Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Welcome to Grandma's Kitchen in Vienna

New ideas are popping up worldwide. Take Vollpension in Vienna. A café run by 'life experts' (no labels like 'senior citizens' here!), it offers not only a welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages and backgrounds, but also a fresh perspective on the world. The eatery exudes a 'Cheers' atmosphere, or as the Vollpension team themselves describe it: intergenerational togetherness. This is their story.

Self-empowerment across generations and cake: Business at usual at Vienna's unique Vollpension café! (Images Mark-Glasser, Vollpension)

Right in the heart of Austria's Vienna, the world's ultimate coffee hotspot, there's a café called Vollpension that's shaking up the old idea that seniors are set in their ways, lonely, or in need of help. The people who work here are not 'over 60' or 'senior,' they are just people. And with a lot of life and cooking experience to boot. And so, with food that is just pleasure, without the 'guilty,' it seems that the people who come through its doors like it a lot.

Oma Still Has Lots To Do

Vollpension started because there was a need to help older people who often deal with poverty or loneliness. The team decided to tackle the issue themselves. It now funds all costs and wages, and shows a commitment to creating a welcoming space that challenges stereotypes and fosters social impact.

Since starting, they've caught the eye of people all around the world. During a recent visit for one of her travel shows that followed the River Danube, British actress Dame Joanna Lumley also highlighted admiration for the initiative. While talking to 'Oma' Mrs. Marianne, she said: "It touches my heart, this, I love it." And added: "Because I'm an Oma, and it just makes sense. We are the same age; we are old but we are not finished. We've got much to do, we've got love to give, and we've got skills."

"It touches my heart, this, I love it. Because I'm an Oma, and it just makes sense. We are the same age; we are old but we are not finished. We've got much to do, we've got love to give, and we've got skills."

Turning Around Perspectives

And so, it came to be that right next to the Naschmarkt, Vienna's largest and most renowned open-air market, Vollpension on Schleifmühlgasse (the first of the two Vollpension cafes), there is now a place that offers a unique twist on old perspectives we might have. Such as that old people always need looking after. Or, as Dame Joanna Lumley put it: "This is one of the loveliest places I’ve ever visited, because it’s people being looked after by grannies." To which she added: "I think we should have more of these around the world."

So, no lonely or struggling seniors here. The initiative provides everybody working here with extra income and stay socially active. In fact, seniors make up more than half of the team, according to the Vollpension website.

"This is one of the loveliest places I’ve ever visited, because it’s people being looked after by grannies. We should have more of these around the world."

Cozy and inviting, Vollpension at Schleifmühlgasse captures the essence of 'Grandma’s biggest living room' with its charming vintage decor and an inviting open baking area, making visitors instantly feel at home.

A lively scene at Vollpension, Schleifmühlgasse, showcases a joyful and engaging community atmosphere, where the concept of old-age poverty and loneliness is replaced by laughter and connection.

Vollpension serves daily fresh cakes like Sachertorte and apple strudel, along with substantial breakfast and brunch options such as 'Grandpa Bertl's Buchtel Indulgence' (yeast buns with plum jam and vanilla sauce). On the menu are also vegetarian and vegan alternatives like Grandma Erika's plant-based platter, house-made lemonade, and coffee, of course.

Two Guys Walk Into a Bar. The Third one Ducks.

So, how did it all start? "Two young men are sitting in a Viennese coffee house and realise that the cake is far too dry. They agree that grandma’s cake is the best – and the rest is history," writes the Vollpension team on its website. It's how the coffeehouse idea came to life, it further explains, born out of a need for a place that brings the comforting flavours of grandma’s baking right to the centre of Vienna.

"During the night – and, rumour has it, after a beer or two – they came up with the name Vollpension (German for full pension, referring both to retirement benefits and the kind of hotel stay that includes all meals)." The idea, which kicked off during Vienna Design Week 2012, has since turned into a vibrant symbol of bringing generations together and has become a staple in Vienna's food scene, the website further explains.

So, in 2015, the first café opened in Schleifmühlgasse, which remains the Vollpenion's heart today. In 2019, a second grandma's kitchen spot opened up at the Music and Arts Private University in Johannesgasse, Vienna's 1st district, where, just like you'd guess, music is the main focus.

By now, "Vollpension is probably Austria’s best-known social enterprise and much more than just a coffee house," the team further explains. The grandma's kitchen cafés' success is evident from international visitors, a TripAdvisor top 10% award, and media coverage by CNN, BBC, and The New York Times, announces its site proudly.

Starting in 2020, an additional new baking school popped up. It's called 'BakAdemy,' and it's the world's first grandma baking school. This place is all about connecting different generations, with both online and in-person classes where seniors pass on their baking know-how.

"Two young men are sitting in a Viennese coffee house and realise that the cake is far too dry. They agree that grandma’s cake is the best – and the rest is history."

Close to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and a few minutes from the Vienna State Opera, Vollpension Johannesgasse is considered a must-visit for both locals and tourists. It features a neon fireplace, and classic 'Oma kitsch' décor, creating a unique space where music, art, and traditional Viennese pastries come together.

In the cozy 'generation-bridging café,' a cheerful moment is shared between two staff members, highlighting camaraderie amid a vintage décor of framed memories.

The Vollpension at Schleifmühlgasse: In the evenings, the senior staff serve various drinks and regularly invite guests to (intergenerational) events. In summer, the large outdoor area is a popular place to linger.

Empowerment For Everyone

But the Vollpension café isn't just about promoting positive ageing; it's all about empowering ourselves and gaining independence through engaging in activities we might enjoy. "The concept of Vollpension is now more relevant today than ever," the team states on their site, pointing out the high numbers from Statistics Austria about people over 65 dealing with poverty and social exclusion — an issue not exclusive to Austria.

What's more, the 'generational-safe space' also helps spark conversations between different generations, closing the gaps in our often impersonal urban lives. Or, as international media sometimes rescribe it: a 'generation-bridging café.' With nearly half the world's population living in cities, you could say that's even more of a big deal these days.

"The concept of Vollpension is now more relevant today than ever."

Geraniums at Grandma's Kitchen

At Vollpension, we can see firsthand that as humans, we can be valuable as people at any age. You could say this helps prove that the misconception about seniors and geraniums is more a product of our own perception than an inevitable reality. Here, people of all ages connect, learn from each other, and enjoy delicious food together. It's a place where everyone knows your name. What's not to love? Perhaps it's time we all embrace this approach ourselves once more.

Sources: Spokespersons for Vollpension Vienna and the Vollpension Vienna website

Find out more here: Vollpension Vienna

Images courtesy of Vollpension, by Mark-Glasser

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Participants of the OMA Masterclass 'Pearls of the Vienna Patisserie Baking Academy' proudly present a beautifully crafted cake, showcasing their skills in traditional patisserie.

Oma Innovation Labs

Back in March 2020, the pandemic forced Vollpension to temporarily shut down its two intergenerational cafés, putting 45 seniors' jobs at risk. But that didn't stop the crew! They teamed up with friends and creatives to kick off 'Oma Innovation Labs' and launched online baking classes starring seniors. They turned a pop-up café into a film studio and rolled out three digital OMAsterclasses on Viennese pastries, vegan baking, and Christmas cookies, with over 12 hours of video content. By October 2020, the BakAdemy went live, letting people bake alongside seniors on Zoom. Once things calmed down, they opened the world's first grandma baking school in Vienna, offering live baking courses with seniors since spring 2022.