My favorite cafes in Innsbruck

I think I could - if I had to - do without quite a few things. No chocolate, no meat, no glasses of wine ... all doable, at least for a while. But what I wouldn't want to do without a day is my coffee. In the morning, my first walk leads me to the coffee machine. I could write a page-long tribute to my absolute favorite drink, my beloved pick-me-up. But I'd probably bore you all with it. That's why I'd rather limit myself to introducing you to my favorite coffee houses in Innsbruck. Here I also go into raptures, because what is better than a coffee? Exactly, to enjoy coffee in a cozy, hip or traditional ambience instead of in the kitchen at home. In Innsbruck, every Frahling lover will find the right location.

As Tyrol's oldest pastry shop, I would like to introduce Café Munding to you first. The traditional coffee house is located 100 meters west of the Golden Roof in the middle of the old town in the Kiebachgasse. As soon as you enter, you realize that this is a café steeped in tradition and history. Johann Nepomuk Munding, born at the end of the 18th century on Lake Constance, earned his living as a traveling journeyman in gingerbread factories and "Gutelemacherbetrieben" until he finally settled in Innsbruck. There he first worked in the confectionery of the city chef Kircher, until he finally opened the confectionery café Munding, which is now operated by the Munding family since 1803.

I like the charm that this café exudes. It invites you to sit together, chat, and read the newspaper. On the menu, you'll find the usual suspects as well as a few exotics, such as ginger coffee (lightly sweetened hot coffee with ginger, honey and whipped cream topping). Those who prefer it with a shot are also guaranteed to find what they are looking for: Whether it's with amaretto, brandy or plum brandy, you can get (almost) anything here. I hardly dare to confess that I'm a coward and mostly stay true to my beloved cappuccino. However, I'm a bit more experimental with the cookies, because I choose some with chocolate and sea salt and I have to say, the combination of sweet and salty has something.

A Viennese coffeehouse in Innsbruck: Café Central not only impresses with its excellent location, the large variety of coffee specialties and the excellent cuisine, but also with its flair. You have to hand it to the Viennese, they know a thing or two about coffee houses. And so I'm very pleased that Café Central is bringing a bit of Viennese coffeehouse culture to the Alpine metropolis.

I fondly remember the days when my girlfriends and I would sit and chat for hours on one of the cozy benches over a cup of café au lait. Isn't that what makes a good coffee house? When it becomes a living room substitute? When you feel so at home that a morning passes without you looking at your watch even once.

Breakfast all day long! Breakfast is served at Café Central all day long. The selection is large, but I personally recommend the "Strammen Max": fried ham, diced peppers and 2 fried eggs on brown bread with salad garnish and of course a hot cup of coffee! Absolutely delicious, really!

I have to confess something, as a coffee junkie it is not so easy for me to write this, but the Katzung I love not for his coffee, but for his hot chocolate. Actually, I don't like cocoa that much, not even as a kid did I care for it. For me, there is nothing more disgusting than this "swill", which is mixed with water, cocoa and milk powder and which is served as "hot chocolate" in some places. Because I'm afraid of it, I never actually order cocoa. Well, and because I like coffee much better anyway. But not at Katzung! Here you can enjoy a cup of creamy, chocolaty cocoa with a dollop of cream on top and you will be delighted. But since this review is supposed to be about coffee, it must be mentioned that the coffee here also tastes excellent, just like the cake. In general, the Katzung is quite wonderful.

With its cozy seating, large windows and friendly staff, it is one of those coffee houses where you simply feel at home. The location at the foot of the Goldenes Dachl does the rest. The Katzung has a long history. The roots of today's pastry shop/bakery and the name date back to 1793. Frieda and Paula, the great-granddaughters of the founder Anton Georg Katzung ran the café together until Frieda's death. After that, Paula was the sole owner until she too passed away in 2000. The salons "Salon Pauli" and "Salon Friedl" still commemorate the two sisters. Today, the Katzung is owned by the Dengg family, which perfectly combines tradition and modernity.

The next café is in contrast to the previously mentioned. Not in terms of quality, Café Verenas can absolutely keep up. Of course, otherwise I would not introduce it to you. But unlike the previous ones, it doesn't have a long history. On the contrary, Verena Kapferer - a former social worker - opened it not so long ago: back when nobody knew what 2020 would bring. It is always a courageous and not entirely easy step to become self-employed, but this year presented young entrepreneurs with hurdles that no one could ever have imagined. That's why I think it's all the more important that we support small businesses.

Café Verenas on Leopoldstraße is small and cozy with a few seats inside and a few outside. If you're a frostbite like me, you can enjoy your coffee wrapped up warm in the fresh air thanks to cozy blankets. You should also enjoy a piece of cake, offered among other things Gugelhupf, chocolate or marble cake and much more. My conclusion: an extremely nice restaurant that manages to strike a balance between hip and classic. Absolute recommendation from my side.

Last but not least, a little tip for all parents. Sometimes the quality of the coffee is not the most important thing. I'm often happy just to enjoy it while it's still hot. When I meet other moms/dads for coffee, I make sure there's a play area first and foremost, so the little ones are busy and we adults can chat. My absolute favorites for this are the Ruetz branches in Innsbruck Mariahilf and in Kematen (you can find more information here).

With this in mind: Raise your cups and enjoy your coffee!