CULTURE |
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images : ALAMY ; HOTEL SACHER |
1 CAFÉ CENTRAL
Situated in the well-heeled Innere Stadt , Café Central is a cathedral to the city ’ s coffee culture . Guests are received beneath vaulted ceilings and ushered into the same rooms once patronized by Sigmund Freud and Leon Trotsky . Pull up a bentwood chair beneath the portraits of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth and drink in the Florentine flourishes . The emperor ’ s favourite dish of kaiserschmarrn ( shredded pancakes with fruit compote ) is a house specialty .
2 CAFÉ
SACHER
When pâtissier Franz Sacher invented a cake for Prince Metternich in 1832 , he likely had no idea his recipe would take on a life of its own . Forty years later , his son Eduard established an empire on the back of the Sacher torte ( see top three ). The Hotel Sacher now has outposts in Salzburg and the Tyrol , as well as the flagship spot on Vienna ’ s Philharmonikerstrasse . Each slice is topped with the Sacher seal in the form of a chocolate medallion .
3 CAFE
FRAUENHUBER Having brewed its first cup of coffee in 1824 , Cafe Frauenhuber holds the coveted title of Vienna ’ s oldest cafe . It might be less opulent than some of its peers , but it still has all the hallmarks of a classic Viennese coffeehouse , from the tiered curtains to the brass lamps . It ’ s known for its tranquil atmosphere , and it ’ s not uncommon to see friends and family gathered here over cups of Wiener melange , the Austrian capital ’ s answer to a cappuccino .
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Top three : Cakes to try in Vienna
Sacher torte Made of dense chocolate cake layered with apricot jam and finished with a fudgy glaze and a puff of whipped cream , the Sacher torte has a loyal following in Vienna . Try the version based on the original recipe , served up in Café Sacher — the hotel-cafe founded by creator Franz Sacher ’ s son .
Kardinalschnitte Invented by Viennese confectioner Ludwig Heiner in 1933 , kardinalschnitte is an edible homage to the Archbishop of Vienna . The layered cake commonly consists of Genoise-style sponge , soft meringue , a creamy mousse and apricot jam .
Topfentorte This is a classic Viennese treat that blends mildly tangy topfen ( quark , a creamy-soft cottage cheese made by souring fresh milk ) with almond meal , farm-fresh butter , eggs , sugar , lemon zest and vanilla . Baked without a crust , the finished cheesecake has a meltin-your-mouth texture .
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WINTER 2024 • 27 |