I'm putting together a bakery/cafe list as a self-made/guided desert food tour of sorts in Vienna in December. It will be my husband/s birthday present (he loves anything apple and I'm a chocolate baked good person). I am compiling the list from the forum (thank you Emily all those who contribute). As I may have my information wrong and some of the threads are pre-covid, I would appreciate any additions/deletion/comments. Ideally I will have 6-8 places can be anywhere in the city (we will spread them over five days, not one after the other), we like ambiance but don't need it. We've been know to travel a distance on public transportation for just the right food/drink. I would also like to add some booths from the Christmas markets.
My list of ideas so far:
Cafe Sperl, Gerstner Cafe (3rd floor), Vollpension Cafe, Demel (I realize busy but it seems a visit might be worth it??), Kaffemik at Zollergasse), Schleifmuegasse.
On another topic:
I am also looking for a bar/restaurant with good view of the city/Christmas lights, after dark, indoors. Is Neni am Prater good indoors?
Thank you again!
Posted by
2144 posts
... a bakery/cafe list as a self-made/guided desert food tour ...
This is not mutually inclusive, i.e. not all cafés have excellent desserts (e.g. Sperl) and vice versa.
... a bar/restaurant with good view of the city/Christmas lights ...
Most renowned hotels have a roof-top bar and/or a roof-top restaurant.
These are the highest:
57 Restaurant & Lounge (DC Tower 1)
Donauturm (Danube Tower)
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7024 posts
Posted by
Southeastern US
2571 posts
I'll be watching this thread with interest. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time on this exact topic for my upcoming Vienna trip. This is what my notes have been narrowed down to (I have about a dozen tentatively crossed off, but this list changes all the time). These are in no specific order and who knows how many I'll actually get to...or maybe I'll eat at the ones I crossed off after all.
- Bäckerei Arthur Grimm (oldest bakery in Vienna)
- Café Landtmann
- Cafe Diglas
- Café Sperl
- Gerstner Cafe
- Cafe Schwarzenberg
- Café Frauenhuber (oldest café in Vienna)
- Café Jelinek
- Vollpension
Posted by
939 posts
Wherever you go it will be expensive for a dessert and a coffee.
Sacher torte is too dry for me.
The markets have desserts much cheaper but you take back to hotel or eat standing up.
American apple pie is better than strudel.
Of course you have to try them in Vienna.
Posted by
2144 posts
The best cakes, IMHO, you can get at Konditorei Oberlaa. They have about 10 outlets now. When being in the city's center I prefer the one on Neuer Markt. Alternatively, after a nice walk through Oberlaa Park you may go to their very first place (where the name comes from). For a few years there is even one in Central Cemetery.
Oberlaa has a huge selection of little handmade chocolates, a really nice takeaway.
I am not a fan of Sacher Torte, especially not at Sacher, but at Oberlaa it is edible.
Posted by
2144 posts
Should you be interested in Strudel, so watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEb-PxLZUBc
Lukas Mraz, renowned chef (two Michelin stars) of the eponymous restaurant, is taking on the topic in a funny way.
Posted by
41 posts
I concur with wmt1! We spent five days in Vienna and I still dream about the petit fours and other deserts from Konditorei Oberlaa. This location is charming and beautiful and had a nice waiter. As mentioned they have other locations, some without the charm you may be seeking, but you will not be disappointed with the desserts.
ALT-WIENER KAFFEEHAUS OBERLAA
Dommayergasse 1
1130 Wien
This location is in Heitzing which is about .8 mile walking from Shroebrunn Palace, or you can take a short trip on the tram from the stop outside the Palace to the Heitzing stop and walk a few blocks through Heitzing. While in Heitzing, there are some nice shops and a lovely park.
Our visit to Cafe Sperl was disappointing due mainly to the unplesant waiter and a dry tart. Cannot recommend.
Posted by
OP
Tacoma, WA, USA
572 posts
Thank you!
For anyone following their website
https://oberlaa-wien.at/en/ has of all their locations in an easy to follow format.
And probably obvious to many but this explains the numbers. http://www.tourmycountry.com/austria/districts-vienna.htm
Posted by
Southeastern US
2571 posts
Well now Konditorei Oberlaa has been added to my list, but maybe it evens out if I skip Sperl (thanks, Therese).
Posted by
Warrensburg, MO
18 posts
Was in Vienna two weeks ago and preferred my cake at 15 süße Minuten Café - Bäckerei over the cake at Cafe Sperl. They're 3 blocks away from each other.
Posted by
Southeastern US
2571 posts
What cake did you have, Art?
Posted by
Warrensburg, MO
18 posts
I had Mohnkuchen (poppyseed cake) at 15. They had a lot of delicious things in the display case. The apricot cake at Sperl was average.
Posted by
2144 posts
The apricot cake at Sperl was average.
Café Sperl is very old and traditional. In former times you went there for a coffee and reading the newspapers for hours. Eating there was not the primary goal. For a good meal you went to a restaurant, for a good cake you went to a Konditorei (confectionery). Nowadays cafés cannot survive having solely customers drinking one coffee only during several hours. So serving food became more and more important, although it is not their core business.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1634 posts
K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker L. Heiner