We talk a lot about Italy in relation to coffee but really no other city has made the cafe into a more important social and cultural institution than Vienna. Apparently the first cafe in Vienna was opened after the Turks left behind hundreds of sacks of coffee after their siege of the city failed around 1685. Austrians , who drink more than double the amount of coffee and Italians, also have similar coffee and milk beverages as many cultures. Popular coffee orders in Austria include:
Schwarz - black coffee Melange - equal parts coffee and milk Kapuziner - coffee with a dab of cream
Verkehrt - milk with just a little coffee
Brauner - coffee with just a little milk Schale Gold - a gold-colored mixture of coffee and milk
Einspanner - aka. Viennese coffee is coffee in a glass topped with whipped cream.
Eiskaffee - cold black coffee poured over vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream
You can probably see the similarities in these drinks and the drinks on our menu, like the cafe au lait, espresso con panna, cafe latte, macchiato, cappuccino, and the mit schlag. With all that coffee Austrians drink, its no wonder how such a small country has generated so many contributions to mankind!