The counters in Vienna worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Vienna worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Joseph Brot on Naglergasse in Vienna's first district bakes Josef Weghaupt's Waldviertel heritage-grain sourdough by hand without machines. The cinnamon.
Tip: The cinnamon Pulled Bread is the bakery's most-bought breakfast bake; weekend mornings sell out by 11:00.
Worth the queue: Joseph Laib
Joseph Brot Landstrasse on Landstrasser Hauptstrasse in Vienna's 3rd district runs the bakery's full-service cafe, with hot dishes, granolas.
Tip: Open weekday breakfasts and lunch; the cinnamon Pulled Bread sells out by mid-morning.
Worth the queue: Joseph Laib
Paremi on Baeckerstrasse in Vienna's first district is Patricia and Remi's French boulangerie behind Stephansdom, baking croissants and eclairs daily.
Tip: The fig-tree courtyard at the back is the room's only summer seating; arrive by 09:00 on weekend mornings.
Worth the queue: Pain au chocolat
Oefferl on Wollzeile in Vienna's first district bakes organic natural sourdough from the family bakery founded in 1968, the Wollzeile flagship the inner-city.
Tip: Open until 19:00 weekdays; the bistro counter serves coffee and tartines through the afternoon.
Worth the queue: Oefferl Brot
Felzl on Helferstorferstrasse in Vienna's first district uses a natural sourdough starter rested 18 hours, the chain's pioneering new-wave Vienna bakery now.
Tip: The bread vending machine at the Schottenfeldgasse 88 branch refills overnight for after-hours pickup.
Worth the queue: Vienna sourdough loaf
Baeckerei Arthur Grimm on Kurrentgasse in Vienna's first district has baked on the same lane since 1536, the family operation still running multiple bakes.
Tip: The Kaisersemmel and Mohnflesserl are the long-standing buys; the gluten-free counter pulls a cross-city crowd on Saturdays.
Worth the queue: Kaisersemmel
Kurkonditorei Oberlaa on Neuer Markt in Vienna runs the Karl Schuhmacher Konditorei from 1974, the wide carte of Torten the modern alternative to the Demel.
Tip: The Oberlaa Torte is the house signature; the Mehlspeisen counter beats the cafe for takeaway.
Worth the queue: Oberlaa Torte
Joseph Brot's Albertinaplatz outpost in Vienna's first district sits on the Fuehrichgasse corner by the Albertina museum, the Waldviertel heritage-grain.
Tip: Order the cinnamon Pulled Bread for breakfast and walk it across to the Albertina forecourt.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon pulled bread
Der Mann on Margaretenstrasse in Vienna's 4th district is the Mann family bakery chain since 1860, the workhorse Wiener Semmel and Mohnflesserl.
Tip: The Mohnflesserl, plaited poppy-seed roll, is the chain's classic; eat it warm before 09:00.
Worth the queue: Mohnflesserl
Stroeck-Feierabend on Landstrasser Hauptstrasse in Vienna is the Stroeck family's slow-fermented organic spin-off, the bakery the Stroeck siblings run beyond.
Tip: The dining-room kitchen runs all-day breakfast and a serious sandwich carte beyond the bread counter.
Worth the queue: Roggenmischbrot
Felzl's Lerchenfelder Strasse branch is the Neubau outlet of Horst Felzl's bakery, the daily-baked sourdoughs and Nusskipferl a Mediterranean lean.
Tip: The Bernardgasse 9 vending machine sells unsold stock from this branch overnight at a discount; check it on a late walk home.
Worth the queue: Nusskipferl
Felzl on Leopoldsgasse in Leopoldstadt brings the chain's Mediterranean-leaning sourdoughs into the Karmelitermarkt orbit, the rye loaf its bestseller.
Tip: Mornings on the Karmelitermarkt are the right pairing; cross the square for cheese after the bread run.
Worth the queue: Whole-grain rye loaf
Gragger & Cie on Spiegelgasse in the first district bakes in a wood-fired oven on the premises, the loaves all organic-flour sourdough sold at the counter.
Tip: Bring a tote; the bigger boules sell out by midday on Saturdays.
Worth the queue: Holzofen Bauernlaib
Gragger's Vorgartenmarkt stand is the Leopoldstadt outpost of the wood-fired sourdough bakery, the stall's wood-oven loaves a weekend locals' draw.
Tip: Pair with Mochi Ramen Bar nearby; the market wraps by 14:00.
Worth the queue: Wood-oven rye
Georg Oefferl's Mariahilf branch sources from regional farms and rests its sourdough 48 hours before the oven, the bistro counter open all day.
Tip: The breakfast plate at the back counter changes weekly; the Wollzeile flagship runs the same kitchen.
Worth the queue: Roggensauerteig