Beyond Sacher

Once the capital of the grand Habsburg Empire, echoes of Vienna’s imperial past still remain – nowhere more so than in Austria’s hubs of culture, cake and Sacher: the coffee house.

Unequivocally a Viennese institution, the coffee house is a living monument to Austria’s grand and sometimes difficult past. In the summer of 1913 alone, Trotsky, Stalin, Hitler, Tito, Lenin, Freud and Franz Ferdinand were all said to have lost time beneath the lofty vaulted ceilings of the ever popular Café Central.

Marble table tops, Thonet chairs, parquetry flooring and gargantuan period light fittings; here, Baroque, Biedermeier and Art Nouveau all share the stage. One might imbue the spirit of Hundertwasser at Café Hawelka or maybe Gustav Mahler at Café Landtmann – Vienna’s coffee house is a place where culture transcends time and social strata, where yuppie, hipster, tourist and well-to-do old biddy commingle harmoniously beneath towers of cake, coffee and cream.

Beyond the infamous chocolate of the royal Sacher Torte and the fruity, flaky, buttery goodness of the world-famous Apfelstrudel, there lies a profusion of Mehlspeisen, or delectable, complex Austrian pastries boasting technicolour icing, candied fruit, nuts, cream, more chocolate, more cream, Kardinalschnitte, Mozarttorte and Esterházy Torte.

Perhaps the simplicity of a freshly baked “Buchtel”, or yeast bun filled with a sugary mass of poppy seeds might curtail the extravagance. Variety is indeed the spice of life.

Nestled in the heart of Vienna, Demel is more than just a café; it’s a journey through time, steeped in the sweet aroma of history and sugar. Founded in 1786, this iconic pâtisserie is a living museum of Habsburg opulence, where golden chandeliers cast a warm glow over polished marble counters brimming with decadent confections. Here, the past whispers through every bite of Sachertorte, each slice crafted with the same precision that once enchanted emperors and empresses. As you sip your rich, frothy coffee, watching the meticulous art of pastry-making unfold behind glass, it feels as though the walls themselves are serenading you with tales of Viennese elegance. At Demel, indulgence isn’t just a pleasure; it’s a tradition, preserved and presented with grace befitting a royal court.

Served on a silver tray with a ubiquitous glass of water and often with the simple enquiry "Schlagobers?", or, “would you like whipped cream with that?” – your coffee, whether Wiener Melange, Kleiner Schwarzer, Großer Brauner or Einspänner, is a symbol of Vienna’s extravagant culture (and always reply yes).

The sumptuous Fiaker, named after the romantic horse and carriage takes you a step further - a self-indulgent encore with an extra shot of coffee, more whipped cream, the addition of rum or schnapps and occasionally adorned with a cocktail cherry. Vienna in a mug.

Emperor Franz Josef I once proclaimed "Sie haben's gut, Sie können ins Kaffeehaus geh'n!" Literally: you’re good, you can go to the café! We don’t disagree. As part of Vienna’s intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO put it oh so well, “The coffee houses are a place where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is on the bill.”