Like a caffeine-filled phoenix rising from the flames of a burning Thonet bentwood chair, the Café Westend returned to life in 2023 with new owners…
- Relaxed, classic ambience that upholds the coffee house tradition
- Converts to more of a cocktail bar feel later in the day
- Not as expensive as city-centre coffee houses
- Just across from the Westbahnhof railway station and tram hub
- See also:
A local review
(The corner view)
A location at the junction of Vienna’s main shopping street and an incredibly busy 6-lane road seems to hold little promise. But once inside Café Westend, the traffic is largely inaudible (the jazz piano helps, too).
Sit at a window, and you can watch the world rush past in a more-or-less silent frenzy while you sigh and dab at the remaining crumbs of your Sachertorte.
At first look, the furniture feels uniform, but look again and subtle differences abound. My table had a brass leg screwed into the floor. Others rested on decorative wooden pedestals.
The characteristic bentwood café chairs and upholstered niches certainly evoke the traditional coffee house look: the colours, fittings, and furnishings combine to create a relaxed ambience that manages the trick of marrying different impressions.
For example, the open spaces and tall houseplants evoke an Edwardian conservatory (?) feel, but the ceilings have the decorative stucco and botanical motifs you associate with city salons from the time of the monarchy.
And those ceilings and walls are perfectly pristine, while the chairs and tables are a little worn. So classic, yet cosy.
(The façade facing Mariahilfer Straße)
When Café Westend first opened appears to be a matter of debate, though I’ve seen an 1899 newspaper clipping which announced its opening on December 16th of that year at the current address. According to the paper (my translation), the new café would bear comparison…
“…to other top tier coffee houses in terms of the finery of its taste and design.”
The high ceilings and tall windows certainly ensure a bright airy feel. And yet the hardwood, beige and olive green colour scheme adds a subdued intimate touch.
Talking of intimacy, the table and upholstered seats I sat at were quite narrow. If you’re at the larger end of the size spectrum, you may want to pick your location carefully.
My waiter was quietly friendly, admirably swift, and subsequently unobtrusive but attentive. Though it was, admittedly, not too busy when we popped in early for a quick Sunday coffee to check out the new premises.
Actually, coffee and cake…with the latter coming in a good-sized portion you don’t always get these days.
Apart from the good décor and ambience, Café Westend has its prices going for it. These are fairly kind to the travel budget being (at the time of writing) significantly lower than what you’ll pay for coffee in similar locations embedded in the centre.
How to get to Café Westend
If there’s one coffee house that’s easy to reach by public transport, then it’s the Westend. It’s opposite Westbahnhof, one of the biggest railway stations and transport hubs.
Subway: The U6 and U3 lines both stop at Westbahnhof. Head to the Innere Mariahilfer Straße exits and take the left-hand one as you leave the underground part of the station.
(Once you emerge, look along the street behind you and you’ll see Café Westend just a few yards away.)
Tram/bus: Tram lines 5, 9, 18, 49, 52, and 60 all stop at Westbahnhof (told you it was big) and you should more or less see the coffee house when you get off.
Address: Mariahilfer Straße 128, 1070 Vienna | Website