Kaffeehaus Coffee Culture

Austrian Kaffeehäuser (traditional coffee houses), especially certain establishments in Vienna, are relics from a bygone era, when artists, politicians, bohemians and army officers convened there to read, philosophise, play chess and engage in intellectual duels while sipping carefully brewed cups of coffee.

Every Kaffeehaus is different, but certain rules and regulations are honoured everywhere. For example, if you order a single drink you can stay at the Kaffeehaus as long as you wish, making it a viable second home. A useful rule of thumb: the more newspapers, games and regulars, the better the Kaffeehaus.

Every decent Kaffeehaus takes pride in its extensive choice of coffees: at least a dozen different concoctions of freshly ground coffee, milk, cream, water, liqueurs, chocolate and even egg yolk (used in the so-called Kaisermelange) are usually on offer and many Kaffeehäuser have their own signature drink, too. Every coffee is served with a glass of water, which the waiter will top up for free, even long after you have finished your coffee.