Just like home

Schwarzenberg would not be what it is today without its historical significance as a major hub on the north-to-south trading route across the Alps. Over the centuries, innovative innkeepers and the Schubertiade Festival of classical music have continually invigorated the bustling village with its attractive taverns, baroque church and verdant pastures. Not only does the father of Angelika Kauffmann, the famous Neoclassical painter who inspired many of her contemporaries, hail from here, Schwarzenberg is also the home of Gabi Innfeld, the owner of Café Angelikahöhe.

Interestingly, the building started out as a centre of handicrafts before being transformed into a hospitality locale. It was originally owned by a men’s tailor who liked to treat his customers to home-baked pastries while taking their measurements. Eventually, he found his calling in the former hobby and promptly turned his atelier into today’s Café Angelikahöhe. Gabi Innfeld and her sisters have been permanent fixtures here ever since they were little and helped out with babysitting, waiting tables and kitchen tasks. Having stood empty for a few years, the café was finally taken over by Gabi in 2008, who hired the architect Michael Ohneberg for its renovation. Thanks to a joint effort involving all the family, it was ready to reopen with a brand-new ambiance no more than two months later.

The wood-panelled Bregenzerwald parlours are a part of the region’s cultural heritage: they embody comfort and a love of warm hospitality, the very qualities that define the renovated Café Angelikahöhe. While the popular café does not adhere to the typical parlour style, its details, furniture and surfaces were modernised with the same care and diligence afforded to its historical predecessors. Three distinct sections beckon locals and international visitors alike to come together and sample the plentiful cakes on offer: the bright and airy foyer facing the village, the casual bar seating area, and the cosy and intimate parlour in the centre of the building.

Meringue cheesecake, seasonal fruit tarts, various chocolate and nut cakes, and the highly popular raspberry roulade – they are all based on quality ingredients and family recipes passed down through generations. Any sweet-toothed gourmet will certainly find a favourite here to enjoy with an exclusive Italian coffee. As well as small daytime bites, a simple-yet-delightful breakfast is available to those in search of more savoury refreshments. Again, everything tastes just like home: outstanding home-made treats and regional specialities made from whatever there is in the pantry.