And here, at last count, in any one of the Austrian capital's 300-plus cafes, in surroundings cozy or sprawling, simple or lavish, humming or hushed, you can still while away a long afternoon, or succumb to the lure of pastries fit for an imperial palate. Every Viennese cafe worth its beans cultivates its reputation. Long defunct, the Central reopened in 1983 at its original location, and has since clocked in at close to 1,000 cups a day. Heaven forbid you ask the prickly little waiter for an ordinary cup of coffee.
Aficionados order a melange, a large coffee with a froth of hot milk and dash of whipped cream.
Per ritual, it's served on a tiny metal tray with a jar of sugar cubes and a glass of water. The current proprietor, Gunther Hawelka, a tall, doe-eyed man, works the counter and personally, lovingly, brews the coffee. Don't expect much in the way of nibbles. But the atmosphere is as authentic as the coffee and the waiter's acerbic lip. For a snack, or what the Viennese call Jause, try Trzesniewski's, across the street.