places in the world by this time, nowhere else put as much energy and exuberance into their café culture as Vienna! Over the years, the city developed a thriving coffee house culture that can’t be found anywhere else across the globe.

It is thought that coffee first entered Vienna by way of beans being left behind by Turks. Local stories say that a hero from the Siege of Vienna, Georg Franz Kolschitzky, was the first person to be licensed to sell coffee in Vienna, opening his coffee shop in 1683 when the Siege of Vienna ended. The city’s first coffee shop, however, was, in fact, opened by a spy from Armenia!

From the early days of coffee-love in Vienna, more and more cafes opened up, gradually offering more services, such as newspapers and games, for patrons to be able to fully relax and enjoy their leisure time. Many coffee shops also began to serve food. Interestingly, it was not until 1856 that women were allowed to enter the coffee shops.

Such is the greatness of Vienna’s café culture that, in 2011, it was listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Café culture in Vienna today

Today, Vienna’s coffee houses are sociable establishments, places for people to chill out and catch up with friends, yet equally ideal for those seeking a little downtime and a peaceful moment of solitude.

You’ll find those that still resemble the coffee houses of yesteryear, complete with marble table tops, plush seats, and a somewhat lavish air. There are those that are more contemporary, with eye-catching artwork and sleek finishings, and others that double up as other establishments too, such as gelaterias and bakeries.

Many cafes have indoor seating, although you’ll also find a good number with outdoor pavement seating or places to enjoy a drink al fresco on terraces or patios. Don’t worry about chilly weather; it’s completely normal for outdoor seating areas to have heaters and for warm blankets to be offered to clientele.

Great cafés to enjoy in Vienna

Opposite the Hofburg Theatre, Café Landtmann is a great place to enjoy a pre-show drink. Sit outside and admire the marvellous architecture all around, or take a seat inside and soak up the air of refinement.

Café Central is known for having been a magnet in the past for the literati, and today, for its mouth-watering assortment of cakes and pastries and its somewhat highfalutin ambience. Listen to the soothing sounds of piano music over a drink and a tasty treat, and try to blank out the surrounding chatter from the multitude of other tourists ticking this famous Viennese establishment off their travel to-do list.

Spend an evening in Pruckel and watch as locals enjoy a few games of cards, lap up the elegance of Café Hofburg, experience age-old traditions in Café Sperl, feel the nostalgic vibe of Aida, and visit toilets of Café Diglas with their see-through glass doors! (Don’t worry, they become opaque when the door is locked!)

With around 2,500-plus cafes in Vienna, you’ll have no difficulty finding somewhere to quench your thirst and satisfy your appetite.

Melange: Vienna’s most popular coffee

With a name that means mixed, blended, and medley, it’s quite apparent that Vienna’s most-loved coffee combines several elements. But what are they? Rather similar to an Italian cappuccino, Vienna’s melange consists of coffee with steamed milk and milk foam on the top. Locals weren’t used to the strong taste of coffee, and preferred to make the drink less bitter and more diluted with milk, hence the melange was born. It is now widely enjoyed by most Viennese, who, interestingly, are the world’s second-biggest consumers of coffee.

It is normal for coffee in Vienna to be served with a glass of water, and perhaps a small wrapped biscuit, wafer, or chocolate.

Help! I don’t like coffee!

Don’t worry if coffee really isn’t your cup of tea (pun intended!). You’ll find other items on the menu, including both hot and cold drinks. Coffee shops do welcome those who don’t like coffee too. Hot drinks generally include tea and hot chocolate, and you’ll typically find a good selection of soft drinks, such as coke, lemonade, and mineral water. It’s not that unusual now to find coffee houses that also offer a range of freshly-squeezed fruit juices. Alcoholic beverages are served in many cafés as well, so don’t fret if you would prefer to sample a local beer, such as Stiegl or Ottakringer, whilst your companion savours a coffee.