Various cakes at Café Demel

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Tips for coffee houses in the city center

Viennese gemütlichkeit can be found mainly in the coffee house. Originally, the focus here was not on drinking coffee. People went to the coffee house to meet, read newspapers, play billiards, and exchange ideas. And the same is still true today. The Viennese coffee house is a place to meet. And a place of pleasure. Take a peek inside the amply filled cake displays and you'll feel like you're in the land of plenty. Sweet enticements from apple strudel to artistic cake will get your mouth watering. Not only is the Viennese coffee house known around the world, but so is Viennese pastry culture. You can go somewhere else if you want to fast! An overview of the best cafés in the 1st district.

Café Central

Café Central
Café Central

It is one of the most beautiful coffee houses in Vienna. But you'll need a little patience because there are often long lines of visitors outside of Café Central. Regular guests of the legendary literati café included Arthur Schnitzler and Peter Altenberg, and it was also possible to come across Sigmund Freud or Adolf Loos here. Today, the cake display cabinet is a real draw: the in-house patisserie magics up treats in a class of their own. Fancy a piece of the famous Café Central cake?

Herrengasse/Strauchgasse
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Mo - Sa, 08:00 - 22:00
    • on holidays - Su, 10:00 - 22:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • 5 Steps (Double swinging doors )
    • Side entrance
      • 3 Steps (Swinging doors 0 cm wide)
    • Elevator available
      • Door 89 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.
    • Comments

      Wheelchair-accessible restroom accessible via elevator.

Demel K. & K. Hofzuckerbäckerei

Various cakes at Café Demel
Various cakes at Café Demel

The creatively designed display windows and cases at Demel, the former Imperial and Royal confectionary, entice passersby with pastries and sweets which long ago tickled the palate of Empress Elizabeth and still bring delight to coffeehouse visitors today. At Demel, the sales and serving personnel have been exclusively female for 200 years.

Kohlmarkt 14
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • daily, 10:00 - 00:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Double swinging doors 115 cm wide)
    • Elevator available
      • Door 75 cm wide
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.

Café Diglas

 Coffee house
 Coffee house

The Diglas has several locations; the main outlet on Wollzeile is a classic Viennese traditional coffee house straight out of a picture book. Red benches, piano music and good pastries. Tip: you simply must try the banana slice or the Scheiterhaufen, a sweet bread pudding made with apples. Café Diglas is known for both of them throughout the city.

Wollzeile 10
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Mo - We, 08:00 - 22:00
    • Th - Fr, 08:00 - 22:30
    • Sa, 09:00 - 22:30
    • Su, 09:00 - 18:00

Café Frauenhuber

Café
Café

One of the oldest and most traditional coffee houses in Vienna, without a single affectation. And so cozy that everyone feels good at Café Frauenhuber, from young to old. It doesn't get more typical than this. Mozart and Beethoven also made music here in their time.

Himmelpfortgasse 6
1010 Vienna

Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker Shop · Bar · Café-Restaurant

Gerstner Café-Restaurant, Palais Todesco, interior shot, laid tables
Gerstner Café-Restaurant, Palais Todesco, interior shot, laid tables

The Gerstner once supplied the imperial house and still more than lives up to its reputation today as a confectioner. Guests enjoy the sweet and piquant treats on three levels with shop, bar and café-restaurant, and with the best view of the Vienna State Opera. The magnificent interior of Palais Todesco is a visual delight.

Kärntner Straße 51
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Shop daily, 08:00 - 22:00
    • Café-Bar 1. Stock / First Floor Mo - Sa, 11:30 - 22:00
    • Café-Bar 1. Stock / First Floor Su, 08:00 - 22:00
    • Café-Restaurant 2. Stock / 2nd Floor Mo - Sa, 08:00 - 20:00
    • Café-Restaurant 2. Stock / 2nd Floor Su, 15:00 - 20:00

Café Hawelka

Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse

This artist's café is a Viennese institution. Gourmets recognize the Hawelka – especially after 8 pm – by the wonderful smell of Buchteln, yeast buns filled with jam. Its unique charm has made the Hawelka a popular meeting place. Still floating over everything is the spirit of Josefine and Leopold Hawelka, who opened the café in 1936.

Dorotheergasse 6
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Mo - Th, 09:00 - 00:00
    • Fr - Sa, 09:00 - 01:00
    • Su, 10:00 - 20:00

Café Korb

Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse

It is the coffee house of the Viennese, rich in the patina of the 1960s. Everyone feels good here, from the celebrity to the old lady. The extravagant hostess Susanne Widl watches over goings-on. But the real bosses here are the waiters, always with a witty remark at the ready. And you simply must try the apple strudel at Café Korb.

Brandstätte 9
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Mo - Sa, 08:00 - 00:00
    • on holidays, 10:00 - 23:00

Café Landtmann

Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse

The Landtmann is one of the few remaining Ringstrasse cafés. Due to its proximity to Parliament and City Hall, many politicians can be seen coming and going here. And politics really are done here in the Landtmann. Actors from the adjacent Burgtheater can also be spotted in the Landtmann. The excellent pastries must also be mentioned – and sampled.

Universitätsring 4
1010 Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

    • Benefits of the Vienna City Card: -20%

      Additional information on the offer:

      20% discount on consumption per cardholder (food and drinks), redeemable once only

  • Opening times

    • Mo - Su, 07:30 - 22:00
  • Accessibility

    • Main entrance
      • no steps (Double swinging doors 120 cm wide)
    • Further information
      • Seeing eye dogs allowed
      • Wheelchair accessible restroom available.

Café Museum

Café Museum, interior shot
Café Museum, interior shot

The Café Museum is a successful mix of old and new. The interior was recreated based on the plans of the architect Josef Zotti; the Café Museum now appears like a traditional Viennese coffee house again. Its famous guests once included Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele.

Operngasse 7
1010 Vienna

Café Prückel

Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse

This café on the Ringstrasse thrills fans not only coffee houses, but also of architecture. The interior dating to the 1950s was designed by the ingenious architect Oswald Haerdtl, who was himself a regular guest at the Prückel. And today the café looks as it did when it was remodeled by Haerdtl. Every detail is right, from the lamp to the umbrella stand. The Viennese love it.

Stubenring 24
1010 Vienna
  • Opening times

    • Mo - Su, 08:30 - 22:00
    • Piano music Mo, We, Fr 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Café Schwarzenberg

Café Schwarzenberg
Café Schwarzenberg

Café Schwarzenberg is reminiscent of the golden times of the Ringstrasse era. Ever since it opened in the 19th century, Café Schwarzenberg has been a popular meeting place. The focus here is not only on coffee and pastries, but also on an extensive range of teas.

Kärntner Ring 17
1010 Vienna
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