Café Central Vienna 2026: Closed, Where to Go Instead

Temporarily closed. Closed for a full renovation since March 16, 2026; the operator says it will reopen in fall/winter 2026 (no date yet). Temporary venue: DECENTRAL in Palais Harrach, Freyung 3/1, 1010 Vienna, open daily 07:30–22:00.

Café Central in Palais Ferstel has been closed since March 16, 2026. The operator, Palais Events, is having the listed building fully renovated in line with heritage rules: heating, air conditioning and ventilation, plumbing, electrics, fire safety, and the kitchen and production areas are all being renewed. There is no reopening date; the website says "fall 2026" in one place and "winter 2026" in another. Online reservations are not possible until then.

Temporary venue: DECENTRAL

During the renovation you can go to DECENTRAL in Palais Harrach instead, at Freyung 3/1, a good 100 meters from the Central. It is open daily 07:30–22:00. The menu features patisserie, Viennese pastries and cakes, focaccia, coffee and drinks. According to the operator, reservations are not necessary; phone +43 1 533 37 63-61.

History

The café opened in 1876 in the building of the Austro-Hungarian Bank and Stock Exchange, designed by Heinrich von Ferstel. Its regulars included Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Leon Trotsky, Peter Altenberg and Adolf Loos. The café closed in 1947 and reopened in a changed form on October 30, 1986. In 2026 it turns 150. The renovation also includes restoring the Thonet chairs, the Backhausen fabrics and the chandeliers.

Before the closure

The Central was known for the cake display from its own patisserie and for piano music in the afternoon and evening. Long lines often formed outside the entrance. Whether the piano music and opening hours will stay the same after the reopening is still open.