Vienna without coffee would be like a latté without the milk foam. In addition to its beautiful cafés, the city has lots more to offer coffee lovers.
Coffee is not only drunk in Vienna, it is also roasted here. The city’s smallest coffee roastery can be found near the Naschmarkt. The Alt Wien Kaffee greets guests with the intense aroma of coffee that is roasted daily in small 12-kilogram batches. After each handpicked batch is prepared, the results can be tasted at the bar. The Alt Wien Kaffee serves 14 types of coffee, including several organic and fair trade varieties. Visitors can also watch (and smell) how the coffee for their mélange is prepared at the popular Blaustern café. Beans are roasted daily behind the bar. The café owes its name to the blue star that used to be found on every jute sack of Caribbean and Latin American coffee.
Naber, a Viennese family business now in its fourth generation, has been roasting coffee since 1908. The family’s roastery in the 21st district uses only the finest highland Arabica beans. Varieties include four types of espresso, organic coffees and special mixtures made according to customers’ wishes. Along with the roastery, Naber also operates two espresso bars with an attractive 1950s design where visitors can buy packaged coffees or enjoy a cup. The coffee served at the 26 Aida cafés located throughout the city is freshly roasted three times a week. Since 1958 Aida has imported its own beans that are subsequently prepared in Vienna according to a secret recipe. Aida coffee is sold in the company’s signature pink packages to take home, or can be ordered from its online store, which offers worldwide delivery.
Great coffee tastes even better when served in the correct cup. At the Augarten Porcelain Manufactury, Art Deco fans can find the Melon Service designed by Joseph Hoffman, one of the founders of the Wiener Werkstätte. This special mocha service has been produced since 1929. The cup and saucer have a ribbed surface with alternating white and colored stripes. It is available in ten colors including pink, light blue, turquoise, and violet. Designer Sandra Heischberger’s handmade espresso and coffee mugs have a more contemporary flavor. Her feinedinge range features glazed porcelain with delicate silkscreen designs including cherry blossoms, butterflies and dragonflies. Hedwig Rotter’s mano design features espresso cup sets with decorative floral patterns. |