„Desserts are the fairy tales of the kitchen, a happily-ever-after to supper.“ – Terri Guillemets; Kashtan Cafe
I have to tell you something. Like, you know, that whole „I finally did it and now I can’t stay calm“ thing. Because I went to Cafe Kashtan and I swear… I’m still not completely over it. You know, I’m not usually that easily impressed when something’s super hyped. Not because I don’t love experiencing nice things – but because I’ve had that moment so many times: You go somewhere because everyone’s calling it „the new hot spot“… and in the end, you’re sitting there with a mediocre cappuccino and a dessert that looks pretty but tastes like „sugar and nothing else.“
And that’s exactly why I was skeptical about Kashtan.
A little cautious. I was already mentally prepared for that typical „Okay, it was nice.“ But at the same time, I was curious because… these desserts? These desserts really do look like real fruit. Not like, „Haha, cute, they tried,“ but like: you actually believe it’s fruit. And then suddenly I was standing in front of this display case in Cafe Kashtan, and my mind just went into overdrive: Okay, Vanessa. Calm down. You’re an adult. It’s just dessert. But no. It’s not „just dessert.“
The moment I knew:
– okay, this is going to be dangerous
The moment I walked in, I noticed this wasn’t a place where people just happen to stumble upon it. It was the kind of place where you could tell: those sitting there wanted to be there. A bit like a little secret haunt – but not secret anymore, because the internet ruins everything. Despite that, it didn’t have that exhausting „we’re all here to be seen“ vibe, but rather an elegant, serene feeling. Modern, clean, but not cold. Simply beautiful. And I think that’s such a rare combination. And then… the desserts.
I’m really someone who can completely lose myself in food if something fascinates me. And that was immediately the case here. Because you look at it and see these perfect little fruits, and you don’t even know what you want more:
• to photograph them
• to touch them (not actually do it, obviously)
• or to bite into them, just on principle. I stood there, no joke, for way too long, trying to decide, like I was about to buy a car.
And I had so many thoughts. Things like: How do they make something like that? How does it stay so glossy? Is it paint? Can you eat it? And then, of course, the classic: Please taste good. Please taste good. Please don’t just be pretty. Because if something looks like that, it has to deliver. Anything else is a rip-off.
Desserts like fruit
– and suddenly I’m a child again
I sat down, everything was cute, I was inwardly ready for my little „treat yourself“ moment—and let me tell you: that feeling was like when you were a kid and you saw something that was just too beautiful to be true. And that’s exactly what Kashtan is like.
Because you don’t just get a dessert. You get that little „wow“ moment with it. That brief „Can this really be happening?“ feeling. And I know that sounds so dramatic, but you know me: I love that kind of thing. I love it when little things feel big. When an ordinary day suddenly takes on a mini-movie vibe.
And these fruit desserts are exactly that. They’re not just „sweet.“ They’re an experience. I really looked at my dessert for a moment, like I’d just bought a museum ticket. And I briefly wondered if I could even eat it, because… how do you ruin something so beautiful? But then I thought:
Vanessa. That’s what you’re here for. Not to look at. To savor. So I did it.
The first cut
(and I wasn’t prepared)
And now comes this moment I’ll never forget.
You put your fork to it… and with the very first press, you realize: This isn’t just some cheap cream bomb. This has structure. This has resistance. This is truly crafted. And then you cut into it—and inside, it’s suddenly a completely different world. Layers, cream, a core, a bit of crunch, something fruity, something velvety.
It was so satisfying, I could cry. And the thing is: In my mind, I had this fixed image that it might just look fancy and then taste like „okay, yeah… mousse.“ But no. This is really good. Not just „good,“ but truly: Wow, this is patisserie art. And you know when I say something like that, I mean it. I’m not the type to go wild over every dessert. I’m more like: „Okay, but please convince me.“ And I was convinced. Completely.
Why the hype actually makes sense
There are hypes that are loud. And then there are hypes that are justified. And at Cafe Kashtan, I understood why everyone’s talking about it. Because it’s not just „sweet“ or „beautiful“ or „something different.“ It’s truly the whole experience. You sit there and feel a bit like you’re in another city. Like Paris, but without the stress. Like Dubai, but without the excess. Like Vienna—but fancy Vienna.
And I think that perfectly captures the vanity luxury I love so much: It’s tangible. It’s experiential. It’s not pretentious.
It’s this: „I’m going to treat myself to something nice today.“ And it doesn’t feel excessive. It feels right. At Kashtan, everything just fits together perfectly: the design, the atmosphere, the details—and then that dessert as the grand finale. It’s like a really well-planned evening, but in café form.
Taste-wise:
sweet, but not overpowering
What I really liked was that it wasn’t overly sweet. I hate desserts that make you feel like you need to drink five liters of water and rethink your life after just two bites. At Kashtan, it was sweet, yes—but refined. Balanced. Light enough that you want more. And that’s actually the highest compliment, because I usually reach a point where I think, „Okay, that’s enough.“
Not here. Here, I was thinking, „If I had another one now, it would be completely crazy… wouldn’t it?“ And then that dangerous second thought: Right?
my summary
I understand it now. Completely.
I left Kashtan with this feeling of:
Okay. That was really good. And yes – that was truly special. And that’s so rare that I can actually say it like that. Because most of the time it’s nice and cute, and then you forget about it. But this stays with you. Because it’s not just a café. It’s an experience. A little moment of luxury that you can simply treat yourself to – right in the middle of Vienna, right in the middle of everyday life, right in the middle of „I don’t really have time.“
And maybe that’s exactly why it’s so popular. Because we all need something like this sometimes: Something that’s beautiful. Something that’s good. Something that makes us happy, even if just for a little while. And honestly? If a fruit-shaped dessert can do that… then it’s more than done its job. I’d go back in a heartbeat. And if you ask me:
You would too.
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