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How to Visit Café Central Vienna (and what to order!)

Last Updated on 16th December 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

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One of the greatest joys of any visit to Vienna is the chance to indulge in one of the historic coffee houses scattered across the city centre. And there is perhaps no such institution more famous than that of Café Central Vienna. Here’s how to visit and what to order!

Almost as soon as you step through the glass doors, you’ll be greeted by the sight of beautiful archways, a mouthwatering pastry case filled with every sweet from croissants to rather fine patisseries, sumptuous red upholstery on all of the dining seats, and a sea of pristine tablecloths adorned with silverware.

 Café Central Vienna

A history of Café Central

The Kaffeehaus is set against the backdrop of Palais Ferstel on Herrengasse in Vienna’s first district and was established all the way back in 1876. Prior to this, Palais Ferstel had actually served as a bank and stock exchange. At the end of the 19th-century, the Palace was one of the most modern buildings in Vienna!

Ever since the coffee house opened, the institution has proved to be popular among many famous minds such as Peter Altenberg, Felix Salten, and Sigmund Freud.

There is even a life-sized statue of Peter Altenberg at the entrance which welcomes you into the establishment. The explanatory panel next to the figure reveals that Altenberg was such a regular of the café that he noted it down as both his work and correspondence address.

 Café Central Vienna  central pastry case

Infamous clientele include Adolf Hitler, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, and Josip Broz Tito, though it’ obvious why they are not mentioned as often. 

By the 1930s, the café had gained such a reputation as the meeting point for many writers and philosophers, not to mention chess masters, that it gained the nickname ‘the university of chess’.

The café was badly damaged during WWII and ended up closing its doors for a period of time. All of this changed when Café Central was renovated in 1975, restoring it to its original grandeur and the eatery was once more opened to the public.

 Café Central Vienna vaulted ceiling

Highlights of the café

Visiting the café is a feast for all the senses, but perhaps more than anything else, a true treasure to behold. Special features include:

  • Paintings of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth of Austria (aka Sisi)- though the Royal duo never visited, the café was opened during their reign.
  • Newspapers- there’s a historic stand with lots of old fashioned newspapers
  • Café Central boutique- I must admit that I’m not a huge one for souvenirs, but I particularly liked that there’s a souvenir store at the back of the restaurant selling cakes, jams, tableware, and the like. The best part about visiting the gift store is that you might also glimpse the Palais Ferstel Great Hall, which is used for private events like weddings.
cafe central

What to order at Café Central

Truth be told, Café Central is open from 8 AM through to 10 PM every day (apart from Sunday, which has a slightly later opening time of 10 AM), meaning that you can decide whether to have breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or even just a coffee break.

The menu is bursting with different dishes and drinks, and rather helpfully you can request a menu that is fully in English (our server also spoke incredible English, thus ensuring that the process of ordering was much easier for me with my rusty German!)

pastries at  Café Central Vienna

All of the traditional Viennese dishes are on the menu. This includes Schnitzel (a thin slice of breaded meat served with potatoes and vegetables), Tafelspitz (boiled beef), beef tartare, vegetarian quiche, and brunch dishes such as fried eggs and egg on toast. There are also a couple of vegan options.

There are a few things that the café is particularly well-known for and so I would recommend going for one of these things if you want a traditional experience. There are no lattés or frappés on the menu as Vienna has its own specific coffee culture and traditions. Dishes you can order include:

  • Apfelstrudel- This is Apple strudel and is served hot. The slice comes from a piece of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with an apple filling inside. The cake is usually served with coffee, tea, or even a glass of champagne! We opted for a slice and Café Central and absolutely loved it.
  • Wiener Melange: This is a Viennese coffee and is the most popular drink on the menu. This coffee drink is similar to a cappuccino, with the main difference being that a milder coffee is used. I have to admit that I didn’t really love the coffee but did enjoy the experience of trying it!
  • A glass of sparkling wine: Viennese cafés have a long tradition of serving up flutes of sparkling wine and Café Central is no different. Many people opt to enjoy a glass with their meal or cake (even in the morning).
pastries at cafe central vienna

How to order at Café Central

There is one thing that I wish I had read about prior to my visit, and that is exactly how to order things at the Central Cafe. You see, while some dishes and drinks can be ordered directly with your finely dressed waiter, others are a bit more complicated.

If you want any drinks or hot food (including Apfelstrudel) then you can order this directly with your waiter. If you want something from the pastry/ patisserie central cabinet then you have to go directly to the cabinet to select what you would like to order.

The staff member working at the glass counter will then write down what you have ordered and hand you back the sheet. You can then hand this to the waiter that is taking your drinks and hot food order and they will bring you your sweet.

Is the café worth visiting?

Of course, with all of the tourist and social media hype, you might be left wondering ‘is Café Central really worth visiting?’ Well, I would say that it depends entirely on the kind of experience you want to have.

On the one had I really wasn’t a huge fan of the coffee (it was okay but a bit ‘meh’ and definitely overprice for the quality) but, on the other hand, the Apfelstrudel was truly some of the best I had ever eaten. The food and drink is overall pretty overpriced!

 Café Central Vienna

However, the main thing that you are paying for is the ambiance and the history of the café. People watching is a pretty fun activity here and it’s amazing to hear the sights and smell the scents of such a busy and bustling spot that so many famous people have frequented.

I personally would visit again but I would probably try and avoid lunch and the weekends as I’m not sure that I would have enjoyed our experience as much if I had had to queue for an hour in order to access it.

I will also say that the staff were friendly (even if service was on the slower side of things) and no one minded if you were taking photos. There was also no moment where we felt rushed to leave like at so many of these ‘trendy hotspots’, which we definitely appreciated.

 Café Central Vienna

Do I need to book a table for Café Central?

If you have planned your trip to Vienna and it is more than a month away, then I highly recommend booking a table in advance.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a huge number of table reservations per day and so if you try just a couple of days or weeks in advance, you likely won’t secure one. You can make a booking up to three months ahead of time. Find booking slots here.

However, just because there’s no option to reserve a table shouldn’t put you off visiting the café. After all, the majority of the eatery’s clientele are walk ins and there’s always space available. The only downside to this is that there is also often a huge queue and so you can expect to wait over an hour for a table during busy periods.

If you have a reservation, then there is no need to wait in the outside queue. Simply walk through the doors and head to the left hand side (there are two queues once inside). You’ll be greeted by a member of staff who will direct you to your table.

Tips on how to visit Café Central

This is one of the most touristic places in the Austrian capital and so you should be sure to book a table at least a month in advance or arrive at opening time (8 AM) in order to avoid having to wait for too long and standing in long queues.

If waiting in the queue is unavoidable because you want to visit in the late morning or during the weekend, then be sure to bring an umbrella or rain jacket along as rain is pretty common in Vienna (even during the summer!)

Those who frequent the café after 5 PM will be delighted to discover a daily evening piano concert (there is no concert on Tuesday evening). Dinner at Café Central is truly an experience thanks to the live music and evening lighting.

The waiter will ask you for a tip at the end. The exact phrase ours used was “would you like to tip?” Having been raised in the UK, of course I wasn’t going to say no to this request! With this being said, it was a rather awkward conversation and we gave 10% (this isn’t the USA where 18-25 is the norm).

As with any touristy location, do be cautious and keep a really close eye on your belongings. Don’t use the umbrella stand at the entrance as our umbrella was stolen (unfortunately it wasn’t an accident/ mix-up as no other umbrellas were left behind). In order to keep my passport, mobile, and wallet secure, I always use a cross body bag and phone leash.

Even if you are only spending a short amount of time in Vienna, the café is easy to reach thanks to its central location. If you’re looking for more travel inspiration, be sure to check out our suggestions for how to spend one day in Vienna.

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