But not forever

Vienna’s most famous café closes its doors

The interior of Café Central, a Viennese coffee house that is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage site, is being renovated.(Bild: Christian Husar)

The legendary Café Central in Vienna's city center will soon be closing its doors - for a makeover and a "cool" upgrade.

It is clearly the classic among Vienna's coffee houses - the historic Café Central at Herrengasse 14. But coffee worshippers and those with a sweet tooth will soon have to be very strong. Because the institution is closing. 

No, it's not another victim of the coffee house extinction. But to mark the 150th anniversary of the legendary establishment, a breath of fresh air is coming in. Because in future, it will be air-conditioned with district cooling from Wien Energie.

Pictured from left to right: Managing Director Kay Fröhlich, Verkehrsbüro boss Martin Winkler, City Councillor Ulli Sima (SPÖ), Councillor Stefan Gara (Neos) and Wien Energie boss Michael Strebl(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

Little sister of district heating to cool down
City Councillor Ulli Sima (SPÖ), Wien Energie boss Michael Strebl, Verkehrsbüro CEO Martin Winkler and Managing Director Kay Fröhlich presented the plans on Monday. The district cooling network is being expanded by the city and is currently still regarded as the little sister of district heating. Compared to conventional air conditioning systems, district cooling saves around 50 percent of CO2 emissions. The ring closure has been complete since last year. An almost five-kilometer district cooling ring surrounds the 1st district. However, there is also necessary renovation work to be done.

Long queues at the entrance are a common sight. Especially at Christmas and in the summer months.(Bild: Robert Schaller)

"We will proceed cautiously and with the utmost care," says Fröhlich. The reason: the strict requirements of monument protection. After all, the historic building fabric and the interior of Café Central, as a Viennese coffee house, are part of the intangible UNESCO cultural heritage. The magnificent Venetian-style interior will therefore be preserved.

All the pipes and building services in the imposing Palais Ferstel will be renewed. The kitchen areas, including the delicious patisserie of Café Central, will be modernized. The Palais' event halls will close, but the Ferstel Passage will not be affected. The café will close in mid-March 2026. Guests will notice the first noticeable construction work from around the beginning of the year. Work is already underway in the background.

Decentral just around the corner
So that guests don't have to miss out on Viennese coffee house culture during this time, Decentral has opened just around the corner in Palais Harrach on Freyung.