Coffee in vienna: where it all began for me
By: Ali Mokarram
My love of coffee didn’t start in some hip Amsterdam barista bar, but in a classic Viennese café: Kaffee Alt Wien. On a summer trip to Vienna I stumbled upon this little coffee paradise, tucked away in a side street downtown. What began as a spontaneous stop became the spark of my fascination with specialty coffee.
Kaffee Alt Wien is no ordinary coffee bar. It’s a mix of roastery, shop, and tasting room with a no-nonsense vibe. No marble counter or Instagram corner—just wooden shelves stacked with coffee bags, vintage grinders, and staff who truly know their craft. You don’t come here for latte art; you come for the beans.
They invited me to sample a few coffees. Several single origins passed the table: fruity Ethiopians, earthy Indonesians, and finally Jamaica Blue Mountain.
I’d heard the name before but had never actually seen it on a menu. The taste was strikingly subtle: hardly any bitterness, with gentle notes of cocoa, nuts, and a hint of spice. No overpowering aromas, just pure finesse. It felt like sipping an aged whisky where the harsh alcohol has mellowed into a velvet-soft finish.
For clarity: Jamaica Blue Mountain is one of the world’s most exclusive coffees. Grown high in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains under relatively cool conditions, the beans ripen slowly and develop a complex, mild profile. Limited production and the fact that much of it is exported to Japan, drives the price up sharply.
Yet at Alt Wien you don’t need a fortune for a cup. They serve small pours with plenty of background, letting you taste without immediately taking home a €60 bag. That day, though, I bought my first bag of specialty beans. An impressive Ethiopian single origin. The Jamaica Blue Mountain, naturally, came along too.
Since then I’ve approached coffee differently: not as a habit, but as a product with origin, flavor, and variety. Alt Wien was my first step: down-to-earth, informative, and delicious. No spectacle, just craftsmanship.
More About kaffee Alt Wien
📍 Bäckerstraße 9, 1010 Vienna
They roast on site, sell beans from all over the world, and take time to explain. A must-visit for anyone seeking an authentic, no-frills coffee experience in Vienna.
