This rococo style bakery is one of the main reasons Vienna is known as Europe’s pastry capital. The history of Demel, as it’s more commonly known, goes back 200 years when it was the official confectionery of Emperor Franz Josef. The former meeting point for the old royal high society, Demel still serves up the luxurious treats playing the opulent, pomp and fancy card to the hilt.

An elaborate ground floor window display showcases the confection shop, while the upstairs cafe runs busy with Demerlinerinnen wait staff, whose cultivated impersonal manner has them still addressing customers in the formal third person. Owner Anna Demel made sure that the emblem “K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker” (“Imperial and Royal Court Confectionary Bakery”) remained on the portal and its goods even after it was penalized during WWI.

Alas, even though the empire has crumbled, you can enjoy the relics of a bygone era and have tea like an Emperor. Try various cakes and pastries like Sachertorte, chocolates (the “Hampelmann” is filled with two layers of confectionery milk chocolate with traces of alcohol), teas and coffee.