What would Vienna be without its coffeehouses? Certainly not as cozy. Inside, it’s easy to lose track of time. But in summer, you might want to sit outside and enjoy the sun. That’s why I’ve put together four especially lovely spots in Vienna for sitting outside and enjoying coffee. Check them out!
According to Friedrich Torberg, the true coffeehouse regular can always be found inside their favorite coffeehouse. Never, under any circumstances, in the outdoor seating area.
Torberg beautifully and vividly describes this in his legendary “Tante Jolesch” in the chapter “Coffeehouse is Everywhere.”
Among our AlpineFoxes team, we have a prime example of such a coffeehouse regular as defined by Torberg, who can be found, even in the most glorious weather, hidden behind a newspaper in the darkest corner of Cafe Hawelka. The other, less traditionally minded members of the team take a more relaxed approach, and I, in particular, prefer to enjoy my Melange outside on a nice terrace or in a shady outdoor seating area when the weather is fine. Want to know where you’re most likely to find me? Here’s a small selection of my favorite Viennese coffeehouses with especially lovely outdoor spots!
1. The Garden of Cafe Diglas at the Schottenstift
One of the most beautiful gardens in the city center, hidden away in the courtyard of the Schottenstift. Here, you sit under huge, old trees and stay pleasantly cool even in hot weather. The cake display is well-stocked, the coffee is wonderful, and the menu has something nice for everyone. You might need a bit of patience when the garden is very full, but that’s a basic requirement in a Viennese coffeehouse anyway. In return, you can sit and chat comfortably with a view of the green leafy canopy and the fountain statue of Heinrich II “Jasomirgott,” the founder of the abbey. And if you feel like switching from coffee to beer, you just need to make your way to the neighboring garden, where the equally beautiful guest garden of “Zattl” awaits thirsty guests.
In the courtyard of Schottengasse 2, 1010 Vienna
2. The Terrace Floor at the Wien Museum on Karlsplatz
This isn’t a coffeehouse per se, but rather a very stylish indoor kiosk on the third floor of the museum building. I personally really enjoy the coffee there. The display offers a limited but creative selection of snacks and cakes for a small appetite, and you’re even allowed to eat food you’ve brought with you. In the heat that has relentlessly gripped our city for weeks now, the huge but chic space one floor below the much-discussed “mattress” is a haven of coolness, as the air conditioning there does its job really well. However, the true star up there is the terrace with a breathtaking view over Resselpark, across to the Karlskirche, the museum’s direct and imposing neighbor, and the Musikverein. On not-too-hot days, you can really linger here, just marveling and gazing. A heartfelt tip: although you can take the elevator to the terrace directly from the ground floor without visiting the museum, you should at least take a quick look at the exhibitions. It can be absolutely addictive because the museum is simply fantastic and also free to enter (except for the current special exhibitions). Poldi, the Prater Whale, is waiting for many visitors!
Karlsplatz 8, 1040 Vienna
3. The Outdoor Seating Area of “Kleines Cafe” on Franziskanerplatz
Apart from the fact that Franziskanerplatz is one of the most beautiful inner-city squares in Vienna’s city center, the Kleines Cafe (literally: Small Café), despite its tiny size, has a lot to offer. The name says it all: not many guests can fit inside the interior designed by Hermann Czech in the early 70s, and the outdoor seating area consists of only a few small tables under parasols. But that’s exactly what gives this eternally young, eternally somehow cool spot its charm. There are plenty of newspapers, the large open-faced sandwiches with ham, lard, or egg (my favorite in the 1990s: the cucumber sandwiches!) take care of small hunger pangs, and despite its central location near St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Kleines Cafe has always been a place for regulars and guests seeking something special and hidden in Vienna.
It’s definitely a place where you can linger for a long time, because when the Melange is finished and the first Aperol is ordered, when the blue hour settles over Vienna, you sit outside with a view of the Franziskaner Church, the Moses Fountain, and the beautiful Baroque houses around the square, feeling as if you’re in Florence or Rome, enjoying the “Dolce far Niente!”
Kleines Cafe
Franziskanerplatz 3, 1010 Vienna
4. The Rooftop Bar “MQ Libelle” on the Roof of the Leopold Museum
Last but not least, another terrace location. Much of the same applies here as for the terrace at the Wien Museum: you can take the exterior elevator to the roof for free every day except Tuesday, just to enjoy the view. Or you can, as I like to do, grab a coffee or whatever you fancy at the kiosk up there, take a seat, and savor the direct view over Maria-Theresienplatz to the two massive twin museums of Art and Natural History, all the way over to the distant Kahlenberg. During the day, you’re under the protection of parasols, and in the evening, under the iconic lighting fixtures designed by Brigitte Kowanz in the form of giant light circles. Definitely worth trying!
Museumsplatz 1/5, 1010 Vienna
Will I see you soon for a coffee? Or maybe we’ll finally meet during one of my city tours in Vienna? I look forward to discovering the city with you!
You can find the exact dates and themes for my Vienna city tours at alpinefoxes.com/kalender!
See you soon, and enjoy letting your soul unwind,
Your Claudia from AlpineFoxes
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