Back in Vienna after a short vacation my first stop on the weekend was breakfast at Café Florianihof. This traditional coffeehouse has seen turbulent times in the past two years. Beautifully renovated it reopened with an all day breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, only to close again soon after. The second try with burgers and sandwiches in the evening did not last either. Now a new owner has returned to the breakfast only concept, serving it until 4 pm. Let’s see how this works out.
terrace for warmer weather @Café Florianihof
I had visited Café Florianihof two years ago and found the food fine but the drinks overpriced, which kept me from returning. This time I was pleasantly surprised because coffee prices are now reasonable. We had booked a table for 9 am, though that early it was not necessary. Even when we left, a few tables were still free.
inside @Café Florianihof
My friend went for Egg Benedict, one poached egg on brioche with ham and plenty of sauce Hollandaise. The egg did not seem organic, otherwise it surely would have been advertised, and there was only one instead of the usual two. The sauce looked suspiciously ready-made, but my friend declared it not the worst on our ongoing quest for the best Eggs Benedict in Vienna.
egg Benedict @Café Florianihof
I chose the ‘Großes Frühstück mit Schinken’ (large breakfast with ham), which came with two soft boiled eggs, bacon, ham, organic bread by Joseph, organic butter, cheese and salad. The eggs looked tiny, and one was a bit undercooked with translucent whites. The bacon was not crispy at all, the cheese unremarkable, though the ham and salad tasted fine. On the other hand, who serves salad for breakfast?
My real dealbreaker however was the whipped butter, which was the only one available. When I asked for a slice of real butter I was told it was in the cellar and could not be served. For me that alone is reason enough not to return.
large breakfast with ham @Café Florianihof
Service still seemed a little confused despite only a few tables being occupied. Nothing major went wrong, but it did not feel smooth either. While the new concept may find its audience, I will not be among them. Reasonable coffee prices are a plus, but breakfast was underwhelming and the butter issue sealed the deal. Yours, Pollybert
Café Florianihof
1080 Wien, Florianigasse 45
Tel: +43 676 7101755
Email: reservierung@cafe-florianihof.at
Mon-Sun: 90:00-16:00
https://www.cafe-florianihof.at/
