Viennese Coffee: Why Vienna is the Coffee Capital of the World

No city in the world is as closely connected to coffee as Vienna. The coffeehouse became an institution here like nowhere else. And that has a history that begins in 1683 with a few abandoned coffee sacks.

How coffee came to Vienna

The story begins with a siege. In 1683 the Ottomans stood at the gates of Vienna, and when they fled after their defeat they left behind, among other things, large quantities of coffee beans. What the Viennese initially mistook for camel fodder turned out to be the drink that would change their city forever.

Who exactly opened the first Viennese coffeehouse is a matter historians still debate. The name most frequently mentioned is Johannes Theodat, an Armenian merchant who was granted official permission by Emperor Leopold I on 17 January 1685 to serve the "Turkish drink" in Vienna. With that, the first Viennese coffeehouse was born.

What made coffee truly popular among the Viennese was a simple idea: adding milk and sugar. It sounds straightforward, but it was a small revolution. The black, bitter coffee of the Ottomans was barely drinkable for many. With milk and sugar it became something entirely its own – something Viennese.

The coffeehouse as the city's living room

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the coffeehouse became one of the most important spaces of social life. Not just for drinking coffee, but for reading, writing, debating, playing chess and simply being present. Regular guests had their post delivered to their coffeehouse and could be reached there by telephone. The coffeehouse was the second living room – for some, even the first.

By 1900 there were already around 600 coffeehouses in Vienna. Sigmund Freud, Stefan Zweig, Arthur Schnitzler, Gustav Klimt and Leon Trotsky were among the famous regulars of the great Viennese coffeehouses. Stefan Zweig described the Viennese coffeehouse in his memoirs as an institution comparable to nothing else in the world – a place where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee appears on the bill.

Since 2011, Viennese coffeehouse culture has been officially part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage. A well-deserved recognition of something that has long been taken for granted in Vienna.

What to order in Vienna

The Viennese coffee menu is a science in itself. A few of the most important terms to know:

The Melange is the classic: half coffee, half frothed milk, often with a touch of milk foam on top. The Einspänner is black coffee in a glass, crowned with a generous portion of whipped cream. The Kleiner Brauner is a strong mocha with a splash of milk. The Verlängerter is a mild coffee stretched with hot water for those who prefer it less strong. And the Häferlkaffee is coffee with plenty of milk, served in a large cup – the classic home-style option that no Wirtshaus should be without.

And then there is the glass of water that is always served with coffee in Vienna. No extra charge, no asking – it simply arrives. This is not a gesture of friendliness but a tradition reaching back to the 17th century, when the water was served so guests could cleanse their palate before the first sip. Today it is a sign that you are sitting in a genuine Viennese coffeehouse.

Coffee at the Wirtshaus

The coffeehouse and the Wirtshaus are closely related in Vienna. Both are places where you don't just consume – you linger. Both have their own rituals, their own language and their own atmosphere. And in both, coffee belongs as the perfect end to a good meal.

After a Tafelspitz, a Schnitzel or a Gulasch, the coffee comes. With a small piece of cake if you're lucky. And naturally with the glass of water alongside. That is Vienna. And that is Mitzitant.