Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker still seems to be an insider tip when it comes to Viennese coffee houses. While at the Café Central tourists are lining up, sometimes even around the block, to eat mediocre cake and other things, Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker is almost empty compared. When we arrived at 9am only a couple of tables in the main room were occupied, the two adjoining rooms still empty. When we left though there was a short queue waiting to get in. The bottle neck at Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker might not be the number of tables though, but rather the personnel which guides all customers to their designated place.
first impression @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
still quiet at 9am @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
one of the adjoining rooms @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
the other adjoining room @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
The rooms on the ‘Beletage‘ of Palais Todesco alone are worth a visit and even impressed me. I loved sitting here and getting served, especially since the waiter was very attentive and looking after us. As a former supplier to the palace of the Austrian emperor Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker apparently has a reputation to uphold and the personnel has been instructed accordingly. My coffee arrived in no time at all and I was sipping it while still waiting for my breakfast companion.
coffee and juice @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
The menu is manageable with a couple of eggs Benedict variations and Viennese classics. In the end my friend ordered an egg Benedict, while I fancied an ‘Anton Gerstner toast’. The egg Benedict at Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker comes on an English muffin topped with fried ham and a lot of sauce Hollandaise.
egg Benedict @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
The egg was poached, the muffin quite alright (not as good as at Joseph Brot Bistro), the ham roasted, and best of all it was all warm! Not just the sauce Hollandaise, but the egg, muffin, and ham had just recently left the pan and the pot! I had a small bite and quite liked it, I am just not sure about the sauce Hollandaise. It had the typical color and taste of the ready-made Thomy Hollandaise. But besides the sauce I was pleasantly surprised, I can’t remember when I had eggs Benedict at such a nice temperature.
The ‘Anton Gerstner toast‘ turned out to be a grilled cheese with an omelette in the middle. The menu had listed solely the ingredients: toast, two organic eggs, bacon, cheese, tarragon, and tomato sauce. The tomato sauce looked rather like a darker cocktail sauce and as much as I tried I couldn’t detect any hint of tomato. Neither of the tarragon, which must have gotten lost somewhere along the way between the menu and the kitchen.
Anton Gerstner toast @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
I quite liked the whole creation, even though my friend told me he was way happier with his egg Benedict. It was buttery and squishy. The bacon kind of disappeared between the cheese and the egg and also the cheese unfortunately didn’t have a lot flavor. It probably was just regular American cheese. I would have loved regular ketchup with it, but the accompanying sauce was surely meant as fancier variation of ketchup. This was not my usual kind of breakfast, but I still enjoyed.
Most interesting was the fact the the breakfast dishes were really reasonably priced while the coffee was exorbitantly expensive. I guess most tourists drink coffee and eat a cake. So then this makes of course sense.
cake display @Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
Overall the visit to Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker was a success and I loved the ambience. A place not just for tourists, but also for the locals. Yours, Pollybert
Gerstner K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker
1010 Wien, Kärntner Strasse 51
Tel: +43 1 5261361
Email: konditorei@gerstner.at
Mon–Sun: 08:00–22:00
https://www.gerstner.at/en/
