Not Your Average Pastries: Finding Viennese Desserts in Indy
Don’t get me wrong, I would never turn down some mille-feuille or an éclair—there’s almost nothing better than a pastry, especially some French pâtisserie. But have you ever tried out some viennoiseries? And if you’re wondering if this has something to do with Vienna, Austria—you’re spot on.
Knowing the difference between pâtisserie, boulangerie, and viennoiserie is good background knowledge to have. According to the experts from Le Cordon Bleu:
Pâtisserie: “Pâtisserie is used to describe French pastries and the pastry shop they are sold in. Although the word is used quite liberally in English-speaking countries, in France and Belgium the law restricts its use to bakeries who employ licensed maître pâtissier (master pastry chefs).”
Boulangerie: “A boulangerie is a French bakery, as opposed to a pastry shop. Bakeries must bake their bread on-premises to hold the title of 'boulangerie' in France. While a boulangerie may also sell pâtisseries and viennoiseries, their main trade will be in traditional French breads.”
Viennoiserie: “Viennoserie refers to breakfast pastries made in the style of Vienna, Austria. While they did not originate in France, viennoiseries rose to prominence after an Austrian military official, August Zang opened a bakery Boulangerie Viennoise in Paris, bringing new ideas to French pastry circles. Viennoiserie is the 'bridge' between pâtisserie and French bread. These goods are typically made with white flour and active yeast cultures, which cause the dough to rise quickly and achieve the perfect flakiness. Some are instead made using an enriched puff pastry.”
I recently made a trip to Austria that opened my eyes to all the delicious options that viennoiseries have in store. Typically skewing toward the sweet end of the breakfast realm, viennoiserie has become a huge part of Vienna’s culture—especially with their coffee house culture. A cup of coffee and a quick bite is how you start your day. With over 600 coffee houses to choose from, you’re set up for a pretty delightful way to start the day. A 20th-century Austrian writer, Stefan Zweig, described the Viennese Coffee House culture as “actually a sort of democratic club, open to everyone for the price of a cheap cup of coffee, where every guest can sit for hours with this little offering, to talk, write, play cards, receive post, and above all consume an unlimited number of newspapers and journals.” You can typically find small food dishes like sausages, eggs, breads as well as desserts, cakes, and tarts, like Apfelstrudel, Millirahmstrudel, Punschkrapfen, and Linzer torte on these menus. Out of those hundreds of coffee houses, I made it to Cafe Demel, Cafe Sperl and Cafe Eiles. The most well-known of these coffee houses in the city is Cafe Central. These coffee houses have a profound influence on Vienna’s culture and hold a lot of history within their walls.
Apfelstrudel at Cafe Sperl
Pastry spread at Cafe Sperl
Pastry case at Cafe Demel
It wouldn’t be an Austrian dessert spotlight without talking about the famous sachertorte. Dating back to 1832 at Hotel Sacher, the sachertorte was created to wow guests with a never-before-seen dessert. It’s a rich, chocolate cake with apricot jam between layers. I had the opportunity to sit down and try this delicious concoction at ground zero, and it didn’t disappoint. While there, I also gave the Viennese Spicy Gugelhupf cake, a spiced cake with ginger and orange, a try—and unpopular opinion here—I might have liked it even more.
Inside Hotel Sacher, home of the sachertorte
Pastries and coffee at Hotel Sacher
Where to Find Viennoiserie in Indianapolis
Indianapolis does lack more of the Eastern European influence of some city counterparts like Cleveland or Pittsburgh—so trying to find a dedicated viennoiserie might be slightly more difficult. They’re rare, but they’re still here! Two that definitely should be on your list are Kuacha & Me(h) and Leviathan Bakehouse.
Linzer from Kuacha & Me(h)
Croissant and kouign amann from Leviathan
Kuacha & Me(h) is offering up all the traditional Austrian home-baked goods. You can catch the team at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market every 2nd and 4th Saturday—and might I recommend getting there to grab a linzer early. The linzer is a nut cake served with jam. When I’m able to grab one of these nut cakes, it’s incredible every time. Sachertortes are also available on occasion, so make sure to check in every other week to see what’s on the menu. Some other classics include Apfelstrudel and Zopf. If you’re looking for some traditional Austrian treats, Kuacha & Me(h) is absolutely the place you need to be.
Leviathan is an absolute gem if you live downtown. Their baked goods really stand out from what the rest of the city has to offer. Like it or not, viennoiserie tends to be the most recognized form of pastry because of one classic staple: the croissant. And yes, Leviathan excels in that department. With a seasonal croissant offering—along with some more classic flavors—this bakehouse has so many treats in store. While you’re there, make sure to grab a kouign-amann and a travel cake for later.
Whether you’re a croissant connoisseur or a linzer lover, these spots are sure to satisfy your pastry cravings. Happy munching, and may your mornings be filled with flaky croissants!
