27 September 2021

Vienna Insight: Re-opening of 150 years old Café Bellaria with new interior design interpreting coffee house culture

The re-opening of Café Bellaria (since 1870) near the Natural History Museum was celebrated with guests from sports, cabaret or car dealing and financial business last week on Thursday. The new outfit of the 150 years old place is made of elements of the coffee house of the 19th century in a new interpretation set in relation with warm and fresh colors breathing a lightness which might remind guests of a terrace at the sea. The Café Bellaria CEOs and gastronomers Rubin Okotie und David Figar collaborated for the interior design with the architects of Vienna-based Büro KLK. At buroklk.com, the architects describe the approach to the remodeling of the 140m2 meter space. The starting point of the concept is the history behind the name, which means as much as 'pleasant air', with reference to the representative balcony of empress Maria Theresia at the Hofburg where today for example the Austrian National Library (Nationalbibliothek) is located.

The atmosphere of bel air is visualized with light colors at the walls and ceiling as well as the dome. The furnishing in warm earthy tones with benches and iconic Thonet 214 bentwood chairs pay tribute to traditional Viennese coffee house interior design while the bar design and the large tiles above the benches are citations of architectural styles of landmark buildings in the neighbourhood.

The café, bar and restaurant offer currently at its menu (fast checked today at cafebellaria.at) breakfast variations from classical Viennese Breakfast to the muscle strengthening 'Working Class Hero' dish with beans, sausage, spinach or the lighter 'Mediterranean Breakfast' and 'Healthy Choice'; last mentioned with detox shot made from ginger, pineapple, parsley. The starters and main dishes are composed of culinary preferences of the Viennese ranging from typical Austrian cuisine to Asian bowls, Mediterranean salads and American burgers.

Images, from left: Gastronomers Rubin Okotie and David Figar invited on 23 September 2021 to the re-opening of Café Bellaria at Bellariastrasse 6 in the 1st district of Vienna. Right: Street view at Café Bellaria. Photos: © leisure communications/Roland Rudolph.