“You have troubles – to the coffeehouse! You dislike people and yet cannot do without them – to the coffeehouse!” This famous quip from one of Vienna’s celebrated literary figures perfectly captures the soul of the Viennese café: a haven of comfort, camaraderie, and cultivated idleness.
For the price of a single coffee, you may linger for hours—reading the newspaper, chatting with a friend, negotiating a deal, drafting a novel, or simply watching the world drift by. Some cafés radiate elegant bourgeois charm, others are a little worn around the edges. Many offer outdoor seating; some are famed for their pastries (“Café-Konditorei”), and a few still host musical performances. |
