Some of the most beautiful cafes in the world have great design and a rich history. Composition by The Epoch Times, photos by Kit Leong, ReiKlaus, Julie Mayfeng/Shutterstock
Built in times when drinking a cup of coffee meant pausing to savor the ambiance along with your favorite brew, these cafés captivate with their architectural beauty and rich history.
Over the years, these unique cafés have drawn many remarkable figures, from kings and emperors to writers and philosophers—and even a Founding Father—who gathered to discuss ideas and enjoy a hot beverage.
Join us as we journey to some of the world’s most breathtaking cafés and uncover what makes each one so special.
1. New York Café, Budapest, Hungary
New York Café, in Budapest, viewed from the second-floor balcony. Dignity100/Shutterstock
An ornate balcony banister inside the famous New York Café in Budapest, Hungary. Kit Leong/Shutterstock
Celebrating its 130th anniversary, this café is aptly known as the most beautiful cafe in the world. Named after the insurance company that commissioned its construction, the New York Cafe quickly became the heart of Budapest’s literary and artistic life following its inauguration in 1894.
With high ceilings adorned with frescoes and sparkling Venetian chandeliers, twisting marble columns, and gilded balustrades, the café captivates visitors. Adding to the serene ambiance, a pianist and string quartet regularly perform, while literary events are frequently held in homage to the café’s rich history.
2. Café im Kunsthistorisches Museum, in Vienna, Austria
Inside the beautiful historical Kunsthistorisches Museum. Radiokafka/Shutterstock
The café is located inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum. marcobrivio.gallery/Shutterstock
This café is situated within the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Austria’s largest art museum, whose name translates to the “Museum of Art History.” Visitors need a museum ticket to enjoy a coffee, but the stunning café interior and the museum’s prestigious art collection make it well worth the entrance fee.
The museum’s interior is lavishly decorated with marble, stucco, and gold leaf ornamentation and murals in the Renaissance revival style. On Thursday evenings, the café transforms into a dinner restaurant, offering select drinks, dishes, and the finest Viennese coffee.
3. Confeitaria Colombo, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The interior of Confeitaria Colombo Café, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Diego Grandi/Shutterstock
The entrance to Confeitaria Colombo. ArgelisRebolledo/Shutterstock
With a style inspired by the cafés of Europe, Confeiteria Colombo is a celebrated landmark in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Following its opening in 1894, it quickly became a gathering place for Brazilian writers, artists, and intellectuals.
In the early 1900s, it was renovated in the Art Nouveau style, a look that it proudly maintains to this day, featuring massive rosewood-framed Belgian crystal mirrors, marble-topped tables, and a distinctive skylight.
4. Café Florian, in Venice, Italy
The interior of the oldest café in Italy, Cafè Florian. ReiKlaus/Shutterstock
Cafè Florian is a coffee house located on Piazza San Marco in Venice. Gordon Bell/Shutterstock
Located in Venice’s iconic Piazza San Marco, Café Florian is Italy’s oldest coffee house. Since its opening in 1720, it has operated continuously for over 300 years, despite undergoing significant expansion and renovation in the mid-1800s. Today, it boasts six uniquely themed halls, each decorated by renowned Italian artists from as far back as the 18th century.
In the early 20th century, Cafè Florian introduced the concept of the “cafè-concert,” offering live orchestral performances for guests to enjoy while sipping a coffee. Over a century later, this tradition lives on with performances ranging from romances to opera pieces, classical music, evergreen hits, and even some modern tunes during the warmer months.
5. Café Central, in Vienna, Austria
The beautiful interior of the Café Central, one of Vienna's most famous and prestigious coffee houses. Lisa Stelzel/Shutterstock
The entrance of the Café Central, in Vienna. Mitzo/Shutterstock
Located in the center of Vienna, hence its name, Café Central embodies the essence of Viennese coffee culture in a remarkable setting with a strong Italian influence. The mansion housing the café was built in 1860, showcasing an elegant blend of Venetian and Florentine architectural elements, inspired by the architect’s travels in Italy.
A papier-mâché figure of Viennese writer and poet Peter Altenberg greets guests—a nod to one of the café’s most devoted patrons. Altenberg spent so much time at the café that he even had his mail and laundry delivered here.
Café Central has also attracted other well-known figures over the years, including psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, writer Alfred Polgar, and political activist Theodor Herzl.
6. Café de la Paix, in Paris, France
The lounge at the "Café de la Paix" in Paris. FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
The Café de la Paix is located near the opera house in Paris, France. Petr Kovalenkov/Shutterstock
Paris is full of charming cafés that contribute to its reputation as the City of Lights, but Café de la Paix stands out for its rich history—full of royalty, celebrities, and cultural icons—and its prime location directly across from the Opera Garnier, one of the French capital’s most iconic landmarks.
Since opening in 1862, Café de la Paix has been an unparalleled setting for savoring a classic coffee and croissant or indulging in a cup of tea paired with a slice of the famous Opera Cake, earning its title as the Parisian Tea Room par excellence.
The facade of the famous Majestic Café. PhotoFires/Shutterstock
Compared to the cafés previously mentioned, Majestic Café in Porto, Portugal, is relatively young at just over a century old, having opened in 1922. Those were the times of the “belle epoque,” and the design of this café is a testament to that beautiful era. It is located on Santa Catarina Street, a pedestrian walkway where the finest members of society used to shop—and still do.
In typical Art Nouveau fashion, Majestic Café features large Flemish mirrors, leather upholstery, and a refined blend of marble and metal.
From the outset, this café attracted local and international celebrities. In recent years, it has gained further fame as a favored spot of J.K. Rowling, who wrote parts of the first Harry Potter book here while still an unknown author.
8. Le Procope, in Paris, France
The Café Procope is known as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Paris. Julie Mayfeng/Shutterstock
The Café Procope is in the Saint Germain des Pres district. Petr Kovalenkov/Shutterstock
Founded in 1686, Le Procope is renowned as the oldest café in Paris. Legend has it that in the 17th century, this was the first establishment in the city to serve coffee, then an exotic beverage recently introduced from the Ottoman Empire. Following a refurbishment in 1989, its interiors now reflect an 18th-century aesthetic.
Le Procope was a popular gathering spot for intellectuals, and today, it proudly displays memorabilia from celebrated patrons such as Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It even has an American connection: Benjamin Franklin is said to have drafted the Franco-American Alliance in this café during the American Revolution.
9. Café Tortoni, in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Café Tortoni in Buenos Aires, Argentina. TasfotoNL/Shutterstock
Exterior of Café Tortoni. Toniflap/Shutterstock
Founded in 1858, Café Tortoni is the oldest café in Buenos Aires. Its marble tables have hosted celebrated figures like writer Jorge Luis Borges and tango legend Carlos Gardel, who even had his own private table, sheltered from the gaze of his fans.
With decor and ambiance inspired by classic Parisian cafés, Café Tortoni has been a cultural and artistic haven since its inception. Its legacy is even immortalized in a tango piece, “Viejo Tortoni” or “Old Tortoni.” Today, the café continues its tradition of live performances, offering tango and jazz shows in its atmospheric basement.
10. Les Deux Magots, in Paris, France
The two figures, or "magots," overlooking the place give the café its name. Alla Tsyganova/Shutterstock
Les Deux Magots in Paris, France. ColorMaker/Shutterstock
The name “Les Deux Magots” refers to the two Oriental figures called “magots” displayed in the café, which evoke its origins as a silk and novelty business. Its transition into a café in 1884 marked the beginning of its legacy as a literary gathering place, frequented by famous regulars such as Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Ernest Hemingway.
Today, the café has expanded internationally, with branches in Tokyo, Prague, and London.
