In Vienna’s eighth district, People on Caffeine (POC) reigns with its unique setting and sumptuous brews. Located in an old church, the café strikes a balance of style with refined, minimalist interiors. Intimate without being overcrowded, this place offers welcome respite amid the busy streets of an inner-city district. Come here to sip that long macchiato in peace.

Adorned in blue and white tiles, Kaffemik exudes the kind of quaintness that has customers cooing (and Instagramming). Simple and elegant – the same can be said for its coffee – the shop prides itself on its choice of brews, sourced from independent coffee roasters across Europe. Order one of their classic headstrong espressos and savour the flavour over a good book.

As the oldest coffee house in Vienna, Café Frauenhuber is pretty popular. Located at the old Fleischmarkt (meat market) in the first district, it makes a convenient centrepoint for a taste of Viennese nostalgia.

Ash concrete floors, exposed-brick walls and chrome piping sums
up this café in edgy Weiden. Slurp soft, foamy cappuccinos and
watch the swarms of man-bun-donned locals as they swan in and out.
Just a short walk from the city’s main attractions, an organic menu
that changes daily makes it an attractive lunch spot too.

This no-frills coffee shop lets the blend speak for itself. Serving “coffee and nothing else” Kaffeemodul is the smallest coffeehouse in the city. Choose from a blackboard menu detailing the basic staples for coffee aficionados – espresso, cappuccino and filter coffee.

Minutes from the exuberant neo-gothic Votivkirche, Jonas Reindl is a modern offshoot in an otherwise antiquated area. Here you can expect to sit with a varied crowd of young students, tourists and locals looking for a satisfying brew. Ask owner Philip Feyer and partner Ulrich Salamun about sustainable methods used across their Nicaraguan farms – you’ll catch them by the counter.

Café EL.AN (an abbreviation of owners Elke and Anna’s names) serves up state-of-the-art coffee delivered to your table by infectiously enthusiastic staff. Using specialty filter roasters and high-tec lab tools, we’re willing to wager Werner Heisenberg would have frequented this place had it been up and running in his time.

Kleines is reminiscent of Vienna’s bohemian past, plotted on a
charming cobbled square overlooking the baroque (read: wonderfully
OTT) Franziskanerkirche. Considering “kleine” translates to
“small”, it’s no surprise that the café itself follows suit. Worlds
away from the well-trodden tourist tracks, this is a great spot for
a coffee in the sunshine, with tables and chairs are dotted
outside.

Café Sperl drips with true Viennese coffeehouse charm – think
luxurious banquettes, grand open spaces and, of course, an air of
old-world opulence. With 34 kinds of brew to choose from, pair your
blend of choice with a slice of creamy Sperl Torte and enjoy and
your leisure in unhurried surroundings. On Sundays, live piano
performances transport you back to the resplendent days of
Jugendstil (art nouveau).

Taking cues from in its laidback owner, Otto, who manages to run the show while still finding time to pop out for a cheeky cigarette, Balthasar is deliciously relaxed. With its pastel-speckled walls, white- and blue-marbled counter and twinkling lights, it’s one of our favourites in town.