Aida is the favourable reinvention of classy coffeehouse culture for a charming espresso-chain. It is none of the global café chains denying the local tradition; on the contrary, Aida is a dyed-in-the-wool Viennese institution. The Café-Konditorei (espresso and pastry shop) was founded in 1925 and is run as a third generation family business. It was in an Aida-shop that the first Italian-style espresso machine was introduced to Austria and up to now the devoted clientele swear by its traditional mild roasting (and the wide choice of luscious pastries and cakes, of course). Aida is ubiquitous in Vienna (up to now 26 shops are distributed all-around the city), either very promintently located next to the Stephansdom or opposite to the State Opera, but often also tucked away in some calmer, less touristy areas (like the one in Neubaugasse, where the Viennese artists B. Fleischmann, Marilies Jagsch and Sweet William van Ghost were playing a cosy session for us). All shops in common is an unmistakable 1950s-1970s design saturated by the mellifluous colours chocolatebrown and pink as a Punschkrapfen (a traditional pastry).


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