Vienna Brunch Review: Cafe Drechsler
There are such a wealth of brunch spots in the 4th district, you have to wonder if we need another Vienna Brunch at Cafe Drechsler.
To that I say - is there ever really *enough* brunch spots? Sure in the 4th you can enjoy Vollpension, Breakfast Club, Figar et al but we can always squeeze in more.
In the case of Cafe Drechsler, you're definitely going to want more.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - bar view
What is Cafe Drechsler?
The name might sound familiar to anyone who's found themselves a little bit tipsy at 3am, seeking that elusive 'still open' bar on a Saturday night.
Cafe Drechsler used to be a late-night drinking hole. Complete with smoky walls and sticky bar tops.
The name itself was legendary and many Viennese can tell you their tales of nights lost in the coffeehouse, carousing and conversing until the early hours.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - wienzeillie
Now, however, there are new owners in the grand old coffeehouse, and it has been given a hipster makeover, blessedly kicking out the smokers in the process, and giving us a delicious new menu to boot.
With newly fresh white walls, gigantic overflowing flowerpots and greenery, trendy 'cronut' baked treats and on weekends a live DJ to keep the chill vibe humming, Cafe Drechsler is emerging as the next big hotspot for brunch in Vienna.
Review of Brunch at Cafe Drechsler
The Food
The menu here is surprisingly extensive, one of the most varied I've seen recently in Vienna.
There are separate sections, for sweet treats like pancakes or French toast, some healthy options like Chia pudding or Granola, or a huge variety of egg dish combinations to choose from.
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Omelettes, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Poached eggs, Eggs with Avo….they have it all on offer here. All come with side options like fresh bread, ham, mushroom or feta - you can really choose your own adventure.
Refreshingly, there aren't too many preset 'menu' combination options here, just the 'Drechsler' which comes with a good mix of meats, cheese and eggs plus granola.
Or their vegan menu option, 'Veganarrish', which comes with grilled tofu, avocado, babaganoush, fresh bread and vegetable sticks and more.
There are also hearty vegetarian sandwich options available. So really, if you can't find something you like on the menu, you're really not trying hard enough!
Once it arrived, the food itself was frankly, magnificent.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - poached eggs
Eggs perfection
My poached egg on brioche was the best I've had here in Austria, with a light dressing of truffle aioli and hollaindaise sauce that didn't overwhelm the dish.
Their sweet cakes and treats are fluffy and light, and all the main dishes friends ordered were exceptionally good, not so gigantic that you felt stuffed afterwards.
Being an old-style coffee house I was frankly a bit worried the coffee would be shitty, but my flat white was suitably velvety and smooth.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - coffee mug
The Vibe
From the outside, Cafe Drechsler hasn't changed it's Viennese Coffeehouse exterior. The place seems a little unassuming sat on a corner, just over the road from Naschmarket. In fact its quite easy to stroll right by as just another faded coffee house if you don't know what you're looking for.
The wonder of the new renovations and owners is that inside, they have managed to make the place feel new and refreshed, with energetic music and decor, without losing the charm of the original coffeehouse elements.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - smoking room
I love the room about the back, a former smoking area now perfect for larger groups wanting to sit together as our brunch crew did! It has space, gorgeous artworks and clever use of wide glorious mirrors.
In the front section, the large windows bring lots of natural light in, lush deep jewel green booth seats line the walls while a gorgeous archway of bright artworks adorn the back wall. It is, in every sense, bright, inviting and authentically Viennese.
The crowd here is undeniably hipsterish, but not achingly cool. It still seems inviting and accessible even if you're not part of the 'in' crowd.
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You will get a good mix of young parents, groups of 20-something friends, girlfriends out for a coffee and couples enjoying a weekend brunch date.
Service is overall very good, we've had varying experiences. When our big group was there things were a little slower and harder to get the waiters attention (maybe understandable for a group who lingered over meals and coffee?)
On a return visit, the service was super efficient, friendly enough and even anticipated my needing a second coffee. So overall, I'd give them an 8/10 for service.
Recommended For
Couples, hungover friends, taking your parents to a 'cool' coffeehouse for breakfast, birthday brunches, girlfriend catchups.
Cafe Drechsler Brunch - coffehouse
Price and Location
The starter prices for most brunch menu items are a very reasonable €7 for say, Pancakes or Eierspeis. The most you will pay for a meal is €13 which is for the full spread of meats and cheeses.
An espresso is €2,30 while a Flat White will set you back €4.50
(Which…arrgghh, I don't understand why certain cafes in Vienna charge any different for a Flat White compared to a Melange! They are so so similar and equal amounts of milk should be used. Flat whites should not have 2 espresso shots! But readers my inner barista and I digress...)
Location wise you could not get much better than Cafe Drechsler for starting a day out in Vienna.
Perched right beside Naschmarket, strolling distance from the 6th district indie shops, or Karlsplatz sightseeing, or just nearby Naschmarket for poking through the treasures of the regular second-hand flohmarkt, the location is golden.
The Essentials
Address: Linke Wienzeile 22, 1060 Wien
Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 8am to Midnight. Sunday 9am - Midnight. Brunch is served until 3pm.
Reservations: Possible and reccommended if you are going in peak brunching hours between 9am - 1pm!
Insider Tip: Save space for the fresh baked sweet treats that are on display daily and include Austrian specialties as well as Cronuts and other indulgent goodies.
Final Verdict
This place is going into high rotation in my brunch options list. We already visited twice in a month!
Excellent opening hours, fantastic food, great location and shows a bit of a different side to the 'classic' Vienna coffeehouse, while still maintaining the heart of the venue.
I really like the energy here, the reasonable pricing and the design elements. So, can reccommend you get yourselves down to Cafe Drechsler!
Oh and for all you night owls, don't worry, they are still open to midnight daily slinging spritzers, beer, wine and delish main meals too.
So don't fret, the institution of Cafe Drechsler by night may have cleaned up a bit, but its beating heart is still there.
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Vienna Brunch at Cafe Drechsler and why you should add it to your list!
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