Coffee in Vienna
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"Entschuldigen Sie Frau/Herr Ober!"
Although the head waitress/waiter (Ober) of most cafés is not nearly as snooty as they might let on, there are some definite don'ts:
- Don't ask for coffee to go. International chains and many bakeries offer it if you really need it.
- Don't just order "coffee" - that is like going into a restaurant and ordering "food." Find a type that suits your taste.
- Don't expect your waitress/waiter to just bring you the bill - you are supposed to ask for it when you are finished and ready to go. It is considered impolite for them to rush you by bringing it on their own.
- Don't forget to tip when you pay. Just round up about 10%. Say explicitly how much you wish to pay (e.g., €3.50 for a €3.20 coffee) when handing the money the waitress/waiter.
Remember: cafés are a very slow paced environment, approach them as you would a sit-down restaurant, bring a book or some friends, or make use of the newspapers on hand and enjoy your hours relaxing there!
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Coffee is obviously an important part of the coffeehouse culture. Vienna was not only the center of the Austrian Empire but also the center of a much larger coffee empire, and the local roasts were sold across Europe. Today many people are still familiar with the term Vienna roast.
Vienna prides itself of its dozens of varieties of different coffees, although the Italian style and names are better known by many youth than the Viennese, the cafés are keeping the traditions alive. Most commonly:
Kleiner Schwarzer also known simply as a Schwarzer or as a Mokka is the Viennese version of espresso. It is made with a tick more water, a Viennese roast (the point between origin and roast flavor) and it is pulled slowly allowing it to oxidize.
Großer Schwarzer is simply a double Schwarzer (similar to a double espresso).
Kleiner Brauner is a mokka (espresso) with cream, often on the side.
Großer Brauner is a double Mokka with cream.
Melange is prehaps the most typical Viennese coffee. Similar to cappuccino but with the Viennese style mokka and more foamy milk in equal parts.
Verlangerter is mokka (espresso) with extra hot water, similar to a small Americano.
Kapuziner is a mokka (espresso) with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Kaffee Verkehrt (or in the more modern places Kaffee Latte) is the local version of a latte.
Also consider specialties like the Kaisermelange (coffee, milk, egg yolk and cognac) on the menu. Most cafés have a house specialty (for instance, "Kaffee Central" at Café Central).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Vienna
