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Café Central

4.1 (750 reviews)
Open 7:30 am - 10:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Café Central Photos

CAFÉ CENTRAL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Touristy
Classy
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed

Recommended Reviews - Café Central

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Reviews With Photos - Café Central

Street view
Susan C.

Hmm a little torn on this review since I only came for breakfast one day, and didn't get to try their pastries, however felt like the experience was pretty mediocre. Well known for being a beautiful and historic cafe established 1876 frequented by the likes of famous names like Trotsky and Freud, this traditional Viennese coffeehouse and cafe is a popular tourist destination. Having walked by around 7:30pm the prior evening and seeing a line of about 15 people outside, the next morning arriving around 9am the line was about 15 minutes without reservations. Upon entering the inside is beautiful, cavernous domed ceilings, chandeliers and a very classic bistro vibe. Enough seating for probably 150 customers, quite large inside, and about two-thirds full. That's when I realized the line outside was more for show, which at some places I get because staffing might be hard and they want to ramp up the pacing between breakfast and lunch services. In a place like this it seems more like a marketing technique to create hype, which kinda annoyed me--it's not respectful of customers' time. It took a while maybe 10 minutes for a staff member to pass menus, then another 10 minutes for him to come back and check in. What I'll say is he was swift to answer our questions and knew the menu well. In general service felt lacking though, after eating it took quite a long time to get our server's attention again to get the check. For breakfast I was a little surprised by the prices for the food offered, on the high side. While the vegan spreads were very good, from the menu it wasn't clear that it was actually vegan cream cheese that was the base of the spreads. Unfortunately the rest of the food was meh, €14.50 for a small croissant (not especially good), a plain roll, a boiled egg and latte, with a pat of butter and jam. Would I come back? Maybe to try a couple of their baked pastries and dessert, but not for breakfast. For more info: https://cafecentral.wien/en/

Sherise K.

The famous Cafe Central!!! I was so excited to go here that I almost gave up because of the long line. I went around 9:00 AM. The line moved pretty quickly, though, and I waited about 30 minutes. The interior is stunning. I was completely enamored with the architecture and the structure of the building. I was not overly hungry, but I wanted to try the goulash and the apple strudel. Get the strudel with the sauce. 10/10. Amazing. I would absolutely do it again.

Red C.

An absolute must-visit in Vienna! Do as the locals do: slow down, sip your coffee, and just enjoy the moment. The line looked intimidating at first but moved quickly, and we even made friends with some fellow travelers from the U.S. while waiting. We went straight for dessert because why not? The torn pancake with stewed plums was massive. It looked a little messy, but wow, it was delicious. We also tried the Café Central Torte, their version of the Sachertorte since the original name belongs to another famous café, which I'll try to review later. Service was slow, but that seems to be the rhythm in Vienna's cafés. No rushing here like in the Bay Area. Bathrooms were clean, which I always appreciate. The ambiance was what really made it special. Grand chandeliers, a stunning interior, and a gorgeous display case full of desserts. To top it all off, a pianist with a Beethoven wig and outfit played everything from classical pieces to pop hits like Bruno Mars. We tipped him in USD since we weren't carrying any EU cash at that time. Overall, Café Central felt elegant but never pretentious, just timeless, cozy, and unforgettable.

Oh my...
Jerry M.

Come here for fabulous coffee and delicious pastries. This historic 19th century cafe is a delight for the eyes and well as the pallet. When you dine here you are dining in a truly historic cafe that was frequented by some of histories greatest and also most notorious individuals. Wiki will list these for you. The food is outstanding especially the pastries. Cafe Central employs a dozen pastry chefs. Everything is imaginative and delicious. They vary the pastry offerings frequently, so you will need to come back over and over. Staff here are hyper friendly and our waiter was cheerful, knowledgeable about the food, made great suggestions and was generally chatty. There is usually a line for walk-ins, reservation holders get seated right away. The line for us was about ten minutes. Double highly recommend.

YUMMM
J F.

Out of this world. Just amazing. You think you come here for the coffee, but the deserts are to die for. Awesome service and they treat you like a local. Danke!!!!

Take away torte
Sharon S.

SERVICE 5 stars - with NEZIR was above 5 stars and two thumbs up. He single-handedly made our experience at Cafe Central out of this world. Professionally, NEZIR was quite efficient expediting our food orders and bringing to us hot. He provided great suggestions on the menu as we know Central is world renown for its coffee and pastries but we wanted to try the savory dinner entrees too. NEZIR was right on. Aside from his professionalism, Nezir's friendly welcome set the tone for the entire evening . While he worked quite fast, he managed to share Family stories, background and cafe history . Totally cool! AMBIANCE 5 stars - Over 130 years , frequented by luminaries such as Freud historical background, live piano music , and beautiful architecture. No wonder it's THE PLACE people line up for! FOOD- savory dishes 3 stars salmon - a bit dry 3 stars - chicken also a bit dry but tasty seasoning 5 stars- warm chocolate cake served with vanilla Ice Cream was EPIC! Moist and very rich chocolate, just as I dreamed it would be! Takeaway at display case- Apple Strudel- 5 stars Petit Fours 4 stars Sisi's favorite -5 stars Coffee- 5 stars

Kyle M.

Decent amount of food for the price. Super touristy. You have to get here first thing in the morning or pre book. I was there 30 minutes early and there already was a line. They get you in and out so things move quickly. I enjoyed it the inside is super cool and it is worth checking out, not the number one priority though.

Chocolate cake
Prasiddha H.

I had a chance to visit the famous Cafe Central with the hubby and I am so glad we did. Definitely remember that there will be a huge line here, so if you are able to get reservations, I would definitely get that as the wait can be anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour plus! Hubby and I waited for around an hour before we were seated. The ambiance here was nice and we got to try the warm chocolate cake with ice cream. This was decadent and delicious and I loved the warm and cold combo that this dessert offered. The interiors of this cafe is gorgeous and would definitely recommend taking some pictures! Overall, really good experience here and a nice place to pop in to take a break once your feet start hurting from all the walking if you are a visitor in Vienna!

Ally W.

Out of the famous Viennese cafes, I prefer Cafe Central the most. Yes, it is touristy. Yes, there is a line to get in. Yes, the menu is over-priced. However, I enjoy sitting at this cafe admiring the cathedral-like arches while sipping coffee and devouring pretty desserts. For an old-school cafe, they certainly have some nice modern desserts and pastries. 1 star off: Service is almost absent. It takes a very long time to get an order in, receive an order, and get the check. As a frame of reference, I ordered a coffee and two desserts and it took 1 1/2 hours...no wonder there was a long line outside. What was even worse was that my waiter *insisted* that I give a tip. I will spare you from my rant about the forced tip culture that U.S. has created worldwide.

Sarvin K.

Café Central is one of those iconic spots in Vienna that feels like a time capsule -- step inside and you're instantly transported to a different era, with grand vaulted ceilings, elegant marble columns, and a refined buzz that makes you feel like a 19th-century intellectual (or at least like you're almost in a novel). The vibe alone is worth the visit. We ordered the apple strudel and a torte, and hands down, the apple strudel stole the show -- perfectly warm, flaky, and not overly sweet, with just the right touch of cinnamon. The torte, on the other hand, didn't quite win us over. It was underwhelming compared to the strudel. Service was surprisingly fast and very friendly, even with how busy the place was. Just a heads-up: there's almost always a line to get in, so if you don't want to wait, definitely make a reservation in advance. Overall, a must-do for the atmosphere, the history and that unforgettable apple strudel.

Christopher N.

This is now a must visit for tourists so reserve a table ahead of time thru your hotel. The sweet spot seems to be late afternoon, just before dinner time. When we arrived at 6:30pm on a recent Wednesday, there were still many open tables. By the time we left at 7pm, there was a line out the door. This is a very large cafe so service is a bit slow. We were there just for a drink before dinner elsewhere so did not order any food items this time. The spritz was okay. The ambiance was great. But with that many tourists around you, I'm not sure you can truly experience the Viennese cafe.

Kasey G.

A must see in Vienna, cafe central is an old historic cafe. The interior is beautiful, which adds to the charm. Food was delicious we had the salmon, eggs, and toast. They have a whole section for chocolates and pastries, and they had great service as well. We came around 10am on a Monday and it started to get busy shortly after.

Vienesse coffee
Ria S.

Great experience while we were in Vienna, Austria. I recommend to make a reservation or you will wait in line. Service is really great. Our server even took our group photo. It was a nice experience to come to this cafe.

At the entrance

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Café Central Reviews in Other Languages

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Gasthaus Pöschl - Lamb shank

Gasthaus Pöschl

4.3(339 reviews)
0.7 kmInnere Stadt
€€

After several nights in Vienna without having tried schnitzel, I was on a mission to find an…read moreauthentic spot on my last night here. Found this cozy spot a few blocks off the Stadtpark and figured I'd give it a shot. So glad I did. it was pretty packed when we got ther, we were able to get a high top table after just a few minutes wait. Ordered the beef tartare and schnitzel. Be forewarned, they don't skimp on the portions here. The tartare was delicious and came with a salad and about a half of stick of butter, which was interesting. Schnitzel was big enough to feed at least two people and left me feeling like I had finally experienced a real local meal. Wine was also great and made me wish I could have stayed there drinking it all night. But alas, I had an early flight to catch the next day...

Came here after seeing excellent reviews on Yelp…read more Not impressed. Waited about 15 mins to get seated even though multiple tables were empty. The staff is limited and looks exhausted. Quite tight seating. Restrooms are not accessible by people with limited mobility. No baby changing stations. The food is okay. The schnitzel was fine and so was lamb. Okay to eat but not memorable. Caprese salad was tasty. In conclusion, if you are passing by and hungry, feel free to stop by. If you are looking for a memorable lunch/dinner experience, plan to visit a different establishment.

Photos
Gasthaus Pöschl
Gasthaus Pöschl - Pumpkin Cream Soup which we shared.

Pumpkin Cream Soup which we shared.

Gasthaus Pöschl - Cream cheese dumplings with plum stew

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Cream cheese dumplings with plum stew

Figlmüller - Best dessert ever

Figlmüller

4.0(204 reviews)
0.8 kmInnere Stadt
€€€

I had dinner there as part of a party of 9. If you have a larger group I strongly recommend making…read morea reservation in advance. That lets you skip the long queue and get seated right away. The place was huge inside, bigger than expected from the outside. It was packed with people in a good way and the decor was tasteful and inviting. The wait staff were really friendly and attentive and visited just often enough to make sure we had what we needed. The food was great, and the classic schnitzel was massive but thin enough that it didn't feel overwhelming to eat. I paired it with the potato salad that included greens and both were excellent. If you're getting the schnitzel I suggest the longenberry preserve because the schnitzel itself is on the blander side.

We tried the original pork schnitzel, the original potato field salad and the semolina dumpling…read moresoup with beef broth, it was all delicious. Everything was beautifully presented, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. Our waiter Christian was very kind and personable and the food came quicker than expected. We had a reservation which we highly recommend getting as the line outside was very long. The ambiance was perfect with lighting the wasn't overwhelming and a layout that made the restaurant feel intimate and cozy. Next time we're in Vienna, we will absolutely be back. Don't miss the chance to eat here while in the city.

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Figlmüller
Figlmüller
Figlmüller - Storefront | July 2023

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Storefront | July 2023

Plachutta Wollzeile - The noodle with soup

Plachutta Wollzeile

4.0(273 reviews)
1.0 kmInnere Stadt
€€€

This restaurant is famous for the Emperor's dish, Tafelspitz, boiled beef…read more It was delicious. Most of the patrons here were local. Worth a visit to try this popular Viennese dish.

*******READ FINE PRINT ON MENU*********…read more I have issues with this place. My review will not change the trajectory of how this place operates. However, it is unlike any place in the world I have ever visited. We were seated at a table that was meant for 6 people and got taken down to two people as there was another couple sitting there. The place for lunch was absolutely slammed, so it is obviously a popular spot. Without asking, they drop bread off at the table. With a place of this atmosphere it was expected, as this is what I would expect out of a finer food establishment. The schnitzel was very light and had plenty of flavor. No other sides came with the schnitzel so I had the potato salad which was good, but different. The beef stroganoff did have an immense amount of flavor. They lacked the very small amount of noodles that are given with this dish. The fastest uninterrupted service we got was when I waited and finally asked for the check. They were quick to give me a dessert/after food drink menu. They were quick to be on top of me to see if I wanted anything. I declined and paid the bill. What I will tell you is, that is completely OUTRAGEOUS is the charge listed as 2 - Gedeck. A quick review told me that it is a "Cover Charge" at a euro rate of 4.90 per person. A further Google review told me that it is also because they placed bread on the table (I do not know what is factual). Regardless of whatever the charge is or whatever they want to call it, I have never ever ever paid a "Cover Charge/Gedek" charge to occupy a restaurant. If this was a late night spot that I decided to pop bottles at or had "dancers" at the business, I could get there, but for a sit down lunch, what a complete utter rip off. This in itself would cause me never to return to this establishment. Make sure if you eat here, that you read the fine print or look at my pictures. They have very small print that notifies the consumer of them charging cover charge as well as what they charge for sharing of some dishes. All I can say is be mindful and do not be taken back like we were when the bill comes.

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Plachutta Wollzeile
Plachutta Wollzeile - Collagen from the combo beef

Collagen from the combo beef

Plachutta Wollzeile

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Café Central - cafes - Updated July 2026

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