Cafe Sperl

This iconic place I found when I was helping a friend find his way to the sites featured in the movie ‘before sunrise’ which was filmed in Vienna.

According to Wikipedia:
Jacob Ronacher founded the cafe as Café Ronacher in 1880, in a building on the corner of Gumpendorfer Straße and the Lehargasse (Lehar Lane). The decor is reminiscent of Vienna’s elegant Ringstraßen-Cafés with parquet floors, bentwood Thonet chairs, marble tables, crystal chandeliers and carambole billiards tables. The building and interior decor were designed by architects Wilhelm Jelinek and Anton Groß. Within the first year of operation, Ronacher sold the establishment to the Sperl family, who renamed the business Café Sperl. In 1884 ownership passed to Adolf Kratochwilla, who retained the cafe’s name.

Prior to World War I, the primary clientele was an interesting mix of individuals drawn from Vienna’s cultural and military circles. In addition to authors, artists, architects, composers, musicians and actors, military officials from the nearby Imperial and Royal (K.u.K) military academy could be found in attendance, including the future Chief of Staff of the Austro-Hungarian Army Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf and Archduke Joseph Ferdinand.

In 1968 Manfred Staub bought the cafe from the Kratochwillas. He renovated the cafe in 1983. In recent years, the Cafe Sperl has won several awards. These include the “Austrian Cafe of the Year,” 1998 (German:Österreichischen Kaffeehaus des Jahres) and the Goldene Kaffeebohne (English: Golden Coffee Bean) in 2004. Contemporary cafe regulars have included authors Jörg Mauthe, Robert Menasse and Michael Köhlmeier.