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Austria - influencing coffee culture for over 300 years
Quick guide: In Austria, you don't order "a coffee" — you choose from 14+ traditional preparations built on the Mokka (a slightly longer espresso). The most popular are:
- Mokka / Kleiner Schwarzer — strong black coffee, slightly longer than an Italian espresso
- Großer Schwarzer — a double Mokka
- Kleiner / Großer Brauner — single or double Mokka served with a small jug of milk on the side
- Melange — Mokka with steamed milk and foam (think milder cappuccino)
- Verlängerter — Mokka "extended" with hot water (closest to an Americano)
- Franziskaner — a Melange topped with whipped cream instead of foam
- Einspänner — double Mokka crowned with a tower of whipped cream, served in a glass with a handle
- Fiaker — an Einspänner spiked with rum, plum brandy, or cherry liqueur
- Maria Theresia — double Mokka with orange liqueur and whipped cream
Austrian coffee is more, much more than Viennese Coffee. Read on to get a complete overview.
Even a casual visitor will soon notice the importance of coffee in Austria. Austria is a small country in the center of Europe that has contributed quite a lot to the development of modern coffee culture in Europe and far beyond. You will find many coffee shops around the world carrying names like Café Mozart, Vienna Coffee House, relating to Austria. Even the American chain Blue Bottle Coffee borrowed its name from one of the legendary early Viennese coffee houses, "Zur blauen Flasche," tied to the romantic (if historically disputed) tale of Jerzy Kulczycki opening Vienna's first café after the 1683 Battle of Vienna. The first documented Vienna coffee house was actually opened by the Armenian Johannes Theodat in 1685.
Austria was formerly the center of the Habsburg Empire, tucked away in the Alps and having only about the same number of inhabitants as New York City. But as small as this country is, it has had a significant influence on the development of European coffeehouse culture over the last 330+ years
In 2011, the Viennese Coffee House Culture was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list to recognize its cultural significance.
Are you a first-time visitor to Austria or a newly arrived resident?
To make the most of your stay and avoid embarrassment, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with some local customs and peculiarities. Getting coffee in a traditional Austrian café can be challenging. The choices offered will differ from back home - wherever that may be. To know how to order coffee in Austria is a survival skill.
Facing the challenge of ordering correctly in a Viennese coffee house
Don't make the mistake of ordering "a coffee" in a classic café. You will get nothing more than a blank stare from your waiter. If he is in a good mood, he may hand you a menu with a list of anywhere between ten and twenty different preparations. Some of these may resemble a coffee drink from home to some extent, but most will be different.
And don't confuse your waiter with "Vienna Coffee". This might exist somewhere else, but not in Austria. It is certainly a good idea to memorize the names in German, at least for your favorite choice. This will help to make your Austrian coffee experience a pleasant one.
Don't be surprised when the waiter brings a small glass of water with your coffee. That's a centuries-old tradition to show you that this cafe is using pure and fresh water for making your drinks.
What's so special about coffee in Austria?
One thing you will notice is that most of their coffee preparations do not come pre-sweetened. Sugar dispensers are on your table and how much you want to stir into your coffee is your own choice.
Another thing is the generous use of whipped cream. The German word for it is "Schlagobers". Mind you, it's freshly made whipped cream, the real McCoy. If you grew up on the spray can version you will be in for a revelation and not be able ever to go back to that artificial stuff.
There are also no flavored syrups, no soy lattes, no half and half in Austrian coffee. If you crave those you will have to go to the globally operating coffee chain that you always wanted to get away from. Yes, they are even in Austria and slowly gaining traction.
Several coffee preparations are fortified and flavored with a little alcohol. A shot of rum, sliwowitz (prune brandy), cherry brandy or orange liqueur will add a whole new level of flavors.
Mokka, the basic unit for most of Austrian coffee preparations
At the core of all Austrian coffee preparations is the "Mokka". It is a strong black coffee which in the past was filtered in a special coffee pot called Seihkanne or Karlsbader Kanne. In this Wikipedia article, you can find some images of such a pot, the explanation is in German, however. Nowadays, for speed and convenience, most coffee houses prepare the Mokka in an espresso machine.
It is like an Italian espresso, but not exactly the same as it is prepared with a little more water. Mokka is pure coffee and does not contain any chocolate at all. Traditionally, Austrian coffee houses used beans from Yemen or Ethiopia. Some coffee houses are proud of their own blends. However, these days many just use commercial blends from Meinl, Illy, Segafredo, etc.
The Mokka was named after a port city in Yemen, once a major center for the coffee trade. The association of Mokka or Mocha with chocolate originated from a natural flavor component of coffee beans from Yemen, hinting at chocolate.
Just as a side note for clarity, the term Mokka is sometimes also used for Turkish coffee, which is a totally different animal.
How to order coffee in a Viennese coffee house like a local
Kleiner Schwarzer - Grosser Schwarzer
Looks like an espresso, but it is a Mokka, which is also called "Kleiner Schwarzer" = little black one for a single. To get a double, ask for a "Grosser Schwarzer" = big black one.
Kleiner Brauner - Grosser Brauner
If you like your coffee with milk or cream, order a "Kleiner Brauner" or "Grosser Brauner" = little or big brown one. This is just a Mokka served with milk or cream on the side, which you can add yourself as you like. You have full control of the proportion that's right for you.
Verlängerter
A Mokka with hot water added, similar to an Americano. Verlängert means extended.
Melange (sometimes also called Wiener Melange)
This is Mokka and steamed milk in equal proportions and a little milk foam on top. You can have a little cocoa powder sprinkled on top if you like. This preparation is like a Cappuccino but uses milder coffee beans.
Franziskaner
Quite similar to Melange, but instead of milk foam there is Schlagobers (whipped cream) on top.
Kapuziner
A Mokka with a little cream added. The cream is not just any kind of coffee creamer but real cream, also used for whipping. The brown color is reminding of the cloak of a Kapuziner monk, thus the name.
Einspänner
A Grosser Schwarzer (double Mokka) topped with a generous amount of Schlagobers and served in a glass with a handle. This is a very traditional drink and was very popular with coachmen of horse-driven carriages. You still can see many of them in Vienna as they are a popular tourist attraction.
Fiaker
Another popular drink with coachmen, similar to the Einspänner, but fortified with a shot of Rum, Sliwowitz or Cherry Brandy. This drink will warm you up very well in wintertime. A fiaker is a carriage with two horses.
Kaffee verkehrt (inverted coffee)
This one is like a Latte macchiato. Hot milk is topped with milk foam, and finally, a Mokka is added to create a pretty drink with three layers, served in a tall glass.
Maria Theresia Kaffee
Looks like an Einspänner served in a different glass. But when you have your first sip, you'll know the difference.
A double Mokka with a shot of French orange liqueur and topped with an ample amount of Schlagobers. Supposed to have been a favorite of the Empress Maria Theresia. And it is also my personal favorite.
A new coffee craze in NYC, but of Austrian origin
A few years ago, a coffee shop in New York City, the Round K, reinvented this preparation and made it very popular on Instagram under the hashtag #eggcappucino. Some of you might shudder at the thought of putting a raw egg yolk into your coffee. This certainly is not for everyone. Be sure to use only top-quality eggs. In many countries, it is advisable to avoid supermarket eggs because of the risk of Salmonella infection.
The current narrative is that it is a Vietnamese specialty. This may be the case, but it existed in Austria long ago when there was still an Emperor around, and Russia still had a czar. The names of the two preparations below still reference those long-gone times. Historically, they are clearly part of typical Austrian coffee.
Kaisermelange
Raw egg yolk with some honey stirred in and gently added on top of a double Mokka.
Zarenkaffee
Similar to Kaisermelange, but instead of honey, sugar is added to the raw egg yolk, beaten until foamy, then gently added on top of a double Mokka.
Which are the best Cafés in Vienna, Salzburg, and Graz?
In Vienna alone, you can choose between more than 2,400 cafés, from the very traditional ones with a history of over 300 years to small and casual espresso bars. If you are not ready to explore the Austrian coffee culture yet, you can even go to a Starbucks to enjoy mediocre coffee and sub-par food. It is beyond me, but there are at least 15 Starbucks in Vienna at the time of writing this.
In most Austrian coffee houses, food is as important as the coffee itself. Food can be anything from breakfast items, light lunch menus to wonderful cakes and pastries. In many cases, the name of the café will give away its concept and focus. If you read “Konditorei” or “Hofzuckerbäcker”, you can expect an incredible range of delicious cakes, strudels, and other sweets.
Any recommendation for a real coffee house that I give you here will be unfair to hundreds of other superb cafés that remain unmentioned. I encourage you to venture out and discover your personal favorite café.
Cafés in Vienna
Café Schwarzenberg
Established in 1861, Café Schwarzenberg survived two wars and 10 years of Soviet occupation and can still be found at a central location. It succeeded in preserving the typical feel and atmosphere of a traditional Vienna Café for more than 150 years.
You can enjoy breakfast, classic Vienna cuisine, including the famous Wiener Schnitzel, and seasonal specialties from 7:30 to 24:00. And of course, they serve a full range of cakes, strudels, and pastries as well. They go extremely well with their Vienna-style coffee preparations.
Café Schwarzenberg is a recommended destination for coffee lovers as it uses outstanding quality organic Arabica coffee beans, grown at high altitudes in Honduras and roasted to perfection.
Kärntner Ring 17, 1010 Wien
Tel. + 43 1 512 89 98
office@cafe-schwarzenberg.at
You can also check their website for directions.
Café Hawelka
Cafe Hawelka is a legendary coffee house in Vienna and a must-be destination. In its history of more than 80 years, it has seen many famous guests from all over the world, including Arthur Miller, Peter Ustinov, and Andy Warhol.
Leopold and Josefine Hawelka opened the Café in 1939 but had to close it a few months later because of WWII. They reopened right after the war, and the Café soon became a focal point for writers and artists.
Photo credit: _chris_st on VisualHunt
Leopold and Josefine ran their café until they died in 2011 and 2005. Every guest was greeted with a handshake. Buchteln, steamed yeast buns filled with a stew of Zwetschgen - a kind of central-European plums - are the perfect accompaniment to a great coffee. They still make them with the old recipe from Josefine.Café Hawelka is family-run, now in its 3rd generation. They have added a coffee roastery and are selling single-origin coffees as well as a few unique blends in their online-shop.
Photo credit: Brian Cathcart on VisualHunt
Dorotheergasse 6, 1010 Wien
Tel. + 43 1 512 82 30
You can also check their website for directions.
Café Central
Please note that the place is currently closed for renovations. Reopening is expected in the fall of 2026.
Opened in 1876 inside the magnificent Palais Ferstel, Café Central is arguably the most photographed coffee house in the world — and for good reason. Vaulted ceilings, marble columns, and a piano player most afternoons make it feel like stepping into the 19th century. Trotsky, Freud, and Peter Altenberg were all regulars (a papier-mâché Altenberg still "greets" you at the entrance).
It's touristy and you'll likely queue, but the Sachertorte, the Apfelstrudel, and the atmosphere justify the wait. Order a Wiener Melange and a slice of cake and stay for an hour — that's the Viennese way.
Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien
Tel: +43 (1) 533 37 63-61
(09.00-17.30 from Monday to Friday)
Tel: +43 (1) 533 37 63-24
Café Sacher
Home of the original Sachertorte, invented in 1832 by 16-year-old Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich. The recipe is still a closely guarded secret, and the café — attached to the equally famous Hotel Sacher opposite the State Opera — has been pulling in opera-goers, diplomats, and curious travellers for nearly two centuries.
Yes, it's a tourist landmark. Yes, the cake is worth it. Order the Sachertorte mit Schlag (with whipped cream) and a Großer Brauner.
Philharmoniker Str. 4
1010 Vienna, Austria
wien@sacher.com
Phone: +43 1 514 560
Café Landtmann
Founded in 1873 by Franz Landtmann, this elegant café on the Ringstraße has hosted Freud, Mahler, Marlene Dietrich, and a long list of Austrian chancellors. Today it's still a power-lunch spot for politicians (the Burgtheater and Parliament are next door) and one of the better places in the city for breakfast.
The cake counter is enormous, the service is unfailingly formal, and the terrace is one of the loveliest in Vienna on a warm afternoon.
Their reputation goes as far as Japan, where they have opened a branch in Tokyo. Not bad, but no comparison to the original.
Universitätsring 4
1010 Wien
cafe@landtmann.at
Café Sperl
A favourite of Gustav Klimt and the Secessionist artists, Café Sperl has barely changed since it opened in 1880 — same Thonet chairs, same billiard tables, same slightly faded grandeur. It's quieter and less touristy than the Ringstraße cafés, making it a perfect spot to settle in with a newspaper and a Melange, exactly as a Stammgast (regular) would.
Gumpendorferstrasse 11
1060 Wien
Email: melange@cafesperl.at
+43 1 5864158
Cafés in Salzburg
Café Tomaselli
The oldest continuously operating coffee house in Austria — open since 1700 and run by the Tomaselli family for over 150 years. Sitting in the Alter Markt in Salzburg's Old Town, it's where Hermann Bahr, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, and Max Reinhardt are said to have hatched the idea for the Salzburg Festival.
A "good day starts with breakfast at the Tomaselli," as the locals say. Look for the Kaffeedame — the traditional coffee waitress in a white pinafore who circulates with a tray of cakes for you to choose from at your table.
Alter Markt 9, 5020 Salzburg
+43 662 84 44 880
Email: office@tomaselli.at
Café Bazar
Opened in 1909 on the banks of the Salzach with a view straight up to the Hohensalzburg fortress. Stefan Zweig, Thomas Mann, and Arthur Schnitzler were all regulars, and the Belle Époque interior is largely intact. The terrace, when the weather cooperates, is one of the finest coffee-with-a-view spots in Austria.
Schwarzstraße 3, 5020 Salzburg
Café Fürst
Less of a traditional coffee house, more of an institution: this is where the original Mozartkugel was invented in 1890 by Paul Fürst, and the family still hand-makes them in the back. Stop in for a Melange and a fresh Mozartkugel (genuinely better than the foil-wrapped supermarket versions) on the Brodgasse location.
Brodgasse 13, 5020 Salzburg
Cafés in Graz
Café Schwalbennest
The perfect place to enjoy a sunny afternoon with Austrian coffee specialties and homemade scrumptious cakes. These cakes are so incredibly good, and people know it, so don’t be surprised when they are selling out quickly.
The café is conveniently located in the center of Graz, making it the perfect spot to take a break from a sightseeing walking tour of charming Graz.
They have indoor as well as outdoor seating, but my favorite spot is the second-floor balcony, where you can enjoy a nice view of the nearby river Mur.
Please note that they are closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Franziskanerplatz 1, 8010 Graz
Tel. +43 316 818892
You can also check their website for directions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee in Austria
What is the most popular coffee in Vienna?
The Melange is the most-ordered traditional coffee in Vienna — a Mokka topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, often dusted with cocoa. It's roughly the Austrian answer to a cappuccino, but made with milder beans and a slightly different milk-to-coffee ratio.
What is the difference between a Melange and a cappuccino?
A cappuccino uses espresso and equal parts steamed milk and dense milk foam. A Melange uses a Mokka (slightly longer than an espresso, made with milder beans) and tends to have more steamed milk and a lighter, looser foam. The result is gentler and less intense than an Italian cappuccino.
Why do Austrian cafés serve a glass of water with coffee?
The little glass of water served alongside your coffee is a centuries-old tradition with several explanations: it cleanses the palate between sips, helps you stay hydrated when lingering for hours, and historically signaled that the café used fresh spring water and had nothing to hide. A truly attentive waiter will refill it without being asked.
Is Vienna coffee a real thing?
Not in Austria. "Vienna coffee" or "Viennese coffee" is a term invented abroad — usually meaning black coffee topped with whipped cream. If you want that drink in Vienna, order an Einspänner.
What is the oldest coffee house in Austria?
Café Tomaselli in Salzburg, founded in 1700, is widely recognized as the oldest continuously operating coffee house in Austria. In Vienna, Café Frauenhuber is often cited as the oldest still-running coffee house in the capital — the site has hosted a café since the late 1700s, though the current name dates to 1891.
Is tipping expected in Viennese cafés?
Yes. A tip of around 5–10% is customary. Tell the waiter the total you want to pay (including tip) when you settle the bill, rather than leaving cash on the table.
What is Viennese coffee house culture?
It's the centuries-old tradition of using cafés as a "public living room" — places to read newspapers, write, debate, play chess, and linger for hours over a single coffee without ever being rushed. UNESCO recognised it as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011.
Can you get an Americano in Austria?
Order a Verlängerter ("extended") — a Mokka diluted with hot water. It's the closest traditional equivalent.
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