The glorious smell of schnitzel wafts by – and they look just as delicious. I opt, however, for the fillet of brook trout with roast potatoes and salad. It tastes exquisite and the Grüner Veltliner from the winery Groiss complements it perfectly.
Warm, frothed milk is provided for my "Kleiner Brauner" coffee; I think how nice it is that the place keeps this fond Austrian tradition going.
From the coordinated open-air section, you catch a glimpse of the following trusting inscription on the moulding of the building opposite: "Trust in God in His authority and counsel, in misfortune and pain, and for all eternity". I felt that I was in good hands here and am happy to be able to return to this "history-steeped" building for a bite to eat.
A little about the history of the building...
The Spitalsbad, built in 1329 by the Salzburg city magistrate, was previously located here. A pigsty was housed behind it, which wasn"t much of a problem back then. In 1792, Lorenz Hübner described what was then known as the Seelen- oder Armeleute-Bad" (soul baths or poor people"s baths) as a "pious foundation for the poor, who are able to make use of these baths – actually a sweating bath, such as were everywhere long ago – and the benefits of cupping, bloodletting, hair and beard trims at set times thrice a year, free of charge".
In 1816, the baths ceased business and the building became a woodturner"s workshop. Until the building was heavily bombed in World War 2, completely destroying the building, sewing machines could be purchased there. Café Streif moved in following the building"s reconstruction, until it was replaced by the legendary Carpe Diem in 2005.
You can read more on this subject in Gerhard Ammerer and Jutta Baumgartner, Die Getreidegasse, Salzburgs berühmteste Straße, ihre Häuser, Geschäfte und Menschen, 2nd edition, Salzburg 2013.