Austrian Hospice Cafe

The Austrian Hospice Cafe is a Viennese-style cafe in a 19th-century pilgrim hospice at 37 Via Dolorosa in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, Israel. The hospice was built in the 1850s to host Catholic pilgrims from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and its garden courtyard and rooftop remain a quiet refuge from the Old City's busy streets. The cafe serves classic Viennese pastries and coffee: apple strudel and Sachertorte are the signature sweets, accompanied by Viennese coffee, and the menu provides a very different taste from the Middle Eastern fare found elsewhere in the quarter. The rooftop is the main attraction, with a view over the Old City towards the Dome of the Rock. The dining space is a calm garden courtyard with shaded tables and a rooftop terrace reached by stairs; the mood is peaceful and refined, noise levels are low and there is no strict dress code, although modest clothing suits the religious setting. Drinks centre on coffee, tea and cold beverages, with a small selection of Austrian-style items. Prices are moderate ($$), and the rating is around 4.4. The cafe does not usually take reservations and operates as a walk-in venue, so the practical consideration is timing: it is calmest in the morning and mid-afternoon. Opening hours are roughly 9:00AM to 5:00PM daily, and the cafe may close on Friday morning in some seasons, so visitors should check before going. Its position on the Via Dolorosa makes it a natural pause on a walk through the Stations of the Cross, and it is close to the Lions' Gate and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.