Vienna's most popular cafés - part 2

For my first insider tips on Vienna’s popular coffeehouses, I’ve started by explaining a bit to you about traditional Viennese coffeehouse culture. Aside from an abundant variety of coffee specialities, desserts and light snacks, Lobmeyr chandeliers, Thonet chairs, large daily newspapers in a typical Viennese newspaper holder and at times, “grouchy” waiters are all part of the picture. The Viennese coffeehouse exudes charm in a very special kind of atmosphere and enjoys great popularity not only among visitors and locals, but also young people and international students. The famous saying “Coffeehouses are a place where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee appears on the bill” therefore still holds true.

More and more often, new cafés with a younger positioning are cropping up in Vienna, offering fascinating concepts in terms of cuisine and interior design – such as the Hildebrandt Café in the 8th district. Nestled in the ground floor of the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art (Volkskundemuseum) in the historical Palais Schönborn, thanks to its cosy vintage look and stunning meal presentation on turquoise earthenware, this café shot to success through social media. It is rare to find a local millennial Instagram account that has not posted about the truly captivating, imperial interior, which includes former school benches from the Lycée Francais, as well as the delicious dishes on offer. The cosy conservatory in the cold season makes way for an outdoor dining area in summer. 

Another jewel can be found in the 7th district, and this is the lovingly renovated Adlerhof, home to what is known as a salon café in Jugendstil, and it boasts a high level of respect for Viennese coffeehouse tradition, craftsmanship and passion for exceptional cuisine. In the morning, it shows off a retro-style grocer’s display, acting as a café with generous brunch menu throughout the day, and in the evening, it becomes a salon and bar featuring Austrian specialities along with a wide selection of gin varieties. Here too, the original Thonet coffeehouse chairs and daily newspapers in their newspaper holders haven’t been forgotten! 

Which of my tips do you like better? The young cafés with their modern take, or still one of the classic coffeehouses with their centuries-old tradition?

Vienna’s modern cafés

In the age of millennials, you’d be forgiven for thinking that today’s guests choose their cafés based on their ‘Instagrammability’. Because along with some truly unique dining concepts, coffee quality and as ever, wonderful desserts, many of these captivate with their exceptional interior design and atmosphere, ranging from Scandinavian design and vintage looks to 1920s style.