Discovering Café Central in Vienna was a delightful accident. We had no idea it was a historic landmark; it was simply the closest café to the museum we had just visited. It was our last day in Vienna, and we were craving some traditional Viennese desserts and coffee.

At first, the long queue at the entrance gave me pause. Long lines usually scream “tourist trap,” and I've had my fair share of disappointments. Thankfully, my kids insisted we stay, and I'm so glad they did. The queue moved quickly, taking less than 15 minutes, and the entire experience turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.

Entering this magnificent, historic café, we waited a few more minutes to be seated. During this brief wait, the maitre d’ entertained our two kids with magic tricks, leaving all the adults equally mesmerized.

Once seated, our waiter was just as friendly and engaging. Initially, we had hoped to try the famous Sachertorte, but alas, they didn’t have it. However, we were not disappointed, as the desserts we ordered were to die for: apple strudel, cheese curd strudel, chocolate cake, and the famous Viennese pancakes with plum sauce that Empress Sissi allegedly loved.

The apple strudel was the best we had in Vienna, the pancakes were a fluffy delight with a perfectly balanced sweet and sour plum sauce, and the chocolate cake was heavenly with ice cream. The juices, diluted apple juice with soda water and another with cherry syrup, were refreshingly interesting. The coffees (a caffe latte and a melange, one of their specialty drinks) were mediocre at best, the only reason I gave 4 stars for Food. I wouldn’t recommend getting coffee here, it’s overpriced for what it offers and surely there are better options in a city famous for its coffee houses.

While waiting for desserts, the maitre d’ returned, sleeves rolled up, to prove to our inquisitive son that he hadn't guessed the magic trick. He performed it again, this time with a twist and help from a colleague, leaving us all in awe.

The impressive architecture and decor, fantastic service, and delicious desserts made this an unforgettable experience. The entertainment was the cherry on top. Our only regret was not discovering this gem earlier in our trip, so we could have visited multiple times. But rest assured, we will be back in Vienna, and Café Central will be our first stop!