Kohlmarkt & Demel

Kohlmarkt has undergone the most dramatic social climbing of any street in Vienna. In medieval times, this was where charcoal sellers hawked their wares — the name literally means "coal market." Today it's Vienna's most exclusive shopping strip, a pedestrianised promenade of luxury boutiques that runs in a straight line from the Graben to the Michaelertor gate of the Hofburg. The charcoal merchants would weep.

At number 14 sits Demel, the most storied bakery in the city and arguably in Europe. Founded in 1786, it held the coveted title of K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker — Imperial and Royal Court Confectioner. The staff still address customers with the archaic third-person form "hat der Herr schon gewählt?" as if the monarchy never ended. Empress Elisabeth reportedly had Demel's candied violets and fresh coffee delivered to her rooms every morning, which is the 19th-century equivalent of a standing Uber Eats order.

Demel is also half of the most delicious legal battle in Austrian history. The "Tortenkrieg" — Cake War — between Demel and Hotel Sacher dragged through the courts for decades over who could use the label "Original Sacher Torte." In 1963, the courts ruled that Hotel Sacher owned the name "Original" and the round chocolate seal, while Demel could sell its version as "Eduard Sacher Torte" with a triangular seal. The two cakes differ in where the apricot jam layer goes, which is apparently worth several decades of litigation.

Step inside and watch the Zuckerbäcker — pastry chefs — work behind glass, producing confections that look more like jewellery than food. The display cases are a museum of sugar engineering, and the hot chocolate is thick enough to stand a spoon in.