![]() ![]() Famous Viennese coffee houses (and why you should visit) However, do expect to find a few Vienna-specific items on the menu, such as a Wiener Melange (similar to a cappuccino but with milder coffee) or a Verlängerter (espresso with hot water). Viennese waiting staff are famous for their grumpiness, although this is changing as modern times demand a more open and friendly style of service. Staff are elegantly dressed with waiters in a tuxedo and waitresses in a white shirt, although there is no set dress code for customers.Ī word of advice though – don’t always expect courteous service. Table tops are usually made from marble and sofas tend to be upholstered in classic Viennese designs. Most traditional cafes can be found in Vienna’s historic buildings, which means they have high ceilings, wooden floorboards, large windows and walls adorned with artwork. Photo: HERBERT PFARRHOFER / APA / AFP What to expect from a Viennese coffee houseĮvery coffee house has its own style, but there are several defining features of a classic Viennese coffee shop. Austria’s coffee houses are city institutions. Prince Charles tours a coffee house in the Austrian city of Vienna. Today, that artistic influence lives on with author readings or musical performances, as well as a steady stream of coffee-drinking Viennese residents indulging in the atmosphere. There is even the term Kaffeehausliteratur (coffee house literature) to describe the many pieces of writing that have been written in Viennese coffee houses. Sigmund Freud, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Klimt and Leon Trotsky are just a few famous names to have graced coffee houses in Vienna. ![]() ![]() Then there are newspapers to read and other regular customers to chat with and catch up on the local gossip.Īs a result, coffee houses have long been meeting places for artists, intellectuals and politicians in the city. There is often no rush to drink up and staff typically leave customers to their own devices until they ask for another drink. Viennese coffee houses are known as places to relax and spend some time over a cup or coffee (or two). It’s more of a way of life, something that UNESCO identified as an intangible cultural heritage for Austria.įor example, in other countries it’s common for coffee shop staff to be conscious of quickly turning over tables to maximise profit – not in Vienna though. There are coffee houses in Vienna that are over 300 years old – a sign of just how deeply embedded the culture is in the capital.īut coffee culture in Vienna is more than just getting a daily dose of caffeine in the morning. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER KLEIN The meaning of coffee culture in Vienna His coffee house had such an influence on the city that Johannes-Diodato-Park was named after him, and many other cafes opened to create the coffee culture that is still present in Vienna today.Ĭafe Sperl is one of Vienna’s oldest, and most famous, coffee houses. ![]() It is believed this is when Viennese people began making coffee and local legend has it that Georg Franz Kolschitzky was the first person to obtain a licence to serve coffee in honour of his heroic actions during the siege.īut despite Kolschitzky going down in Viennese coffee history (there is a street in the 4th district named after him), it was actually Johannes Diodato who opened the city’s first coffee shop.ĭiodato served at the Viennese Imperial Court and was known as a man “full of secrets” (he was apparently an Armenian spy). The siege lasted for two months but eventually the Turkish invaders retreated, leaving behind bags of coffee. In 1683, Austria’s capital was besieged for the second time by forces from the Ottoman Empire. In fact, coffee houses didn’t even really exist in the city until the late 1600s following the Battle of Vienna. The history of coffee in ViennaĬoffee wasn’t always such a big deal in Vienna. The Local took a look at where coffee culture in Austria’s capital comes from and what it means today. The city of Vienna is renowned for its coffee culture and historic cafes, but has it always been that way? Coffee culture is synonymous with Austria’s capital city, but where did it come from and why is it so important? Here’s what you need to know. ![]()
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