Best Places to Eat Sachertorte in Vienna

In a dispute referred to as a ‘cake war’, Cafe Sacher and the café Demel (see below) entered into a legal battle over whose right it was to own the label of ‘the original Sachertorte’. The lengthy tiff was eventually won by Hotel Sacher and they were granted the rights to brand their torte as the original. Their recipe is a closely guarded secret — and the Cafe Sacher is undoubtedly one of the best places to sample this coveted dessert. It is a sheer work of art with perfectly glossy chocolate coating and beautiful texture.

Cafe Sacher’s rival Demel was once the chosen bakery of the Viennese royal family, favoured by Empress Sissi. This upmarket bakery and chocolatier became involved in the aforementioned legal battle with Cafe Sacher resulting in them losing the right to claim their torte as ‘the original.’ However, their’s is a beautiful version also. It’s decorated with a triangular piece of chocolate that reads Eduard-Sacher-Torte, the creator’s grandson who trained at the bakery. 

Enjoy one of Vienna’s most celebrated cakes one of their most traditional cafés. The Sachertorte at Dommayer is very simple, remaining as true as possible to the original recipe. Dommayer is one of the city’s most prized coffee houses, renowned for its dedication to holding up conservative Viennese values. Right by Schonbrunn Palace, it is a lovely place to catch a coffee and a slice of Sachertorte after wandering the Imperial grounds. 

Although Demel and Cafe Sacher are often considered as the only two true rivals of the precious torte, Cafe Central’s version is one to watch. A slightly more generous layer of jam in the middle makes this Sachertorte more moist than some and, although this may not be strictly traditional, it certainly works. Opening in the latter part of the 19th century, Cafe Central was the stomping ground of some of Vienna’s most reputable intellectuals and artists including Adolf Loos, Leon Trotsky, Sigmund Freud and Anton Kuh.

Aida is one of Vienna’s most popular franchise cafés, serving all the city’s favourite famous cakes, among them, the Sachertorte. Their version is a generous slice and includes beautifully light sponge covered in a crisp chocolate outer layer, with the characteristic disc on top. Claiming to be ‘better than the original’ (uh oh) their’s is a respectable and tasty alternative.

As this dessert was born in a royal setting, this is the perfect venue to sample it in. This lavishly grand cafe is situated right by the Imperial apartments and the Sissi Museum, therefore it is a great place to sample Sachertorte if you want to tick off a few items off your Viennese bucket list in one go. Piano music is occasionally performed, giving you the chance to experience the sweet treat in a truly elegant environment.