The best cafés in Vienna

Recently refurbished under new ownership, the delightfully retro Café Prückel has remained faithful to its ’50s restyling by Oswald Haerdtl. You’ll find all the Kaffeehaus classics on the menu, from Viennese coffee to pastries to Frittatensuppe (consumé with strips of pancake), alongside less traditional offerings such as a smoked salmon breakfast and gazpacho. The clientele tends to be pretty mixed and is particularly notable for its large terrace. 

Time Out tip: Its home-made pastries are to die for but its signature is the Prückel Schnitte, a dark hazelnut sponge cake layered with white chocolate-hazelnut mousse. 

Address: Stubenring 24, 1010 Wien, Austria

Said to be the oldest café on the Ringstrasse, with a marble and wood-panelled interior, the Café Schwarzenberg is one of the city’s most opulent coffee houses. It was severely damaged by the Soviets during the post-war occupation, and it was only in 1979 that it was finally renovated. There’s a wide range of rather curious (and often very boozy) Viennese coffees available. 

Time Out tip: Try the hot chocolate ‘Alt Wiener Art’, served with cinnamon, vanilla and whipped cream.

Address: Kärnter Ring 17, A1010 Wien, Austria

This Kaffeehaus, just off the main pedestrianised shopping drag, the Graben, is a considerably less formal affair than some of its rivals. With slightly threadbare upholstery and well-worn tables and chairs, the Café Hawelka is more akin to a living room than an upmarket Kaffeehaus. During its ’60s and ’70s heyday, the stars of the Vienna art scene regularly met here, and celebs such as Andy Warhol dropped by.

This café in the historic Hotel Sacher is THE place to sample a slice of Vienna’s most famous cake, the Sachertorte. Legend had it this dark chocolate and apricot confection, usually enjoyed with unsweetened whipped cream, was created here for Prince Metternich. The exact recipe remains a secret (they’ve even gone to court with Demel over it,) but eating a slice of this rich cake in the imperial surroundings of the Café Sacher will make anyone feel like royalty.

Located on one of Vienna’s most prestigious shopping strips, the Kohlmarkt, former imperial supplier Demel is a confectioner’s dream. There are so many sweet treats in the Habsburg-esque vitrines that even a quick visit to the shop can make your teeth ache. Every type of Viennese cake and pastry you can imagine is on the menu, alongside savoury specialities such as sausages with mustard or schnitzel. It’s even worth just walking past to admire the sugary artwork.

Another of Freud’s favourites, Café Landtmann predated the existence of the Ringstrasse on which it now sits. Dating back to 1873, this traditional Kaffeehaus has long been popular with politicians, academics and theatre-goers. It’s also one of the city’s poshest; the waiters are impeccably attired, and upon arrival, you must surrender your jacket to the cloakroom. Spacious inside, Landtmann also boasts a pleasant terrace overlooking the Burgtheater and Rathausplatz in summer.

Time Out tip: Landtmann has a particularly fine Apfelstrüdel, ideally served with vanilla sauce.

Address: Universitätsring 4, A1010 Wien, Austria

The appropriately named Kleines Café – ‘small café’ – may be tiny inside, but the warmer months see its clientele spill out onto tables on the pretty Franziskanerplatz. Featured in the film ‘Before Sunrise’, this late-opening bar has long attracted a range of arty types and serves simple dishes and decent coffee alongside wine and beer on tap. It has no website, so here is a link to the café on Google Maps. 

Time Out tip: The perfect place for a coffee or glass of wine at dusk on a hot summer evening. 

Address: Franziskanerplatz 3, A1010 Wien, Austria