When you start planning a trip to Vienna, you will want to visit Schoenbrunn Palace, or at least the gardens, for sure. If you are looking for more Vienna experiences, you’re going to read about the city’s coffee culture. Locals love to go out to coffee and pastry shops, and one of the most representative Viennese pastries is the apple strudel. So, why not combine the two in a perfect Viennese experience? A Strudel Show at Schoenbrunn Palace’s Cafe Residenz will do the trick.
Strudel in Vienna
The strudel is probably the most iconic Austrian desert. It has quite a history too. At first, the Turkish pasty used for the Baklava made its way into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, probably in the 15th century. The oldest surviving strudel recipe is on display today at Vienna Town Hall Library. It is part of a handwritten cookbook dating back to the end of the 17th century. So, that’s more than 300 years of strudel history.
In the meantime, the recipe evolved with different fillings, but the most popular is, of course, the apple strudel.
Cafe Residenz at Schoenbrunn Palace
Cafe Restaurant Residenz occupies the left-wing as you enter the Schoenbrunn Courtyard. It has been there for more than 20 years, but it is run by a family with a long tradition in Viennese coffee culture, the Querfeld family.
Residenz is a cozy Viennese Cafe. You can relax in the elegant salon or enjoy the terrace in warm weather. It’s the perfect end to a Schoenbrunn tour. Choose one of the Viennese pastries along with your coffee, and you’ll complete your imperial experience. The only problem will be choosing something because they are all so visually appealing. A visit to the display case is a good idea to choose one (or two) cakes.
But, the star in Vienna is the apple strudel, and this is what I’m going to talk about next.
Step by step review of the Strudel Show
A unique feature at Cafe Residenz is The Strudel Show. You get to see how the original apple strudel is made and taste some while you’re watching.
Where is the strudel show?
The strudel show takes place in the small bakery salon at the lower level of Cafe Residenz. It’s a rustic and pleasant atmosphere under the vaulted ceiling. You can smell the apple strudel as soon as you enter.
The confectioner and the Strudel Show
You will be seated at one of the tables, and the show will start soon. The confectioner, Michael, is a real showman. He takes the audience through the whole process of making the perfect apple strudel while keeping everyone entertained.
The show starts by introducing the ingredients, the secrets of mixing them together, and the steps to baking the strudel. It sounds pretty simple, but there is a lot of work and technique involved. To mention just two of the secrets involved, you have to use Granny Smith apples, which have a sourish taste and soak the raisins in some strong rum.
But the real secret is the dough, stretched until it becomes almost paper-thin. This part is especially fun: the confectioner throws the flour on the board, stretches it with his fingers, then throws it in the air to stretch it even further.
It’s a whole-family show. A boy from the next table was invited to help the confectioner. He was incredibly enthusiastic to be part of it. I bet he will start to make at least some pancakes as soon as he gets home. Maybe he will even become a Master confectioner and specialize in Viennese pastry. Who knows?
Duration
The show takes between 20 and 30 minutes. Between a coffee and a piece of strudel, it just flies by.
Useful info
The Strudel Show at Cafe Residenz takes place Thursday to Sunday at 10 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM, and 3 PM. It’s perfect to see before or after your Schoenbrunn visit.
There are a few ticket options, starting at 8.5€ for the show and a strudel piece. The premium package costs 14€, and you can also have a coffee or tea with your apple strudel while you see the show.
One more thing: if you have a Vienna Pass, you can enter the show and taste a strudel piece for free.
Don’t forget to get one of the Strudel Recipe flyers to try it at home.
They also have a Strudel Workshop, but at the moment there is only one class scheduled every month, so you should check their website if you’re interested.
Final thoughts
The Strudel Show at Cafe Residenz complemented perfectly our Schoenbrunn visit. It added taste, atmosphere, and fun to an imperial surroundings visit.
Booking options
You can just show up a few minutes before the show, but it’s a good idea to book ahead for a better chance to get a first-line table and the best view. You can use the contacts on the Cafe Residenz website for booking.
Disclosure
I was offered this show by Cafe Residenz. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. Some of the above may be affiliate links. So, if you click on a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend companies, activities, or products that I use myself. Thank you for your support in keeping my blog live!
Yes please, thi is very high now on my list of things to do next time I’m in Vienna! I know the Cafe and decided against a piece of cake here, because the menu stated the cake was provided by Bakery Landmann (it seems a couple of Cafes are served by Landmann and I prefer cake to be individual and not mass produced, esp in a place like Vienna) and I prefer Cafes with their own pastries. So thank you for telling me about the Strudel Show.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
I think Cafe Landmann was the first of the group, and they serve the cakes the most popular cakes throughout the group’s cafes now. However, the strudel is made right there 🙂
Thanks for sharing, this looks a great experience to watch and to eat the strudel 🙂