Pure coffee culture: 9 of the best cafés in Klagenfurt
“The best coffee!”, “the coolest location!”… we have taken a closer look at a handful of cafés in Klagenfurt. Anyone who thinks that trendy venues can only be found in Vienna is very much mistaken: You will come across the full range here, from the charm of a traditional coffee house to hipster flair. The average level of daily consumption in Austria is three cups; we’ve tasted nine for you. Here’s our caffeinated résumé.
1. Café Ingeborg
Big city vibe in the Sterneckstraße. The laws of space and time don’t quite apply here. Sipping an aperitif in this little café on the corner makes you feel like you’re in Italy, and an afternoon coffee with friends comes with a touch of Berlin-esque hipster feeling. Occasionally, the boss puts on some chill beats to create a cosy lounge atmosphere. Café Ingeborg offers a colourful mix of everything and yet still remains clean and chic. This light-hearted approach to life is inspiring: we linger and peruse the newspaper, leaving stress far behind us. Feels like 1970.
2. Stadtcafé
Cosy ambience and friendly service – that’s the Stadtcafé Klagenfurt. This feel-good café operated by Diakonie de La Tour is located in the inner courtyard of the “Goldener Brunnen” hotel, very close to the Benedictine Market and Klagenfurt’s cathedral. The pleasant arcade atmosphere is not the only appealing feature: Thanks to its integrative approach to vocational training, the Stadtcafé gives apprentices from the Diakonie de La Tour the opportunity to receive a solid grounding for catering professions in accordance with their individual needs. Thumbs up to that, and we love the coffee!
3. Das schwarze Schaf (The Black Sheep)
Vienna, Slovenia and Salzburg served as inspiration, and now avocado sandwiches and açai bowls are available in Klagenfurt’s Herrengasse as well, specifically at the Black Sheep. We drink matcha lattes and enjoy the bright restaurant with its high ceilings, jewel-coloured furnishings and Scandinavian décor, feeling a bit like “Carinthia’s Next Influencers”. Everything is prepared lovingly and served in pretty glasses and bowls. Our verdict: Cafe’s with such a cool chalkboard can’t be anything but hip.
4. Lendhafencafé LC
Situated at the heart of the creative and artists’ quarter we find the LC. We have long known and loved it as a pub with a quaint courtyard. Alternative vibes and conversations with endearingly quirky characters are no rarity here. People meeting up here are either geared to relaxation or are engaged in boisterous discussions. There’s only one thing you won’t find here: frenzied stress. We recommend that you allow yourself a bit more than 10 minutes. By the way, in the summer months, the LC runs a covered bar with a stage in the Lendhafen itself, where you can enjoy concerts, literary readings and the sunset while relaxing in the open air.
5. Café Lichtspiel
Cuba, Mexico, Costa Rica, India: This tiny café right next to the Volkskino cinema has the best beans from all over the world so you can enjoy your coffee to the max. A special five-kilo roasting machine processes the beans in a particularly gentle manner. But apart from the delicious café aromas, we can smell something else when we enter this small family-run business: desserts and pastries. They are home-baked and are just as international as the café. How about a Portuguese Pasteis de Nata to go with your espresso, for example?
6. Tavernakel
If you are tired after your shopping trip, but don’t want to join the hubbub of the Alter Platz, you will find this a delightful spot. Brightly coloured seat covers, cobblestones and the ringing of church bells invite you to unwind. In the summer, the small café on the corner expands to include an outdoor seating area in the church courtyard; if you fancy savouring your coffee in the midday sun, there’s no better place. For rainy weather, we recommend one of the highly sought-after seats in the window alcove. The bistro with its Spanish flair is best described as rustic and animated. If you’ re in a hurry, you can also buy a smoothie from a cart in the alley. The dishes are tasty and of high quality. A perfect reason to treat ourselves to a salmon bagel to go with our sixth coffee!
7. Café Como
For anyone seeking a leisurely coffee break in the heart of the campus at the University of Klagenfurt or in the city centre, Café Como is the perfect place to relax. With its two venues, this urban café invites you to linger over exceptional coffee creations, delicious bagels and complimentary water infused with fruit flavours. All those who love variety will also not be disappointed at Café Como – the owners constantly come up with new ideas for snacks and pastries. We especially love their range of vegan cakes and other delicacies. Along with the other patrons, we order our favourite coffee and a piece of cake at the counter with its brimming display case.
8. The bakeries Wienerroither and Weissensteiner
From unique rolls to cake creations and seasonal specialities right through to coffee variations – the selection on offer will make every heart beat faster. This time, we stay close to the university campus and are delighted to have no less than two bakeries that pamper their customers with an extensive selection of high-quality regional products. While the Wienerroither bakery is already well-known around the lake with several branches located around Lake Wörthersee and one directly next to the university campus, the Weissensteiner bakery has only recently opened its first store in Klagenfurt – very close to the university, in the Kohldorfer Straße. We instantly fall in love with both of them and now we’re spoilt for choice.
9. Kaffeewerkstadt
We enter the vintage café on Heuplatz square in the middle of Klagenfurt and immediately feel … at home. This coffee house with its lounge-style flair invites you to take a relaxing break whilst strolling through the city or after a hard day’s work. The specially roasted coffees exude a heavenly aroma and are an excellent accompaniment to the homemade pastries. If you want to experience Italian flair in the middle of Klagenfurt, you can’t go wrong with the antipasti and an Aperol spritz.
We decide to treat ourselves to a break after coffee (house) number 9, and it’s definitely a much needed one.
