By Alaric 
If you’re looking for beautiful cafés to visit in Vienna then one of the most spectacular is the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café.
Also called La Cupola, this museum restaurant is set in a former Imperial Palace so it has interiors fit for royalty.
You can enjoy a delectable coffee, brunch or dinner here during your visit to one of the most important museums in the world.
It was easily one of the most incredible café experiences I’ve ever had and I can guarantee you won’t forget it in a hurry.
Here is how to visit the dazzling Kunsthistoriches Museum Café in Vienna!
History of Kunsthistoriches Museum
The Kunsthistoriches Museum, or Art History Museum, was opened by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1891.
It’s located in Maria-Theresien-Platz in a former festival palatial building on Vienna Ring Road.
The palace was reconstructed as a ‘Museum of Fine Arts’ to showcase the Habsburgs’ priceless collections of art.
The building work took place over twenty years and was managed by Gottfried Semper and Baron Karl von Hasenauer.
Every room inside the museum was designed to impress with stucco work, gleaming marble, gold leaf and colourful murals.
Every part of the building was purposely planned to impress visitors and boast of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s powerful dynasty and wealth.
Today, it’s still a one-of-a-kind gallery that is also one of the most important museums you can visit around the world.
What is the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café in Vienna?
As well as admiring countless items of art and priceless treasures inside the gallery you can also visit the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café.
The restaurant is set beneath the colossal cupola of the building and so you’ll be entirely surrounded by breathtaking interiors.
There are red velvet seats set out in a circle on a gorgeous monochrome tile floor and it’s wall to wall finery.
As you sip your coffee, you can’t help but notice the plethora of marble reliefs, gold filigree details, busts of important figures and tall marble columns.
They also have seats by the window that face Maria-Theresien-Platz but I couldn’t stop gawping at what was before me inside.
It’s a setting fit for royalty and one of the most beautiful cafés I have ever visited in my entire life!
Enjoy a coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner
The Kunsthistoriches Museum Café is open for coffee, brunch and even dinner on late opening days like Thursday. It’s a great place to take a break.
They have an extensive menu of the finest coffee in keeping with Vienesse coffee house traditions and it was one of the best coffees I had in the city.
If you’re sitting down for food you can enjoy an elaborate breakfast or a traditional Viennese lunch.
There is a range of soups, salads, beef goulash, mushroom risotto, fish dishes and the famous Wiener schnitzel too.
Where is the best photography location of La Cupola Café?
So, you’re most likely here because you’ve seen those jaw-dropping photos and videos of La Cupola Café from above.
Taking photos from the upper levels really highlights the grandeur of this restaurant and it’s very easy to do.
You can take the lift or stairs to the upper floors of the museum and then walk over to a selection of balconies that overlook the tables.
Here you can take those Instagram-worthy photos and videos!
As the café is part of the museum, you don’t need to purchase any food or drinks to take photos from here.
How to visit La Cupola Café
La Cupola Café is located inside the Kunsthistoriches Museum which is in Maria-Theresien-Platz.
You can take the U-Bahn to Museumquatier on the U2 line (purple) to visit.
If you’re approaching on foot, it’s very easy to walk here from central attractions like the Sisi Museum and Hofburg Palace.
The café is open at the same time as the museum. This is typically from 10 am to 6 pm. It opens until 9 pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.
On Thursdays, the restaurant has a late-night opening where you can have dinner from 6 pm to 10 pm with a set menu.
Do you need a reservation?
If you want to visit La Cupola Café for lunch or their evening dinner then it’s highly recommended to make a reservation.
It’s a very popular restaurant and it will be packed throughout the day.
You can make a reservation online via their website which is in English and it’s very quick and easy to do!
If you don’t have a reservation and want to visit for a coffee, I would visit early in the morning to be seated straight away. Otherwise, you may be queueing for a while to get a table.
Can you visit the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café without a ticket?
Unfortunately no, you need a valid museum ticket to visit the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café.
This is a shame as the museum is not the cheapest at €21 an adult. There are no free entry days throughout the month either.
I highly recommend purchasing a Vienna Pass for your trip as most of the museums in Vienna require a ticket.
The upside is that the museum is fabulous and has many incredible exhibitions that make it worth visiting besides the restaurant.
Being able to sit in La Cupola Café with a coffee during your visit is the cherry on top!
Highlights of Vienna’s Kunsthistoriches Museum
The Art History Museum in Vienna is the largest in all of Austria. As it’s set in a former palace, the ornate building alone makes it worth a visit.
However, the real treasures are the incredible exhibitions filled with irreplaceable artwork, coins, artefacts and statues.
As you meander through the various salons, each room will take your breath away. You could spend hours here admiring everything.
My favourite area was the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection.
There were over 1700 ancient objects including sarcophagi, mummies and a Book of the Dead.
The Greek and Roman antiquities were beautifully displayed, and lighting fixtures were used to highlight the busts and statues.
The Kunstkammer Chamber of Art and Wonders is the most important collection and has over 2000 valuables that were collected by the Habsburgs over centuries.
Plus, you can visit the world-famous Bruegel Hall with the largest collection of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder including the “Tower of Babel”.
It’s an important cultural museum that’s truly one of a kind.
Is the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café worth visiting?
Yes, not only is this one of the most beautiful cafés that you can visit in Vienna but it’s also a place that serves the best coffee too.
Now, don’t get me wrong, coffee culture is popular in the city and it’s something Vienna is famous for. But, that doesn’t always mean that the coffee tastes good.
In most places, I found that Viennese coffee is quite hard to tolerate. But, in La Cupola the coffee was easily the best and went down smoothly!
Aside from the spectacular interiors, this is why I would return to the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café to save my taste buds.
My top tips for your visit
- Get here for opening time – the café can get quite busy throughout the day. Come here earlier for a quieter visit.
- You can reserve a table – if you’d rather not queue, you can reserve a table.
- Buy a Vienna Pass – you can skip the long ticket queues for the museum by having a Vienna Pass as they scan it in a separate queue.
- The best views are on top – head to the upper floors to get a breathtaking view of La Cupola from above!
Are you looking for more incredible cafés in Vienna?
Coffee Culture is huge in Vienna but there is a ‘holy trinity’ of classic cafés that most people visit and they are Café Central, Café Demel, and Café Sacher.
All of these cafés are popular, historic, incredibly famous, and have their own unique offerings.
Café Sacher serves up the world-renowned Original Sacher Torte cake.
Café Demel used to provide sweets to Franz Josef’s court at the Hofburg Palace including the candied violets that Sisi loved so much.
Café Central is famous for its coffee and the number of literary figures that have visited over the years to discuss ideas.
I would recommend booking these coffee houses a few weeks ahead to guarantee a table as lines can be very long.
Saying that it’s not always necessary. I didn’t have reservations for any of these cafés in Vienna and was seated within 30 minutes every time.
Read more of my Austria travel guides
Empress Sisi locations to visit in Vienna
How to visit Justizpalast in Vienna
How to visit the magical Austrian National Library
Admont Abbey Library – the most beautiful library in the world
Save the Kunsthistoriches Museum Café in Vienna for later!
