Discover the charm of Vienna’s historic cafés, from Café Central to Café Hawelka. Explore tradition, iconic pastries, and the timeless coffeehouse culture that inspires locals and travelers alike.

Coffeehouse culture

Being Alone in Company

What bistros are to Paris or pubs to England, cafés are to Vienna — and to the Viennese. They are true Viennese institutions where people go not just to drink coffee but to talk with friends, eat something typically Viennese (as if straight out of mum’s or grandma’s kitchen) – check the Mittagsmenü or ‘Midday Lunch Menu’, or read for hours — some, or all, of the many newspapers fitted on wooden reading holders. And no, they’re not just for the elderly or the retired, but for all generations and walks of life.

Apparently, the first Viennese café was opened by a Greek, Johannes Theodat (Johannes Diodato), in 1685, and some things have remained unchanged to this day. Although Vienna is now famous for its cafés, the first coffeehouses appeared much earlier — around 1530 in the Ottoman Empire, in Cairo and Damascus, and later in Istanbul. Even London and Venice had them before Vienna. While traditional Viennese café culture is slowly disappearing — with many historic cafés closing or turning into more modern places — it’s estimated that there are still around 500 cafés in Austria’s capital.

Don’t be surprised if the waiter seems impolite and your silver tray with coffee and a glass of water is almost thrown in front of you. Until recently, that was part of the authentic Viennese café tradition — something that’s also slowly fading today. In a café, you can sit for hours over just one coffee — a Melange, Fiaker, or maybe an Einspänner — and nobody will hint that it’s time to leave. Long ago, writer Alfred Polgar (1873–1955) wrote: “People in cafés want to be alone, but they need company for that.”

Famous writers such as Arthur Schnitzler and Egon Erwin Kisch wrote much of their work in cafés, and some even had their mail delivered there — as if they lived in their favourite spot. Even today, cafés host business people and work meetings in their relaxed, timeless atmosphere.

 

Vienna’s Cafés

Every Viennese neighbourhood has its own cafés, usually with a loyal clientele who’ve been coming for years. Interestingly, even foreigners quickly adapt to Viennese café culture, turning their local café into “their own.” My friend from New York did exactly that — choosing Café Prückel and Café Diglas for his daily meetings, both just 50 metres from the flat he was staying in at the time.

Café Central

One café that every visitor should see is Café Central in Herrengasse — not least for its beautiful interior (designed by the famous Adolf Loos) and its historic clientele, including Sigmund Freud and other members of Vienna’s early 20th-century intelligentsia. Today, Café Central serves excellent desserts, but be prepared to wait — sometimes behind two full buses of tourists.

Café Hawelka

Tourists also flock to the legendary Café Hawelka, where owners Leopold and Josefine Hawelka personally greeted guests from 1939 until not long ago. Josefine passed away in 2005, and Leopold in 2011 at the age of 100. The café is small and dark, and locals mostly avoid it — yet it’s one of those places that simply must be experienced at least once, especially since it’s located near the Graben and along the classic tourist paths.

Café Landtmann

Café Landtmann is equally popular with locals and tourists. This Kaffeehaus is even protected as a cultural monument. Thanks to its location near the City Hall (Rathaus) and the Burgtheater, it has long been a meeting place for actors, politicians, and the old Viennese society.

Other honorable mentions

We mustn’t forget Café Schwarzenberg at Schwarzenbergplatz, elegant and offering excellent food and cakes. All of these cafés are in Vienna’s 1st District, right in the heart of the city.

Next to the Hotel Sacher stands Café Mozart, which is pleasant but lacks the deep-rooted tradition of the true Viennese cafés. Still, like any café worthy of the name, it serves excellent cakes. The famous Demel, on the other hand, offers some of the city’s finest desserts and was voted Vienna’s best city café in 2014. As Demel has a long-standing history as a Konditorei (confectioner’s or sweets shop), you can read more about it in the Konditorei article.

At Karlsplatz, on the edge of the 1st district, is Café Museum, recently renovated and very inviting. Nearby, across from the Naschmarkt in the 6th district, stands Café Savoy, with its fascinating interior and unique clientele.

And then there’s Café Anzengruber (4th district), near Naschmarkt — a café that’s not a typical Kaffeehaus, but a true cult spot in the city. For decades, it’s been run by a Croatian family, embodying the multicultural spirit of the former empire. The whole family works there, serving delicious food — the schnitzel and potato salad are perfect — and sometimes traditional Croatian dishes like sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls) or punjene paprike (stuffed peppers). They even have Croatian wines, and if you stay long enough, one of the owners might sing for you.

Don’t miss my guide to Vienna’s Best Cake Shops

Find your vienna Café

• Café Central – grand historic café in Vienna’s 1st district. Address: Herrengasse / Strauchgasse, 1010 Wien.
• Café Hawelka – legendary bohemian spot. Address: Dorotheergasse 6, 1010 Wien.
• Café Landtmann – traditional Ringstraße institution near Rathaus. Address: Universitätsring 4 / Löwelstraße 22, 1010 Wien.
• Café Schwarzenberg – elegant classic on the Ring. Address: Kärntner Ring 17, 1010 Wien.
• Café Prückel – mid‑century styled Ringstraße café. Address: Stubenring 24, 1010 Wien.
• Café Diglas – traditional Viennese café, central location. Address: Wollzeile 10, 1010 Wien.
• Café Sperl – slightly shabby but beloved neighbourhood favourite. Address: Gumpendorfer Straße 11, 1060 Wien (6th district).
• Café Goldegg – quiet neighbourhood café with old‑world charm. Address: Argentinierstraße 49 (corner Goldegggasse), 1040 Wien.
• Café Weimar – cult local spot in the 8th district. Address: Währingerstraße, 1080 Wien.
• Café Mozart – pleasant café next to Hotel Sacher, convenient for tourists. Address: Albertinaplatz 2, 1010 Wien.
• Demel – iconic Konditorei/café, historic dessert house in Vienna. Address: Kohlmarkt 14, 1010 Wien.
• Café Anzengruber – cult café near Naschmarkt, run by a Croatian family. Address: Schleifmühlgasse 19, 1040 Wien.
• Café Savoy – majestic neo‑Baroque interior with huge mirrors; very popular among Vienna’s LGBTQ+ community especially in the evenings. Address: Linke Wienzeile 36, 1060 Wien.

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