Vienna has a long-standing tradition of coffee houses which saw many great minds come together to work, write and exchange ideas over the past centuries. This tradition still is quite present in modern-day Vienna and tourists frequent the popular, well-known cafés throughout the year, as do the locals. While the coffee houses and coffee shops are an institution, dedicated gourmet coffee places really only saw an increase in numbers in recent years. Here are a few selections of places where you can get a very special cup of coffee.

Coffee Pirates – Spitalgasse 17, 1090 Vienna

A charming little store close to Vienna’s university campus (the former general hospital), the Coffee Pirates offer a wide range of specialty coffees, which they hand roast in their shop. If you know what you’re after, you can view their range of currently available roasts on their website. But just dropping by and getting a recommendation from the staff there is worthwhile just as well.
www.kaffeepiraten.at

People on Caffeine – Schlösselgasse 21, 1080 Vienna

You might walk past this place at first due to its simplistic appearance, but it’s definitely very much worth walking in and checking out their coffee. It comes at a pretty good price as well, so you’ll get a lot of value on your selection of specialty coffee. The menu is quite short to go along with the purist, no-nonsense appeal of the place, but you’ll not be disappointed in their delivery of quality coffee.
www.facebook.com/poccafe

Die Kaffeeküche – Schottentor-Passage 8 U2 Station Schottentor, 1010 Vienna

Another little place which is popular for a great-tasting cup of coffee to go, the Kaffeküche („coffee kitchen“) also offers a few tables and makes for a nice spot to unwind just a little, right within one of Vienna’s busiest spots. Their coffee selection is available in iced variations during the summer, so whatever the temperature outside, a quick stop or a longer break there is an option.
www.kaffekueche.at

Supersense – Praterstraße 70, 1020 Vienna

If you know what a Slayer espresso machine is, you most likely know how hard they are to come by. This place has the only one in Vienna. Being a concept store for everything analogue, which also happens to have a coffee bar with delicious coffee, a visit to this place is going to be a far way out from your usual run-of-the-mill coffee experience.
the.supersense.com

CaffèCouture – Garnisongasse 18, 1090 Vienna

With a wide range of changing selections and an actual showroom, the people behind CaffèCouture really take their coffee seriously. You might be required to wait a little during peak hours, as there are no reservations and limited spaces, but the range of choices is bound to give you a great gourmet coffee experience.
www.caffecouture.com