At Demel, on the luxury Kohlmarkt shopping street, tradition and family recipes have stood for the quality of sweet seduction for more than two centuries. The former k.u.k. Hofzuckerbäckerei, the imperial and royal court confectioner, stands for top quality in matters of pastries and coffee.

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The Sacher is also a Viennese institution. This is where people enjoy time-honoured Viennese coffee house tradition at its best with a slice of Sacher cake, which is made to a strictly guarded original recipe from 1832. The Sacher cakes can also be bought and enjoyed in the Café Bel Étage on Kärntner Strasse.

Gerstner K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker - the Imperial and Royal Court Confectioner - is also steeped in tradition. The sweet delicacies from the Gerstner patisserie and confiserie have been handmade for over 170 years. Whether Klimt confectionery, Sisi cake or Punschkrapferl chocolate, there's something for every sweet tooth here. The lovely shop with café and restaurant on the upper floors is a real eye-catcher.

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Café Landtmann opened on Vienna’s Ringstrasse in 1873. Today, the Landtmann is one of the few remaining coffee houses on the Ring and is a legacy of the glamorous Ringstrasse era. The Landtmann’s pastries all come from its own bakery and are the epitome of the art of confectionery. In addition to the cakes, Landtmann’s Gugelhupf is very popular and also comes in a decorative box so you can take it home with you.

© Café Landtmann

A typical Viennese souvenir is also to be had at Altmann & Kühne on Graben. This establishment has been selling around 50 varieties of exquisite chocolates since 1928. The house specialty – the handmade Liliputkonfekt – is packaged in elaborately designed boxes and melts in the mouth. It’s also known as “Vienna's smallest temptation”. An artistic edition in the form of a small piano, designed by the artist Jimmy Zurek, was created for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss.

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The Mannerschnitten are also beautifully packaged: These nougat wafers in pink foil bearing the outline of St. Stephen’s Cathedral have a long history: they were first mentioned in a document in 1898 – and now have a veritable cult following. The delightful sweet treat even has its own flagship store in the immediate vicinity of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Manner fans can choose from a wide range of products, all in the pink Manner design.

Aida is the name of a Viennese confectionery chain that enjoyed success with its 26 branches across Vienna long before Starbucks. The design of the 50s, 60s and 70s, luxurious desserts, excellent coffee and lots of pink are the ingredients for success. Anyone who buys a delicacy like the Caprese Verdi here will not be surprised that the wooden box is also pink. Pure retro factor and a cult classic.