Cafe Hawelka

It is already 11pm when we arrive at the almost empty but they still let us order fresh Buchteln and a Melange (not a Viennese melange this time, we are learning!). Buchteln are a sweet pastry that they call Berliner in Hamburg and Wiener in Berlin (hence the story that Kennedy called the citizens of Berlin doughnuts, which is not really accurate as the Berliners themselves call doughnuts Wiener, not Berliner).


Two young German tourists sit down behind us and ask the waiter if they serve anything sweet. "Yes, Buchteln" - the waiter appears furious about their ignorance. "Ok, we'll have Buchteln then" the tourists quickly agree, they seem intimidated. As soon as the waiter has left for the kitchen, I hear one of the guys ask his companion "what the hell are Buchteln?". His friend doesn't know either.

We, however, take a last sip from our melange and ask for the Zettel. It is midnight now and we can sleep well with a belly full of Buchteln and Viennese coffee.