In the nearly five years that I’ve lived in Austria, there have been more than a few occasions where I am über late in finding out about trends taking my home country by storm.  Take planking, for instance. I remember seeing people’s pictures pop up across various social media and thinking to myself, get off the ground, only to then realize that these folks were doing it out of their own volition, as part of a movement, yo. Or those ubiquitous flash mobs, which seemed to become tightly woven into socio-lingo back home long before I even knew of their existence. And then, of course, there was my bewilderment with food trucks, a type of mobile dining venue that has popped up in many US cities, often times attracting a cult-like following. I wasn’t sure I understood the merit of the last phenomenon; standing in a long line to be served something out of the back of a truck instead of enjoying a nice meal and the place and space that serves it?

A recent experience here in Vienna, however, got me good. Meet Espresso Mobil. In a typical-for-this-town better spät than never kind of way, Vienna has hopped on the bandwagon at last. In an atypical, turn-this-town-upside-down kind of way, however, the first mobile dining option is serving the very thing that Viennese associate no mobility with whatsoever—coffee. See, this beverage is classically enjoyed slowly while leisurely sitting in a cafe, newspaper in hand. ‘Coffee to go’ was a foreign concept until a few years ago, and now, Espresso Mobil has taken it up a notch. Are you ready for this?

That up there? It’s a Vespa. Not just any Vespa, though, but a custom-made tri-wheel vespa that has been specially designed to hold, within it, Vienna’s first mobile coffee shop. 

It’s kitschy. It’s cutesy. But let me tell you…it is also pretty freaking fabulous. Coffee out of a tricked-out Vespa? Yes please. I stumbled across Espresso Mobil at an event last weekend and was pretty smitten from the start.

Around town since January when they started with one Vespa, Espresso Mobil now has four! With fixed locations (two in the 9th, one in the 3rd, and one in the 19th) and mobile locations, you’re bound to run into them soon.  And when you do?

Outstanding. With five types of drinks on the menu (not a single one over €3), simplicity reigns. When it comes to taste and presentation, though, they pull out all the showstoppers.

This was a perfect coffee. A strong bean, not overpowered by the milk but not too bitter, frothy foam, and some lovely latte art to boot. Poured with liebe from a very friendly barista, this Cup of Jo was a top-to-bottom joy.

I look forward to all the cups to come…

Catch it if you can!

Espresso Mobil
Altes AKH (1090)
Rochusmarkt (1030)
Siegmund Freud Park (1090)
Spittelau (1190)
http://www.espressomobil.at/

Photos #1, 2, 3, and 5 from restaurant website.