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Now in Lakeview: A taste of Vienna's finest

By Elizabeth Owens-Schiele Special to the Tribune
Published November 13, 2002

A Viennese institution for more than a century, Julius Meinl (MY-nl) has just opened a coffeehouse in Lakeview serving smooth, medium-roasted brews and traditional Viennese pastries and confections. "We're trying to bring a bit of Viennese coffee culture and tradition to Chicago," said Thomas Meinl, whose great-great-grandfather Julius started the coffee-roasting business in 1862 in Vienna. The contemporary exterior is deceiving.

Inside the 70-seat shop are classical Viennese chairs and upholstered booths, and soft lights that offset the historical photos lining the golden stucco walls. Brass kettles serve seven daily brews. Coffee is served Viennese-style, with a china cup and saucer on a serving tray, and caramel or chocolate cookies and a glass of water on the side. "That's the way we do it in Vienna," said Meinl, who visited the Chicago shop before its opening. "What we're creating here is very new because we are going back to the basics."

The many Viennese desserts created by Chicago chef Annie Muller include traditional Viennese pastries such as Mohr im Hemd, a hot molten chocolate cake served with warm chocolate sauce and schlag, a not-too-sweet whipped cream ($4.25 per serving); apple strudel ($3) and topfenstrudel, a farmers cheese strudel with orange zest and golden raisins ($3). Lunch items will include daily soups, including frittatten soup, chicken broth with herbed Austrian noodles and fresh chives ($2 per cup; $4 per bowl) and assorted hot and cold sandwiches, $5-$6. Meinl brand beans and ground coffees roasted and imported from Vienna include King Hadhramaut blend ($11.95, 1.1 pounds), Jubilee blend ($10.95, 1.1 pounds) and President blend ($9.95, 1.1 pounds). Loose tea also is here ($5-$6, 25 bags; $6.95-$8.95 4-ounce packages of leaf tea).