Just as imperial, just as refined. Gerstner is a court confectioner, café, and restaurant all in one—an establishment where Viennese coffeehouse culture is simply part of everyday life. The cakes, chocolates, and pastries are as beautiful as they are delicious, and the packaging is almost too lovely to unwrap.

Something special awaits on the second floor of Palais Todesco: magnificent rooms with a direct view of the State Opera, designed by Ringstrasse architects Theophil von Hansen and Heinrich von Förster. Johann Strauss once sat here as a regular guest in Baroness Todesco’s salon—and it was here that he met his first wife. A place that brings together coffeehouse tradition, cuisine, and grand architecture. Reserving a table on the second floor is well worth it.