Le Bol has been the French gold standard in Vienna for more than a decade. Long before croissants were widely available in local bakeries, Le Bol provided French staples for expats and Francophiles alike. They were also among the first to introduce a time slot concept, only to now operate a no reservation system. At least not online, as you can still make a reservation in person.
Le Bol @Vienna
On this particular Saturday morning, the café was surprisingly empty, especially the large communal table, and we secured the only window seat without any trouble.
inside @Le Bol
The breakfast menu is quite short and unmistakably French. There is not much to choose from and it reminded me somewhat of a typical Viennese breakfast. That said, it feels authentic, as the French are not exactly famous for elaborate breakfasts. There are a few avocado and egg options for those who prefer something more substantial. I wanted to stay true to France and opted for a buttered baguette and a pain au chocolat. The sweet pastry arrived promptly alongside the coffee.
coffee and pain au chocolate @Le Bol
The croissant was everything you could wish for. Flaky, buttery and filled with enough dark chocolate to make me happy.
The bread, however, was less successful. Already cut in half and pre-buttered, the butter was a little too warm in my opinion and definitely not salted enough. It hardly tasted like proper French butter. The lower half of the baguette was hard and more chewy than crunchy, with little to recommend it. The upper half was considerably better, with a nice crust and soft interior. Overall, I would have enjoyed it much more with colder, properly salted butter, perhaps even served on the side, though that was not an option on the menu.
buttered baguette @Le Bol
My friend fared better with one of the baguette options, ordering “Le Club”. The toasted baguette was filled with roast beef, leaf salad and house style tartare sauce.
Le Club baguette @Le Bol
It was toasted on the inside and generously packed with roast beef and sauce tartare. I cannot judge how “house style” the sauce truly was, but it worked well. The leaf salad turned out to be iceberg lettuce, about as far from delicate leaves as one can imagine. Still, the sandwich itself was good, so no real complaints. Perhaps cutting it in half would improve the presentation, allowing guests to immediately see the filling. Presentation is not Le Bol’s strongest suit.
Service was fine. The waiter kindly reminded us straight away of the cash only policy, which is not mentioned on the website. A receipt was provided upon request. Overall, the breakfast was good enough, but not the sort of place where I am inclined to linger. It feels more like a stop for tourists these days than a beloved local haunt. Yours, Pollybert
Le Bol
1010 Wien, Neuer Markt 14
Tel: +43 699 10301899
Mon-Sat: 08:00-23:00, Sun: 09:00-23:00
https://lebol.at/
