The Breathtaking European Capital Famous For Its Coffee Culture (And It's Not Paris Or Rome)

When you think of getting coffee in Europe, you might imagine people-watching from a Parisian cafe or practicing your cappuccino order at an Italian coffee bar. But if you're a real coffee lover and a cozy cafe aficionado, Vienna is one of the best cities to visit in Europe.

Between the imperial palaces with their dancing white horses and stunning concert halls, where the likes of Mozart, Strauss, and Beethoven once played their music, it's impossible to pass your time in Vienna without feeling inspired by the city's outward beauty and rich history. However, if you want to go beyond the surface of the city's regal aesthetics and ceremonious recitals, and get into the real heart of what makes Vienna tick, you only need to go for coffee.

Vienna's coffee culture, or Kaffeehauskultur, is not just about getting a caffeine fix. Its longstanding traditions are why Vienna is filled with so many beautiful antique coffee houses, as well as trendy newcomers. Here's everything you need to know to make the most of Vienna's incredible coffee scene.

You can tell Austria is a literary city just by visiting its ornate national library, but there is no better place to sit down with a good book than a Viennese cafe. Cafes in Vienna have a long tradition of being ideal third spaces, where the city's artists and intellectuals — like Gustav Klimt and Sigmund Freud, to name a few — as well as everyday people, are welcome to come and sit for a long while, either alone with a good book or to socialize with friends.

As popularity grew, more coffee houses opened up through the 18th and 19th centuries, and they became meeting places that tried to outdo one another in elegance and comfort. Signature drinks like Melange (espresso with frothed milk) and sweet cakes like chocolate Sachertorte and flaky Apfelstrudel emerged as standard menu items. In the decades following World War II, many of Vienna's coffee houses closed, but the trend started to come back in the 1980s. In 2011, the city was honored by UNESCO, with its coffee house culture included on the intangible cultural heritage list. 

There are a few top coffee houses that all the tourists in Vienna should line up to try. The first is Hotel Sacher, which is famously the place where the delectably rich Sachertorte was invented in the 19th century. If you don't want to wait in line though, you will find this recipe in many other coffee houses throughout the city. Café Central is also extremely popular because its gorgeous interior architecture made it a favorite of famous coffee drinkers like Leon Trotsky and Freud.

If you prefer to enjoy your time at a leisurely pace, there are hundreds of cafes you could visit in Vienna. For something more traditional and still steeped in Viennese history, Café Goldegg maintains old-school charm and is still frequented by locals who like to sit down with a newspaper or have a midday catch-up with friends. 

Alternatively, Vollpension is a unique new coffee house concept that feels modern and classic at the same time. Run by pensioners, or "grannies" as they affectionately refer to themselves, this establishment is part coffee house and part social project, as it provides a place for retired people to work and socialize with younger communities. Decorated in the style of an Austrian grandmother and serving homemade recipes, it's an absolutely delightful experience.