Wiener Kaffeehaeuser
I've been working on my dad's book - proofreading, correcting some English, being nitpicky and finding exceptions to all his examples. In order to make it more interesting I've been doing it all in different Kaffeehauser (cafes) - first I tried to visit every one exactly once, but then it got sunny and I went to Do-An a couple of times, and so on. I've missed many, but a complete list would be impossible in this city.
Category 1:
Sacher, Central, Griensteidl - These are all cafes with long honorable histories, but unfortunately this means that they're also included in all the tourist guides. I've never actually been in Sacher or known anyone who went there - Demel makes the better (and more authentic) Sachertorte anyway. (Demel isn't on this list because, while it has the best cakes in the city, it's not a place to sit with a Grosser Brauner for two hours and work.) Cafe Central is architecturally very distinct and impressive and thus is probably worth a visit, but neither it nor the Griensteidl have much in common with the "Literatencafes" they were at the fin de siecle.
Category 2:
Traditional nice cafes, a bit fancy (at least in comparison with 3, though the line between the two is completely arbitrary). These are where locals go (and they still go often, despite Starbucks' arrival).
Diglas, Tirolerhof, Prueckel - All in the first district and pretty and authentic and all that. I don't have much of a connection with any of them, though I like Prueckel the best - it's very large and has huge windows, so it gets much more sunshine than most cafes. It's also celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
Sperl - This is where I used to meet my dad after school on Saturdays, and then (after reading newspapers for hours) we'd go down to the Nashmarkt and go grocery shopping. Best when it's blistering cold outside and all warm and golden inside.
Museum - recently renovated according to Loos' original Art Deco design. I wasn't too impressed, too minty green.
Dommeyer - this one's way out in Hitzing, but close to Schoenbrun so potential tourists may yet find it. Very pretty Jugendstil.
Category 3:
The distinguishing characteristic here is that most haven't been renovated or really cleaned since they opened. If they ever did people would probably never forgive them.
Hawelka - The prototypical shabby smoky comforable cave. It used to be my favorite cafe by far, but it's in too many guidebooks now (though if you don't speak German: you're not just imagining it, the waiters are making snide remarks about you). They're open late, until 2am, and after 10 they have Buchteln which are yummy and I'm not going to explain. RIP Josephine Hawelka, who used to make them, but she died this spring. Her husband Leopold is still around most evenings.
Braeunerhof - around the corner from the Hawelka, definitely less touristy and less cavelike. Also has a longer history - I think it closed during WWII and reopened only a while afterwards.
Korb - I'm not sure whether the Cafe Korb was founded in the early sixties or just renovated last then, but it's definitely got that vibe. The lady in charge has a crazy hair up-and-forwards roll going on that fits in well. They have good Kaesetoasts.
Das Kleine Cafe - it's a very small cafe where they often play bad rock (think Bon Jovi). But it's so cute you forgive them.
Stein - close to the University and thus full of students. Plays with a bar aesthetic - the mirrors in the toilet stalls (wtf?) - but comfy.
Kafka - my new favorite cafe - i hadn't ever been there until this project, unlike most of the others, but I bent the rules and went there a couple times since then. It's approximately between Sperl and a Starbucks, geographically, which goes to show the density of cafes Vienna can support. I like Kafka because it's small and cozy and the last time I was there they were playing Cuban songs about Che Guevara. Most cafes don't play music, which I think is a very good thing, but Kafka has great taste and gets away with it.
Category 4: Miscellaneous cool places
Palmenhaus - A huge classical wroughtiron greenhouse, renovated and turned into a huge bar/cafe. Lovely when it's sunny, a bit full of sleazy beautiful people at night. The bathrooms are popular with the gymnasiasten who hang out (read: drink) in the park surrounding it (ah, the memories...)
Do-AN - the cafe am Naschmarkt where the hip beautiful people sit when it's sunny. They serve cafe latte in bowls, which is about all I need to love a place.
phil - cafe/bar/book/cd/dvd/furniturestore across from Sperl. They're the only place in Vienna that I know of that has Premium Cola, which is the old Africola, resurrected by some Germans. It has fewer ingredients and more caffeine than Coke and is absurdly hip of course, as is phil.
There you go - a long irrelevant list with no adresses or any redeeming useful features. Enjoy.
Category 1:
Sacher, Central, Griensteidl - These are all cafes with long honorable histories, but unfortunately this means that they're also included in all the tourist guides. I've never actually been in Sacher or known anyone who went there - Demel makes the better (and more authentic) Sachertorte anyway. (Demel isn't on this list because, while it has the best cakes in the city, it's not a place to sit with a Grosser Brauner for two hours and work.) Cafe Central is architecturally very distinct and impressive and thus is probably worth a visit, but neither it nor the Griensteidl have much in common with the "Literatencafes" they were at the fin de siecle.
Category 2:
Traditional nice cafes, a bit fancy (at least in comparison with 3, though the line between the two is completely arbitrary). These are where locals go (and they still go often, despite Starbucks' arrival).
Diglas, Tirolerhof, Prueckel - All in the first district and pretty and authentic and all that. I don't have much of a connection with any of them, though I like Prueckel the best - it's very large and has huge windows, so it gets much more sunshine than most cafes. It's also celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
Sperl - This is where I used to meet my dad after school on Saturdays, and then (after reading newspapers for hours) we'd go down to the Nashmarkt and go grocery shopping. Best when it's blistering cold outside and all warm and golden inside.
Museum - recently renovated according to Loos' original Art Deco design. I wasn't too impressed, too minty green.
Dommeyer - this one's way out in Hitzing, but close to Schoenbrun so potential tourists may yet find it. Very pretty Jugendstil.
Category 3:
The distinguishing characteristic here is that most haven't been renovated or really cleaned since they opened. If they ever did people would probably never forgive them.
Hawelka - The prototypical shabby smoky comforable cave. It used to be my favorite cafe by far, but it's in too many guidebooks now (though if you don't speak German: you're not just imagining it, the waiters are making snide remarks about you). They're open late, until 2am, and after 10 they have Buchteln which are yummy and I'm not going to explain. RIP Josephine Hawelka, who used to make them, but she died this spring. Her husband Leopold is still around most evenings.
Braeunerhof - around the corner from the Hawelka, definitely less touristy and less cavelike. Also has a longer history - I think it closed during WWII and reopened only a while afterwards.
Korb - I'm not sure whether the Cafe Korb was founded in the early sixties or just renovated last then, but it's definitely got that vibe. The lady in charge has a crazy hair up-and-forwards roll going on that fits in well. They have good Kaesetoasts.
Das Kleine Cafe - it's a very small cafe where they often play bad rock (think Bon Jovi). But it's so cute you forgive them.
Stein - close to the University and thus full of students. Plays with a bar aesthetic - the mirrors in the toilet stalls (wtf?) - but comfy.
Kafka - my new favorite cafe - i hadn't ever been there until this project, unlike most of the others, but I bent the rules and went there a couple times since then. It's approximately between Sperl and a Starbucks, geographically, which goes to show the density of cafes Vienna can support. I like Kafka because it's small and cozy and the last time I was there they were playing Cuban songs about Che Guevara. Most cafes don't play music, which I think is a very good thing, but Kafka has great taste and gets away with it.
Category 4: Miscellaneous cool places
Palmenhaus - A huge classical wroughtiron greenhouse, renovated and turned into a huge bar/cafe. Lovely when it's sunny, a bit full of sleazy beautiful people at night. The bathrooms are popular with the gymnasiasten who hang out (read: drink) in the park surrounding it (ah, the memories...)
Do-AN - the cafe am Naschmarkt where the hip beautiful people sit when it's sunny. They serve cafe latte in bowls, which is about all I need to love a place.
phil - cafe/bar/book/cd/dvd/furniturestore across from Sperl. They're the only place in Vienna that I know of that has Premium Cola, which is the old Africola, resurrected by some Germans. It has fewer ingredients and more caffeine than Coke and is absurdly hip of course, as is phil.
There you go - a long irrelevant list with no adresses or any redeeming useful features. Enjoy.
posted by stella at 2:33 AM
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