Josefstadt is a very lively and interesting business and residental district close to the city centre of Vienna. Barely five minutes away by tram from Vienna's Ringstrasse, this district is a whole world away from the touristic kitsch of the city centre. It makes a refreshing change to stroll along the narrow streets of Josefstadt, brushing shoulders with locals, admire the window display of independently-run fashion boutiques, jewellery shops, florists, household gift stores etc.
Cafe Eiles is a very well-known local cafe in Josefstadt, just 300m from Vienna's City Hall. The cafe is amongst my favourite Viennese hangouts. It evokes a feeling of nostalgia, with its slightly faded carpets and floral-pattern seatings, spacious interior, high ceilings which allow natural lights to illuminate the whole salon, round coffee tables with marble surface top, and the obligatory staples of newspapers and old black-and-white photos from the bygone eras.
The prices at Cafe Eiles are definitely a notch cheaper than those better-known names in the city centre. As it is just a few steps away from the popular historical Theatre in der Josefstadt (founded in 1788 and is the oldest still performing theatre in Vienna), Cafe Eiles has acquired the reputation of being the place where famous stage actors, writers, journalists, directors and other members of Vienna's theatre and cultural scene congregate before or after the performance.
The service at Cafe Eiles is also amongst the most friendly and fun I have encountered in Vienna. Male waiters who have worked here for years know each and every of their frequent guests very well. In the afternoon, pensioners, students, writers etc. will appear with their books or works-in-progress at Cafe Eiles, find their favourite table, and spend hours immersing in this atmosphere of subtle elegance. Canine companions are also welcomed.
Perhaps the reason why I enjoy my time in Cafe Eiles so much is, although countless well known theatre and media personalities are amongst its faithful customers, this place has not tried to capitalise on its association with all these celebrities in order to generate extra publicity and tourism appeal, but has chosen to remain subtle and authentic instead. The time you spend at Cafe Eiles is a truly genuine Viennese cafe experience. In contrast to some ridiculously expensive inner-city cafes with gilded walls and crystal candeliers, who are just trying their best to generate as much tourism revenues as possible and have forgotten what Viennese cafe culture is all about, Cafe Eiles is indeed a relevation.
Cafe Eiles
Jofestädterstraße 2
A-1080 Wien
Copyrights@2011. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
A-1080 Wien
Copyrights@2011. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
Thank you so much for your review! It has convinced me to frequent this particular cafe once I am in Vienna!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the encouraging comment!! Indeed Cafe Eiles is a nice place for a piece of apple strudel and a melange.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I observed that in Vienna, if you greet the waiters in German （just say 'Gruss Gott!' and that should do the trick) when you first enter the cafes, and use some simple basic German when you place your order, the waiters are much more friendly to you than if you use English only.
In some cafes, waiters speak 'essential English' only and their intonation might sound somewhat aloof, even harsh, to native English speakers, but just remember that English is not their mother tongue, and German is a very 'hard' language when spoken, hence many native German-speakers always sound a bit too harsh or serious to our ears when conversing in English. Do pardon them :) and wish you a nice time in Vienna!!