Having Your Cake

Sure, the music and architecture in Vienna are spectacular, but nothing beats whiling away your afternoon in a Viennese Café Konditorei, or "pastry shop." Famously, there are hundreds of these cafés in the city. But with so many to choose from, where are your calories best consumed? All serve coffee, a true Viennese passion inherited from the Turks, who left the beans behind after their invasion in 1683. Specialist pastry shops gained popularity among the Habsburg aristocracy at the end of the 18th century. So forget about your waistline and check out four of the best Café Konditoreien the Austrian capital has to offer:

Demel Dating from 1786, Demel is one of Vienna's oldest pastry shops and offers sumptuous rococo-style surroundings. Tuck into the café's popular Anna torte, a deep-layered concoction of orange liqueur–flavored chocolate cream and sponge, covered with chocolate nougat scrolls. You can watch

pastry chefs at work through a glass wall. tel: (43-1) 5351 7170; www.demel.at.

Hotel Sacher The Sacher torte, first served in 1832, is a dense chocolate sponge creation with an apricot jam filling, dark chocolate glaze and the only Viennese cake traditionally served with cream (mit Schlag). A chocolate medallion pressed into the glaze is the official sign of authenticity. This elegant place, with dark red carpets and soft furnishings, sets the standard: their torte is still based on the 1832 handwritten recipe, which is the hotel's most closely guarded secret. tel: (43-1) 514 560; www.sacher.com

Cafe Diglas The café's red currant slice, piled high with the berries and a glossy meringue, is legendary, and the banana and chocolate variety is very popular. Café Diglas features marble-topped tables, dark wood paneling and red plush seating, and isn't touristy. There is live piano music three evenings a week. tel: (43-1) 5125 7650; www.diglas.at

Café Korb This eatery's plain, somewhat worn 1960s interior has none of the grandeur of Demel or Hotel Sacher, nor the old Viennese charm of Café Diglas. But if you're looking for a knockout warm apple strudel, one of Austria's most famous pastries, then look no further. tel: (43-1) 533 7215