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Best Specialty Coffee Shops in Vienna, Austria
Did you know that Vienna is home to the Cappuccino? Although the style was refined in Italy in the 20th century, the origins of the Cappuccino lie in the sweet and milky Kapuziner coffees served in Viennese coffee houses as far back as the 18th century.
Of course, times have changed but Vienna is still famed for its coffee houses. However, as you might guess, sadly most are serving up low-quality, mass produced coffee.
The good news for specialty coffee lovers is that the city is home to dozens of specialty coffee shops and roasteries. The biggest concentrations are in the inner town, along with the Alservorstadt and trendy Neubau districts. But wherever you wander in this grand old city, you won't be far from a hit of specialty coffee.
Here's a rundown of the current top rated specialty coffee shops on Kava. Be sure to explore the full map on the app too.
Baristas United, Landstraßer Hauptstraße
Baristas United was a last minute stop for me on my recent visit to Vienna, as it's situated conveniently close to Wien Mitte train station. I'm so glad I risked being late for the train though as it was the best coffee I tasted in the city, and perhaps one of the best batch brews I've ever had.
It's hard to classify Baristas United. It's certainly more than just a coffee shop as they have a wide range of specialist coffee equipment for sale, and they offer coffee tastings and coffee making workshops. Don't expect a highly Instagrammable spot offering avocado toast. This place is dedicated to one thing and one thing only: coffee.
But don't let that fool you into thinking this is going to be a cold, sterile place, the welcome here was amongst the warmest and friendliest I experienced in the city.
CoffeePirates, Spitalgasse
If you’re looking for a laptop-friendly café to do some studying or get some work done while enjoying a great cup of organically grown specialty coffee then CoffeePirates is the place for you.
Situated close to the university campus, it's a big airy open space with huge windows to let in plenty of natural light. You'll find plenty of people working away at the big sharing tables sipping away at their coffees.
Of course, it's not all about work here. If you'd prefer to just chill, you can grab a seat on their sunny street terrace.
What makes CoffeePirates stand out is the commitment to sourcing and carefully roasting the best beans. They travel to visit their coffee growers twice a year so they really know who they are working with and all their coffees are certified organic.
Find them here on Kava.
Caffè a Casa, Servitengasse
Caffè a Casa has three locations in Vienna: Servitengasse, Hoher Markt and Wipplingerstraße.
Their location on Servitengasse was my first stop on my recent visit to Vienna and I had a great cortado along with a delicious pastry. It's a small cosy space but as the sun was shining we took a seat outside and enjoyed some crisp winter sun.
Caffè a Casa was founded way back in 2011, and are not just coffee shops - they roast all their own beans too where they aim for a slightly lighter roast to preserve acidity.
See how I and others rated their coffee here.
Fenster Café, Griechengasse
I haven't studied German since high school but even so, I can remember that fenster means window which all made sense when I arrived. It's not so much of a sit-down café and more of a hole-in-the-wall takeaway joint. Fortunately there's a great place to perch outside and look out over the river, or you can take your coffee with you as you walk around the old town.
I wasn't sure what to make of the sign proudly advertising Vienna's most expensive coffee - a cappuccino served in a waffle cone - so I stuck with an old favorite: the Flat White.
Fenster Café has been rated in the Top 50 coffee shops in Europe and Top 50 coffee shops in the world, so it's clear they're doing good things, although the road to where they are now hasn't always been easy. You can read more about owner Sasha's journey to starting Fenster on his entertaining blog.
Rate your coffee at Fenster here.
Jonas Reindl Coffee Roasters, Währinger
Jonas Reindl is the only location on this list that I haven't personally visited - there simply weren't enough hours in the day to visit everywhere I wanted to when I visited Vienna. All the more reason to go back, I suppose.
The first Jonas Reindl coffee shop and roastery opened in 2014, with the second following a few years later and now in 2023 a third outpost is just opening, such is the thirst for their coffees in Vienna.
They aim for full transparency from bean to cup, and undertake regular trips to the coffee growers to build relationships and ensure they are sourcing the highest quality coffee beans.
You can find their Währingerstrasse location here, their Westbahnstraße location here and their new Josefstädter Straße location here.
CaffèCouture @ Palais Ferstel Passage
CaffèCouture's location in Palais Ferstel Passage blends the best of old world Viennese charm with modern style. The beautiful old shopping arcade that it's situated in is home to high class boutique stores but the café itself has a clean, modern look about it that somehow fits perfectly in this old setting.
On a cold day I was glad to sit in the window people-watching as shoppers passed by, feeling the warmth of my coffee and the heater under the table gradually defrosting my cold feet.
CaffèCouture has been around since 2010, making them one of the most established third-wave coffee roasters in Vienna. They describe their roasting style as "the pure reflection of our exciting coffees. Clean, fresh, crisp and colourful in taste."
I certainly felt that in my macchiato. See how I rated my coffee there and rate your own here and check out their other location on Garnisongasse here.
It’s up to you
Don’t agree with this ranking? It’s up to you to start rating your coffees on Kava specialty coffee app and make sure your favorites move up the rankings.
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