9 Best Cafes in Vienna for Brunch & Coffee Lovers

Looking for the best cafes in Vienna, Austria, for your upcoming trip? I’ve put together this guide to my favourite Vienna coffee shops.

You land in the world capital of coffee culture only to wonder which marble-topped table actually deserves your euros.

After two lengthy visits of my own (and more slices of Sachertorte than my jeans care to remember), I’ve narrowed the field to nine spots that balance history, hipster cred, and straight-up deliciousness.

We’ll sip where Freud drafted case notes at Café Landtmann, gossip with Omas baking strudel at Vollpension, and chase turmeric lattes inside a palm-fringed greenhouse at Palmenhaus.

Stick with me, and you’ll know exactly what to order, when to snag a window seat, and how to thread these cafés into any Vienna itinerary, no caffeine-induced FOMO required.

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Best Coffee Shops & Cafes in Vienna

1. phil – Café, bookshop & bar

Neighbourhood | Mariahilfer

Part bookshop, part living-room bar, phil fills a retro-furnished storefront on Gumpendorfer Strasse with second-hand paperbacks, vinyl racks and mismatched sofas you can actually buy.

Expect low-lit lamps, no-laptop tables and an events board packed with DJ sets and readings.

Kick off with a velvety melange and their cult Phil Frühstück (grilled sourdough, house hummus, apricot jam), then linger over an afternoon Spritz while thumbing a €2 paperback you just rescued.

My husband and I enjoyed a leisurely morning here, snacking on our hummus and falafel plate and bircher muesli. We came back here a couple of times during our stay nearby in one of the coolest neighbourhoods to stay in Vienna – Mariahilf.

Weekdays open from 9 AM (3 PM Mondays) till 11 PM, midnight on Fri–Sat, so it’s as reliable for a nightcap as for a morning caffeine hit.

Bar stools by the front window score both plug sockets and prime people-watching of Mariahilfer’s creative crowd.

Location: Phil – Café, bookshop & bar

2. Cafe Landtmann

Neighbourhood | Innere Stadt

Vienna’s “Grand Café” since 1873, Landtmann spreads its white-cloth tables along Universitätsring beside the Burgtheater, all mahogany panelling, crystal chandeliers and bow-tied waiters.

Freud drafted case notes here, and you’ll soon share the mirrored booths with politicians, playwrights and jet-lagged tourists hunting Sachertorte.

Order a classic Wiener Melange plus Landtmann’s own chocolate-almond torte (lighter than the Sacher), or go savoury with the buttery Wiener Schnitzel served in a copper pan.

Warm Apfelstrudel with vanilla sauce makes the strictest diet crumble, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Doors open 7:30 AM – 1 1 PM daily (earlier than most Ring cafés) so you can sneak in breakfast before museum crowds. Book a veranda table online for Rathaus views.

Service is old-school unhurried; flag a waiter with a gentle “Entschuldigung” and round up the bill by 5–10 %—tips aren’t included. Slip out past the dessert vitrine and you’ll understand why Viennese call lingering here Kaffeehauskultur in its purest form.

Location: Cafe Landtmann

3. Vollpension

Neighbourhood | Wieden

Step into “Grandma’s public living room” and you’ll find Omas and Opas in retro aprons whisking batter in the open kitchen. Vollpension is a social-enterprise café where retirees earn extra pension money by baking the cakes of your childhood dreams.

Expect floral sofas, 1950s radios, and the scent of apple strudel drifting from the ovens.

Two branches serve the same granny love: the cozier original that I visited at Schleifmühlgasse 16 (4th district) and a larger salon at Johannesgasse 4 (1st district). Dogs are welcome in Schleifmühlgasse but not downtown.

Order the Erbschleicher Frühstück, a mountain of brioche, butter, homemade jams, soft-boiled egg, and a slice of whatever cake just left the tin. Or drop by for a mid-afternoon slab of warm chocolate Gugelhupf plus a frothy Wiener Melange.

Opening hours run roughly 8 AM – 7 PM Sunday through Wednesday, with expanded hours Thursday through Saturday of 8 AM – 11 PM. Reserve online for weekend brunch (tables vanish days ahead).

Bring cash for the tip jar and leave room to chat.

Location: Vollpension at Schleifmühlgasse 16

4. Drechsler Cafe

Neighbourhood | Mariahilfer

Opened in 1919 and rebooted by designer Sir Terence Conran in 2007, Café Drechsler mixes classic marble-topped tables with sleek cup-and-saucer light fixtures. A stylish pit-stop right across from the Naschmarkt.

Expect all-day breakfast (officially until 3 PM), and strong Hauskaffee. Doors swing open at 8 AM (9 AM on weekends) and shut at 4 PM, making it a favourite both for pre-market breakfast and post-market cappuccinos.

Order the “Hangover Frühstück” stacked with speck, scrambled eggs, and a miniature goulash, or go traditional with a Wiener Melange and still-crusty Kaiser roll. Their paprika-rich beef goulash is a local legend for good reason.

Weekends see a brunch rush right after the Naschmarkt opens, so arrive before 9 AM. Nab a curved banquette for vintage views and people-watching.

My husband and I dug into a fabulous scrambled eggs platter and yogurt bowl. Loving the crushed fruit and dense rye bread.

Location: Drechsler Cafe Wienzeile

5. blueorange – coffee & bagel

Neighbourhood | Wieden

Blueorange channels New-York-deli energy into Vienna’s brunch scene. Counter staff stack freshly baked bagels with everything from beet-hummus-and-rocket to bacon-egg-and-cheddar, while the La Marzocco hums through a steady stream of Bio-Fairtrade espresso.

The menu leans plant-forward (vegan and gluten-free rounds on request), and Falstaff praises the spot for “slow food that pampers body and soul.”

Order the American Bagel overloaded with crispy bacon, egg, and cheddar if you’re hungry, or the Rote-Rüben Hummus bagel plus a ginger shot for a lighter, vegan hit.

Need a sweet finish? Their cinnamon-sugar “Original” is toasted to perfection.

Doors open 07:30 AM – 6 PM weekdays (9 AM weekends) at Margaretenstraße, so early birds beat the brunch queue. Seating is tight, so grab one of the street-facing stools for the best people-watching.

Location: blueorange – coffee & bagel

6. Palmenhaus

Neighbourhood | Innere Stadt

Housed in Emperor Franz Joseph’s 1901 glass-and-steel greenhouse, the Palmenhaus sits inside the Burggarten like a tropical time capsule. Think soaring palms, mosaic-tiled floors, and sunlight that turns every melange into a spotlight moment.

Breakfast starts at 10 AM during weekdays and 9 AM on weekends and runs only until noon, so arrive early for the Palmenhaus Frühstück (smoked salmon, soft-boiled egg, Viennese pastries) or a plate of fluffy Kaiserschmarrn you can split in two.

After midday the menu pivots to brasserie classics like schnitzel, seasonal salads, and a solid Aperol Spritz or glass of champagne.

Terrace tables overlook the rose beds and can’t be reserved before 6 PM, so join the informal queue or ask the host if a quick coffee slot is possible.

The greenhouse gets balmy; dress in layers and snag a seat near the side doors for cross-breeze. When you’re finished, stroll the Burggarten for a Mozart-statue sunset and an unbeatable photo of the Palmenhaus glowing from within.

Palmenhaus is within walking distance of some of the best boutique hotels in Vienna, too.

Location: Brasserie Palmenhaus Wien

7. Café Gloriette at Schönbrunn

Neighbourhood | Schönbrunn

Perched on the hill behind Schönbrunn Palace, Café Gloriette trades chandelier glamour for palace-roof panoramas: floor-to-ceiling arched windows frame Vienna on one side and manicured gardens on the other.

Grab a marble-topped table inside the 1775 Neo-Classical pavilion. Or better yet, the south-facing terrace, and feel like Habsburg royalty for the price of a coffee.

Order a classic Wiener Melange plus a slice of warm Apfelstrudel, or splurge on the weekend-only Sisi Buffet (from 9 AM; €42) loaded with Kaiser rolls, smoked salmon, cheeses and bottomless hot drinks, all to live classical music.

The café opens daily at 9 AM and usually closes around 8 PM, depending on the season. Roof-terrace access follows the same schedule (April–Oct).

Location: Café Gloriette at Schönbrunn

8. Carl Ludwig Cafe

Neighbourhood | Wieden

Hidden just off Karlsplatz at Favoritenstraße 7, Carl Ludwig is a specialty-coffee haven with a leafy courtyard terrace that faces the ornate Palais Carl Ludwig. Inside, mid-century chairs, high ceilings and a Modbar espresso set-up make it as laptop-friendly as it is photogenic.

Order a zesty Kenyan V60 or the barista-favourite flat white (beans are roasted locally by Charles Fürth) plus one of their still-warm cinnamon buns (often gone before noon and oh so yummy!).

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Carl Ludwig Cafe offers plenty of plugs and strong Wi-Fi for remote work. Terrace seats fill first on sunny days, so arrive early or stake a spot indoors and migrate outside when a table frees up.

Location: Carl Ludwig Cafe

9. Superfood Deli 1060

Neighbourhood | Mariahilfer

For a vitamin hit between museum hops, head to Superfood Deli’s flagship at Mariahilfer Str. 45 (6th district). Bright surf-shack décor, hanging plants and reggae playlists set a laid-back tone while blenders whir up antioxidant powerhouses.

Order the bestseller “Brazilian Açaí” bowl loaded with banana, granola and peanut butter, or a Poké Bowl if you’re craving savoury. Wash it down with a ginger shot or a coconut-milk flat white.

Seating is very limited, but turnover is quick, so grab a window bar stool for prime Mariahilfer people-watching.

Location: Superfood Deli 1060

Best Vienna Cafes & Coffee Shops Conclusion

Vienna might wear its imperial history like a ball gown, but its cafés prove the city knows how to loosen the corset.

From phil’s vinyl-spinning book den to Landtmann’s chandelier sparkle, and from a granny-baked Gugelhupf at Vollpension to a bagel fuel-up at blueorange, you’ve now got a caffeine circuit that spans centuries in just a few tram stops.

Save these restaurants to your Google Maps, charge your phone for all the coffee-cup selfies, and plot your route before the morning bells chime.

Prost to good brews and even better stories!