The name Cafe Karl-Otto tells you everything about the location of this coffeehouse. It is at the Karlsplatz and, this being quite a large area, at the Otto Wagner pavilion respectively (exit directly from the U4). It still doesn’t mean that you will find it easily, because Karl-Otto doesn’t show up anywhere. Rather you need to know that the café resides in the rooms of Club U during the day, a club I wasn’t even aware it exists. But it’s never too late to learn something new.
Café Karl-Otto @Vienna
From the outside I didn’t expect a lot, honestly I wasn’t even sure why I wanted to try it, besides its location in an Otto Wagner pavilion. As a Viennese one knows the architect, but I don’t think anyone has ever had breakfast in a metro station. The inside then looked comfy and for summer the terrace on top might be fun (I am less sure about the noise level though). We chose one of the window tables inside and sat down for breakfast.
inside @Café Karl-Otto
Unfortunately there was a mishap with the coffee machine, so we got already some water while waiting for our hot brew. The breakfast menu at Karl-Otto offers four different bagel variations, egg dishes, sourdough sandwiches, and brioche. It looks rather simple, but that’s often deceiving. What comes to the table convinces with excellent quality and preparation.
My friend ordered the ‘Cheesy Lover’ sandwich with three different kinds of cheeses and pickled onions. Served with some kind of ketchup and a generous side salad, dressed with balsamic vinegar an roasted onions, this was a big portion. The bread was nicely toasted and the cheese perfectly melted. The pickled onions provided a good contrast to the rich cheesy filling. My friend really enjoyed it. Maybe not the lightest start into the day, but definitely a tasty one!
Cheesy Lover @Café Karl-Otto
For myself I selected the avocado mash sandwich. Cream cheese topped with avocado mash and as well as pickled onions. The fried egg I ordered as an extra. The avocado mash was fresh, there were still junks of avocado in it, so this definitely doesn’t come from the tub. The bread was soft but with a nice crust. It had enough texture to hold everything, even when I dipped it in egg yolk.
Apropos egg, usually I like my egg fried on both sides, because I hate it when the egg white is undercooked and still runny on top. But at Café Karl-Otto the egg was just perfect and had a buttery taste. I am also not such a fan for salad at breakfast, but the arugula with the sunflower seeds just made for a nice addition. The salad had a lovely nutty flavor and wasn’t sharp at all.
Avocado mash @Café Karl-Otto
Café Karl-Otto was a very pleasant surprise. Both dishes tasted great and arrived looking enticing at the table. Service was quick and very friendly. The coffee arrived after we finished our breakfast dishes. But on that morning nothing fazed me. Good food just puts me in a great mood! Café Karl-Otto is a very welcome addition to the breakfast scene in Vienna and I can’t wait to visit again. Yours, Pollybert
Café Karl-Otto
1010 Wien, Karlsplatz Obj. U26 (Otto Wagner Pavillon)
Tel: +43 1 5754166646
Email: hallo@karl-otto.cafe
Fri-Sun: 09:30-18:00
https://www.instagram.com/clubu.karlundotto/
