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How early can I enjoy a coffee in Vienna?

Through my work week I'm always up very early and this holds true on vacation as well. Anywhere from 4 to 5 am. Any advice on where I might get a fine coffee that early in Vienna within or just outside the Ringstrasse? We're there Oct 8 to 12 this year. Thanks.

Posted by
1200 posts

Vienna has many, many cafes. There are lists of cafes listed on the Austria forum. Look at the list of cafes and google for their websites which will tell you what the cafe's hours are.

Posted by
1200 posts

Here is a partical list of cafes:
The Standards:
Hawelka is brown, smoky, dusty, frayed and filled with memorabilia from literary stars of the past. This is not a "cake" place as they only serve Buchteln (rolls filled with jelly, typically plum) late in the evening.

Demel is the complete opposite. Royal, glass chandeliers, gilt everything, gorgeous mahogany cake cases, desserts made from violets. This was the royal bakery of the Habsburgs and they claim to have invented the Sachertorte. Sit upstairs, look in the kitchen as you go up and eat something dainty with chocolate.

Cafe Sperl is probably what you think of when you think of a Viennese cafe. Rounded edges, good strudel, stacks of newspapers, velvet seating. .

Cafe Diglas is quaint and centrally located with the absolute best cakes in Vienna. They have cafe curtains, a cake case that you can easily get acquainted with at the door and good hot drinks.

Cafe Gerstner has the most divine sour cherry strudel (apricot is also good)

Café Prückel has mirrors, chrome and newspapers galore and it is one of the only cafes in the first district where you will find Viennese actually having their daily cafe ritual.

Veering out of travel book range:
Vollpension is just off the Naschmarkt, so still very central. They only employ grandmothers to make their cakes, specifically so that old recipes can live on. Plus they taste great and the cafe itself it the sweetest place in town -

The cafe in the Kunsthistoriches Museum serves Gerstner pastries.

Cafe Wortner has a fountain, flowers and charm with a good lunch menu. Just off center situated on a great corner square for people watching.

Joseph Brot at Landstrasse/Mitte has the best Chai Latte and beautifully hand-crafted baked goods. This is the "it" bakery in Vienna at the moment.

Any cafe stall at the Karmelitermakt or Brunnenmarkt on a Saturday morning. Any single one of them.
Cafe Neko in the first district. It is a Japanese cat cafe and they serve a cake in the shape of a cat.

Posted by
532 posts

Thanks Ann. I saw that list in the recent Best Pastry thread from Emily via Michael Schneider. I have those saved as favourites in Google Maps for when we're there. I honestly didn't consider checking hours each one is open as I suspect they aren't open that early, although you never know. On past trips in other locations I've seen workmen getting their morning shot of grappa and coffee with a pastry relatively early so maybe I'll find one of those.

Posted by
164 posts

There is a chain of coffee shops in Vienna called Anker. They open at 5, 5:30 or 6 AM depending on the location. Google "Anker Vienna" and you will see their locations, maybe there is one close to where you are staying. Some of them are in subway stations. Less expensive than the fancy cafes, but still good pastries and coffee.

Posted by
532 posts

Thanks Ann and khyrstia. Turns out Cafe Sperl south of our hotel is open at 730am, not bad, and an Anker location in the same area is open at 630am. Another Anker east of the hotel is open 6am. So a few good choices. Thanks to both of you for the suggestions.

Posted by
5697 posts

Or (horror of horrors) you can go to Starbucks, which opens around 6.

Posted by
5362 posts

Ann - those are my words. I’d appreciate you crediting me instead of copying and pasty them and making them look like your own.

As for the main question here, no cafe on MY list will open that early. Heck, the Burger King doesn’t even open until 8 am. Viennese don’t do early morning anything, really. That said, the walk-up bakeries do open as early as 5:30, but hours vary so check locally. The main chains are Ströck, Der Mann (local favorite), Anker and Felber. An outlet of one of these chains can be found on practically every corner in Vienna. The Ringstrasse covers a large area. Where exactly are you staying?

Posted by
1875 posts

Other than New York City, Vienna is a city which ever sleeps. :-)

The earliest places for coffee/breakfast are at "Wien Hauptbahnhof" (main train station), easily reachable with metro (subway) U1 [red line], or tram 18.

Anker, Ströck, and Le Crobag open at 5am, Felber at 5:30am (weekdays only).

Posted by
532 posts

Emily, our hotel is Mercure Josefshof Wien am Rathaus.

Posted by
1875 posts

Depending on the room category there may be an espresso machine already in your hotel room, if not ask for one. Buy some milk and put into the fridge.

Posted by
532 posts

Thanks wmt1. I emailed the hotel and sadly our Superior Double does not have a Nespresso or other coffee machine, but I'm told they have bar open 24 hours where fresh coffee is available. So with all the options you and others have provided, I'm all set. Thank you.