Best Places to Eat Apple Strudel in Vienna

This Viennese hangout has a distinctly bourgeois feel, designed to make visitors want to stay a while. Once a cultural hotspot where the upper classes would gather to indulge in intellectual exchange, it is now enjoyed by locals and tourists alike, who delight in the Art Deco décor and the superb selection of puddings on offer — most notably their apfelstrudel. Soft yet crispy and warmly comforting, this version is reminiscent of home baking, just as it should be.

You’ll be hard-pushed to find a cosier place in town to indulge in your apple strudel. Kaffee Alt Wien, dressed in old-fashioned furnishings and retro posters, is a charming haunt where you can try this world-famous dessert in a dimly lit atmosphere. Refreshingly, the strudel here is not as intimidating in size as some of the others, although still a generous portion. Both crisp and gooey, it, unsurprisingly, is one of the menu’s best sellers.

This restaurant, located in the historically prominent Am Heumarkt in the 3rd district of Vienna, is full to the brim with Viennese charm. Bright parquet wooden flooring and white-clothed tables give this a true old-style Austrian feel; the perfect vibe in which to indulge in a famous native pud. The pastry is satisfyingly slim, and the apple filling is delightfully in proportion. Start your meal off with another Viennese culinary superstar, the wiener schnitzel, to make your experience a truly authentic affair. 

As you indulge in a divine apple strudel, you can imagine life in Imperial Vienna, when it was lords and ladies enjoying the very dessert that sits before you. This coffee house has years of experience under its belt when it comes to delighting its city’s citizens with delicious cakes and pastries and has developed a strong reputation for delivering in the dessert department. It is another one of Vienna’s coffeehouses that is a favourite location for prominent figures of society — Graham Greene reportedly enjoyed his breakfast here and it was featured in his film The Third Man (1949).

Last, but certainly not least, is Cafe Landtmann. Their apple strudel is just as it should be; sweet, subtly spiced with a flaky crust and juicy sour apples that cut through the rich buttery pastry — not forgetting the vital addition of silky custard or cooling cream. Built in 1873, this café has become a legendary addition on the Viennese coffee house scene, admired for its chic and showy décor and fabulous Austrian cuisine.