Specialty cafes of Vienna

A modern coffee culture is emerging in Vienna, due in large part, to the efforts of Johanna Wechselberger at the Vienna School of Coffee. Johanna is clearly passionate about specialty coffee and imparting all she knows to those who are keen to learn. With Johanna’s advice and a copy of the Vienna Coffee Guide, we headed off to find places setting new trends in Vienna.

Café Couture

Another pioneer of specialty coffee we met in Vienna is Georg Branny, the 2012 World Cup Taster’s Champion and Viennese Barista Champion in 2008 and 2009. Georg is a man of many talents having studied tourism, journalism and management. His newly opened Café Couture, one of the first specialty cafes in Vienna, is a stark contrast to other Viennese cafes. It’s sleek, modern and makes good use of recycled materials, including pallets that have been painted white. In keeping with Viennese coffee culture, however, one of Georg’s specialties is coffee cocktails, which he often makes himself in flamboyant, informative style. Take the U-bahn 2 to the Schottentor stop in Central Vienna and find your way to the roasting lab at 18 Garnisongasse 1090 or the cafe in Palais Ferstel Passage at 2 Freyung 1010.

People on Caffeine

POC, which cleverly stands for ‘people on caffeine’, is where latte art and flat whites were introduced to Vienna. It also provides nooks and crannies for people to meet, work on their computers or read a book. On the day we were there, the morning after the 2012 World of Coffee barista party, the place was filled with weary partygoers from all over the world in search of caffeine. Our piccolos were perfectly made by Robert Gruber, the Austrian Brewers Cup Champion – despite the fact that he was obviously one of the partygoers. You’ll find POC by taking the U-bahn 2 to the Rathaus stop and you’ll find this interesting cafe on 21 Schlosselgasse 1080 in a nook tucked into the side of the Alserkirche church. One story that goes around is that this lower space of the church was once occupied by an undertaker and that the body of the most famous of composers, Beethoven, was held there before his funeral, which took place in the church upstairs.

Kaffeemodul

Affectionately known in the coffee industry as a ‘hole in the wall’ is Kaffeemodul, possibly the smallest cafe in Vienna. Boris Ortner, the owner, has maximized the use of space with neat little ‘tables’ and ‘seats’ that can be flipped down from the wall – and flipped up when space is tight. It had only been open for less than a week when we were there and Boris was keen to impress us with two fine espressos. Unlike other cafes in Vienna, where the array of cakes is large, this cafe serves just coffee and no food. You will find this wonderful little space with its distinctive blue and white branding at 35 Josefstadter Strasse 1080.

Cafe Espresso

Whatever city you go to in the world, you’ll inevitably find a retro-style cafe. We were lured in by the neon light sign on the façade as it was different from anything you see announcing the location of a cafe in Vienna. Simply called ‘Espresso’, this cafe is adorned with 60’s furniture and fittings and a Faema E61 to match. Owner Julia Zerzer was keen to make us good espressos as we stood at the bar, Italian style. It’s near the U-bahn Volkstheatre stop at 57 Burgasse 1070.

Akrap Coffee

At Akrap Coffee, named after owner Christian Akrap, we enjoyed two perfect piccolo lattes. It exudes a wholesome approach to coffee and all things fresh with a small grocery store attached. Through their use of quality, fairly traded coffee, the boys at Akrap Coffee say their aim is to change the lives of farmers while brightening up the day for their customers. Take U-bahn 2 (that’s the Vienna underground train) to find Akrap on the corner of Theobaldgasse and Königsklostergasse in the Museumsquartier and close to the Naschtmarket.

Coffee Cup Reading

We were lucky enough to be at Akrap when ‘coffee cup readings’ were on offer. Paul could not have disappeared faster but I stayed on to hear what Susanna had to say about my upturned cup of Turkish coffee after I’d drunk it! She started by saying that one of her grandmothers was a gypsy and that was where she inherited her skills. It was a lot of fun and, I have to say, a bit revealing! Fluent in German, French and English, you can also engage the services of Susanna (Marchland) as a cultural guide in Vienna. She’ll lead you to the best coffee, food and market experiences the city has to offer.

Café Drechsler

On the other hand, if it’s sheer luxury you’re after, you can’t go past Café Drechsler, designed by the famous British chef, Terence Conran. As a 21st century take on the traditional Viennese coffee house, it has the arched ceiling and wood-panelled walls but in tones of soft beige – with a splash of red in the leather upholstery. True to Viennese tradition, the menu is full of milky and creamy concoctions but with all the modern espresso options. Untrue to Viennese tradition ‘though, the piano music has been replaced by live DJ music late into the evenings. It’s open around the clock and you’ll find it on the corner of Links Wienzeile and  Girardigasse on the Naschmarkt.