The black gold – coffee – love of young and old. You love coffee as much as we do? Then we’ve put together a selection of modern coffeehouses for you that not only have the coffee, but also the pulse of the times.
Vienna and coffee is inseparable. Now that you’ve landed from the Waldviertel to the city of many opportunities, maybe it’s time to dive a bit into coffeehouse culture – and away from the big corporations like Starbucks and Co. We have already introduced some learning cafes to you on our platform. You can learn that coffee houses don’t have to be "dusty" in our article about our top 3 modern coffee houses in Vienna.
Of course it also exists in the Waldviertel, but since 2011 the so-called "Viennese coffeehouse culture" is part of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. Even Stefan Zweig wrote in "Die Welt von Gestern" (The World of Yesterday) that the Viennese coffeehouse is an institution of a special kind and cannot be compared to any other coffeehouse in the world, and there is also a chapter about Viennese coffeehouses in "Tante Jolesch".
Coffee – What else?
How did the so-called "culture" come about?
The first coffee houses in Europe were opened in Venice (1645), London (1652), Marseilles and Hamburg (1671), and Paris (1672), starting from Constantinople.
In Austria the culprit (or saint) was?) who brought the coffee to us the Armenian Owanes Astouatzatur, who was also known under the name Johannes Diodato. In 1685 he was the first to receive the imperial privilege to serve coffee. He did not have to pay any taxes for 20 years! How nice would it be today? &
Compared to the simple inns, the bourgeois coffees of the time offered more comfort and service, such as. regular newspapers and public billiards. It was more about having the opportunity to spend a pleasant time, whether alone, or in company. In 1750, the cafetier Gianni Tarroni received permission to set up tables and chairs in front of the cafe on the Graben in the summer. And you may have already realized it: Gianni’s garden" is also the origin of today’s expression "Schanigarten"!
From 1788 there were the first live musicians (concert cafe) and literary cafes in the Cafe Bellevue near the Kartnertor, and during the Biedermeier period the luxurious cafes with their many mirrors, chandeliers, plush and silverware really flourished (eg. Neuner’s Silver Coffee in Spiegelgasse).
Many different types of coffee were served, of course always with a glass of water – a certain etiquette can be found in the "Viennese coffee&" Tea ABC" to read up.
Culture in motion
Since culture is basically everything that man himself creates, culture is of course constantly in motion. So the coffee house culture was also rethought by some and can now be found in the form of "Modern Coffee Houses" in Vienna.
Fun Fact: Today coffee is the second most important commodity after oil!
Away from the traditional Viennese coffeehouse culture, the new, modern cafes are setting themselves up quite differently. Here, the most diverse ways of preparing coffee are celebrated and in a modern ambience for the eye, everything revolves around the origin and appropriate roasting of the coffee bean, as well as the perfect coffee preparation. The way from the bush to the cup. Coffee with history. Coffee as an experience. Not for nothing is this trend often referred to as "third-wave coffee culture".
Our top 3
One – Caffe Couture
This modern coffee house was launched in 2007. The name is a combination of the Italian word for coffee and the French word "Couture", which stands for individual, handmade and tailor-made.
The Caffe Couture is above all about quality. The specialty coffees are bought seasonally and directly from the coffee farmers. In this way, you can also learn about the geographical origin, planting and distribution of your coffee, as well as the history of the various farms. And depending on the preparation method, your coffee will of course be specially roasted!
The Caffe Couture is to be found our Top 3, because you get here, in addition, from Georg Branny, partner owner and state champion of numerous barista titles, special "espresso cocktails! It’s never too early for a cocktail – that’s why the spirits manufacturer Bacardi has even made him a worldwide ambassador for it.