Movers and shakers have been doing business in Austria since the Holy Roman Empire. We asked Austria travel specialist Gwen Kozlowski (who arranged this trip) where modern-day emperors and aspirants can scheme and strategize—and have a good meal at the same time. Here are her picks.
The Power Breakfast “The Hotel Sacher, hands down—it feels very formal and regal. Plus, you can get a private room here if it’s super-important…or you need to be super-discreet [43-1-514-560; entrées from $21].”
The Client Lunch “There are many great lunch spots, but I’d go with something solid and traditional like Zum Schwarzen Kameel or Julius Meinl am Graben [Graben 19; 43-1-532-3334; entrées from $9].”
The Meet-and-Greet Coffee “You can’t do better than Café Central. The big, grand pastries would put anyone in a good mood.”
The Deal-Signing Drink “I love the intimate and hush-hush atmosphere at the Hotel Sacher’s Blaue Bar. I often interview potential guides there [43-1-51-456-842].”
The Expense-Account Dinner “Steirereck, absolutely. It’s inventive and utterly showstopping.”
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Demel
Very touristy, but the pastries are as delicious as they are beautiful. Try the Milchrahmstrudel, a milk soufflé cake served hot with vanilla sauce.
Sit at the bar downstairs if you don’t want to wait (Kohlmarkt 14; 43-1-53-51-71-70).
Café Landtmann
Good for breakfast or lunch. Reserve a seat in the main room and get the Topfenknödel, or cottage cheese dumplings, or the Kaiserschmarrn, sugary curls of soft dough with cream and hot roasted plums (Universitätsring 4; 43-1-24-10-01-00).
Café Hawelka
The waitstaff are cranky and the air is smoky, but this 1930s-era café, a Vienna mainstay, is as authentic as they come. Order the Buchtel—sweet, yeasty rolls dusted with sugar (Dorotheergasse 6; 43-1-512-8230).
Café Sacher
How can you not go? Skip the Sacher torte (you’ll probably get one in your room), and instead choose from one of the café’s other pastries, all lovingly displayed and equally decadent (Philharmonikerstrasse 4; 43-1-514-560).
Photo: © imagebroker / Alamy; Illustrations: James Noel Smith
Source: https://elitetraveler.com/