The Ring - Part I
No, not the one you wear on your finger but the one that circles around the inner city of Vienna! The wide boulevard-like street is just over five kilometers long and celebrated its 150th birthday in 2015. Along the Ring - or Ringstrasse as it is called in German - you find some of the grandest buildings in Vienna including the parliament, the famous city hall, the University of Vienna, the Burgtheater, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, and most impressively of all the State Opera that Tom Cruise descended off of in one of the Mission Impossible movies.
Sprinkled in between these monuments are some of the grandest hotels of the city. Men in top hats open the door for guests. Royalty and pop stars take up residence in one of the hotels along the boulevard when they come to Vienna. As a local, I would of course never stay at any of these hotels, however, I am fascinated by them and there is one way to soak up their atmosphere: the hotel cafes!
It is a common past time in Vienna to spend your afternoon at a coffeehouse and enjoy a Melange, Cappuccino or Latte with a slice of delicious, calorie-loaded cake. In order to combine my curiosity about these hotels and my addiction to coffee and sweets, I decided to check out the cafes of the hotels along the ring.
The Grand Ferdinand
I only found out about this place recently. It's not one of the real famous places but that's exactly why I wanted to check it out first. The building is fairly unassuming among all these architectural marvels on the street. The cafe is very small - 10 tables tops - and the atmosphere is nothing special. They have some cakes on display and the set up of the tables is quite bland. What really stood out, however, was the very friendly service and the delicious cake and coffee. I had a plum cake - something very Austrian - and it was moist and fluffy. It is a simple dessert but sometimes the simplicity of a dish is what is most enjoyable. The soy cappuccino was above average as well.
Coffee: 5 out of 5 stars
Cake: 5 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 2 out of 5 stars
Two pieces of cake and two coffees for €17.40
Hotel Bristol
While the lobby is small, it reflects the old world charm of Vienna. There are nice flower arrangements, a grand piano and a guy in a top hat at the entrance. The staff is dressed to the nines ready to welcome royalty at any minute. We were seated in the quiet winter garden of the cafe. Our waiter was an older gentleman with a quirky sense of humor who wore a 'waiter-tux' which is very common at the old style coffeehouses of Vienna. Just like the Hotel Sacher and the Hotel Imperial the Bristol also has its own signature cake: the Bristol Schnitte. It is a beautiful marzipan 'cube' with white chocolate covered in dark chocolate and a side of whipped cream. It was a full on meal and then some in terms of calorie count. Although quite heavy, it was delicious and beautifully presented - all their dishes feature the hotel's coat of arms. A type of Viennese experience I would expect if I were a tourist visiting Vienna for the first time.
Coffee: 3 out of 5 stars
Cake: 4 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars
Two pieces of cake and two coffees for €19.80
Grand Hotel
The entrance and the lobby exude former grand Viennese imperial times. However, I was a bit disappointed that nobody greeted us outside or inside the door. The cafe is at the far end of the lobby and smelled surprisingly smokey. The cafe seems to double as a bar area and I am wondering if they allow smoking there in the evening. Service was fast and friendly. Available desserts are on display and help make the choice easier. The Guglhupf was slightly dry but very tasty. The Apfelstrudel was one of the best I ever had. The cappuccino was average. The overall atmosphere was more shabby than chic - with a side of cigarette smoke.
Coffee: 3 out of 5 stars
Cake: 4 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 3 out 5 stars
Two desserts and two coffee for €16.70
The Imperial
When I walked up to the cafe of the Hotel Imperial, I realized: I've been here before. A while back, we watched a documentary about the hotels along the Ring and decided to check it out. We had a great experience the first time and suddenly I was wondering if the cafe would be able to uphold the expectations from the first visit. It did in every way! While the furniture may not be as 'old' looking as one would expect from a grand old hotel like the Imperial, the feel was very charming and welcoming. To my delight, a piano player started to entertain the guests with beautiful music. I'm a sucker for piano music! The staff was super friendly and helpful and very patient with our indecisiveness about where to sit.
As I had their signature cake, the Imperial Torte, last time I was there, I opted for the Austrian version of a cheesecake (Topfentorte or Frischkäsekuchen), while my husband tried the raspberry chocolate mouse tart. Both were magnificent and the coffee was great too. However, it also came with a hefty price tag. I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this cafe. It was not nearly as crowed as other places, the selection was plenty and the quality was top notch. And for some reason I am absolutely mesmerized by their chandelier that is so not old Vienna but nonetheless works with the interior.
Coffee: 5 out of 5 stars
Cake: 5 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 4 out 5 stars
Two desserts and two coffee for €22
Stay tuned for part II of this tour of cafes at the hotels along the Vienna's Ringstrasse. I may have to spend some time at the gym in the next days...
Sprinkled in between these monuments are some of the grandest hotels of the city. Men in top hats open the door for guests. Royalty and pop stars take up residence in one of the hotels along the boulevard when they come to Vienna. As a local, I would of course never stay at any of these hotels, however, I am fascinated by them and there is one way to soak up their atmosphere: the hotel cafes!
It is a common past time in Vienna to spend your afternoon at a coffeehouse and enjoy a Melange, Cappuccino or Latte with a slice of delicious, calorie-loaded cake. In order to combine my curiosity about these hotels and my addiction to coffee and sweets, I decided to check out the cafes of the hotels along the ring.
The Grand Ferdinand
I only found out about this place recently. It's not one of the real famous places but that's exactly why I wanted to check it out first. The building is fairly unassuming among all these architectural marvels on the street. The cafe is very small - 10 tables tops - and the atmosphere is nothing special. They have some cakes on display and the set up of the tables is quite bland. What really stood out, however, was the very friendly service and the delicious cake and coffee. I had a plum cake - something very Austrian - and it was moist and fluffy. It is a simple dessert but sometimes the simplicity of a dish is what is most enjoyable. The soy cappuccino was above average as well.Coffee: 5 out of 5 stars
Cake: 5 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 2 out of 5 stars
Two pieces of cake and two coffees for €17.40
Hotel Bristol
While the lobby is small, it reflects the old world charm of Vienna. There are nice flower arrangements, a grand piano and a guy in a top hat at the entrance. The staff is dressed to the nines ready to welcome royalty at any minute. We were seated in the quiet winter garden of the cafe. Our waiter was an older gentleman with a quirky sense of humor who wore a 'waiter-tux' which is very common at the old style coffeehouses of Vienna. Just like the Hotel Sacher and the Hotel Imperial the Bristol also has its own signature cake: the Bristol Schnitte. It is a beautiful marzipan 'cube' with white chocolate covered in dark chocolate and a side of whipped cream. It was a full on meal and then some in terms of calorie count. Although quite heavy, it was delicious and beautifully presented - all their dishes feature the hotel's coat of arms. A type of Viennese experience I would expect if I were a tourist visiting Vienna for the first time.Coffee: 3 out of 5 stars
Cake: 4 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars
Two pieces of cake and two coffees for €19.80
Grand HotelThe entrance and the lobby exude former grand Viennese imperial times. However, I was a bit disappointed that nobody greeted us outside or inside the door. The cafe is at the far end of the lobby and smelled surprisingly smokey. The cafe seems to double as a bar area and I am wondering if they allow smoking there in the evening. Service was fast and friendly. Available desserts are on display and help make the choice easier. The Guglhupf was slightly dry but very tasty. The Apfelstrudel was one of the best I ever had. The cappuccino was average. The overall atmosphere was more shabby than chic - with a side of cigarette smoke.
Coffee: 3 out of 5 stars
Cake: 4 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 3 out 5 stars
Two desserts and two coffee for €16.70
The Imperial
When I walked up to the cafe of the Hotel Imperial, I realized: I've been here before. A while back, we watched a documentary about the hotels along the Ring and decided to check it out. We had a great experience the first time and suddenly I was wondering if the cafe would be able to uphold the expectations from the first visit. It did in every way! While the furniture may not be as 'old' looking as one would expect from a grand old hotel like the Imperial, the feel was very charming and welcoming. To my delight, a piano player started to entertain the guests with beautiful music. I'm a sucker for piano music! The staff was super friendly and helpful and very patient with our indecisiveness about where to sit.
As I had their signature cake, the Imperial Torte, last time I was there, I opted for the Austrian version of a cheesecake (Topfentorte or Frischkäsekuchen), while my husband tried the raspberry chocolate mouse tart. Both were magnificent and the coffee was great too. However, it also came with a hefty price tag. I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this cafe. It was not nearly as crowed as other places, the selection was plenty and the quality was top notch. And for some reason I am absolutely mesmerized by their chandelier that is so not old Vienna but nonetheless works with the interior.
Coffee: 5 out of 5 stars
Cake: 5 out of 5 stars
Viennese atmosphere: 4 out 5 stars
Two desserts and two coffee for €22
Stay tuned for part II of this tour of cafes at the hotels along the Vienna's Ringstrasse. I may have to spend some time at the gym in the next days...
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