Caffè Sacher Trieste — Restaurant in Trieste

The Sacher Café in Trieste presents a beautiful setting — a creative architectural remake of a historic shoe shop, where wooden shelves that once held boxes of shoes now display Sacher torte. It’s an imaginative and refined concept, well worth seeing. Unfortunately, this striking backdrop is entirely undermined by the lack of hospitality. Service, cleanliness, and basic attentiveness fall far below the standard expected in any establishment — let alone one operating at this price point.

The management and staff conduct — from the way they interacted with guests to their overall appearance — suggested either poor hiring or a total lack of training for a setting that claims to be refined. The atmosphere felt unorganised, unclean, and entirely at odds with the brand’s positioning. Staff are unable to oversee the room, clear tables promptly, welcome and seat guests, or handle even basic orders correctly — despite not having to attend a full house; there were only about eight tables to serve in total. Two visible staff, a waiter and a barman (both also acting as cashiers), were managing front-of-house and appeared visibly stressed and preoccupied. A third individual appeared sporadically from the back, possibly from the kitchen, but was entirely disengaged — showing no initiative, nor the slightest awareness that he might assist in clearing tables or supporting his colleagues.

The team not only lacks basic training in hospitality and in managing a premium establishment , but also appears to have received no guidance on appropriate guest interaction or personal presentation. Responses to guests are often inappropriate, or simply rude — suggesting a fundamental misunderstanding of how to behave in a customer-facing role. One staff member behind the bar had long hair loosely clipped up with a plastic claw, the rest left hanging — a style more suited to an afternoon at home than to front-of-house in a luxury establishment.

The cake was good; everything else was not. Tea arrived in a pot barely sufficient for a single cup, with no napkins, no attention to table hygiene, and several forgotten elements that had been part of the order. The establishment charges at a level consistent with high-end hospitality, yet offers none of the structure or professionalism...

Beautiful space — and that’s honestly the only positive thing I can say about this place. I would comment on the food and drinks, but we never got that far. We were understanding and patient, knowing there was a regatta happening in town, but this kind of treatment was still unexpected. We entered the café, sat down at one of the tables, and waited to be served. After 15 minutes without anyone acknowledging us, we got up and left. While sitting there, we noticed the dynamic between the waiters and what seemed to be the shift manager (we assume he was the manager because he behaved as if he were above the staff — in a very rude and arrogant way). We were seated close to the cash register, where a woman came to pay, followed shortly by another couple. They waited about 5 minutes before they could pay and leave. One waiter tried to process the payment, but the manager arrogantly stopped him, telling him to go outside because he was the only one who handled payments. Then, the manager himself went outside to the terrace and returned after a few minutes to finally process their payment — the customers were visibly upset. Shortly before we decided to leave, a group of older Italian tourists came in. The manager immediately went to greet them and started arranging where to seat them — all while we had been sitting there for about 10 minutes without anyone approaching us. That’s when we decided to leave. We mentioned this to one of the waiters on our way out, and he politely asked us to sit down again, saying he would take care of us right away. We thanked him but declined. Meanwhile, the manager started seating the Italian group at the same table we had just left — which clearly shows he hadn’t even noticed we were there at all. That alone speaks volumes about how unprofessional his service was. Being a manager isn’t easy, but it requires someone observant, skilled, and attentive — someone who can read the room, notice who has arrived, and ensure guests are served and billed in a timely manner (especially if only the manager is allowed to handle payments). Overall, extremely unprofessional, careless, and rude. It’s a shame that a café using such a prestigious name as Sacher operates this way. I do not recommend...

I recently visited the new Cafe Sacher in Trieste with high hopes of experiencing the renowned Sacher torte in a fresh location. Unfortunately, my overall experience left much to be desired, leading to a low rating for this establishment.

Let's start with the positive aspect: the Sacher torte itself. The torte at Cafe Sacher in Trieste maintains the same authenticity and quality as its counterparts in Vienna and Salzburg. The rich chocolate combined with the tangy apricot filling was a treat for the taste buds, and it was the only aspect of my visit that lived up to expectations.

However, the issues I encountered overshadowed the enjoyment of the torte. First and foremost, the staff was unwelcoming and unhelpful. Despite the cafe being new, the employees displayed a lack of interest in providing a pleasant experience for guests. Their indifference and lack of friendliness left a sour taste in my mouth and significantly diminished the overall atmosphere.

Furthermore, the pricing at Cafe Sacher in Trieste was exorbitant. While I understand that high-quality ingredients and a prestigious brand warrant a certain level of expense, the prices here seemed unjustifiably steep. It felt like I was paying more for the name rather than the actual value received. This made the experience feel more like a tourist trap than a genuine...