57 Vienna
Cocktails at the top of Vienna
Opened recently in 2014, the DC Tower stands tall in Kaisermühlen overlooking both the old and new channels of the Danube. At 57 floors, it is the tallest building in Austria. The tower is mostly offices and a few luxury penthouses, but there is a smart new hotel (the Melia), a couple restaurants, and most importantly, 57 - the cocktail bar named conveniently after its floor number.
57 is a solid lounge driven to importance by the fact that it towers over the rest of Vienna. On a clear summer evening, I could nearly see to Bratislava in one direction and to the Alps in the other. Be warned: the drinks are expensive (almost prohibitively so).
So why would I consider this to be 'spotted by a local?' The tower is brand new, but still only attracts very few tourists. While it can be seen from nearly anywhere in Vienna, most travelers could not be bothered to find the Ubahn stop at Kaisermühlen (so far from Stefansplatz) and to wander through the various other office buildings to get there. Moreover, 57 is not terribly well advertised.
The upshot is that you will be surrounded only by the relaxed bunch that works in the tower or nearby. That means that a seat will be free and the view will definitely be worth it.
For those with a desire for a business-chic cocktail on their journey along with a fabulous view, this a good one to catch before the word gets out.
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