Hanging out in bars and cafés in Budapest is a way to experience the heart and soul of the city. They range from ruined bars with graffiti on the concrete walls to gilded turn-of-the-century halls where you can sample luxurious pastries.
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Bars and cafes in Budapest
There are plenty of cosy bars and cafes in Budapest to sink into when you're tired of swimming or shopping, and we managed to visit a bunch during our recent food and wine-themed blog tour. Some others we've visited before, and here are seven bars and cafes we think you shouldn't miss.
1. New York café
The New York Café (New York Kávéház) is renowned as one of the most beautiful cafés in the world, and the interior is truly... sumptuous. One can imagine that the aristocracy once mingled here, and after a period of decay during the Second World War, the café has been restored to its former glory.
We were here during our first trip together to Budapest, and if I remember correctly, we ordered a chestnut soup here. The menu ranges from soup, pasta and burgers to foie gras, afternoon tea and luxury pastries.
Address: Erzsébet krt. 9-11
2nd Gerbeaud café in Budapest
Another classic café in Budapest, located right in the heart of the city, is... Gerbeaud Café. Founded in 1858 by one Henrik Kugler, the company, like the New York Café, has gone through different periods in its history. As times changed during and after the Second World War, the café remained a reminder of its former glory.
Today, you can come here to enjoy breakfast, sandwiches, soup - and perhaps above all, delicious pastries - in a beautiful setting. We got the chance to try several of the pastries here. Soooo good! It's hard to pick a favourite, but the "Salty Peanut Apricot Slice" was interesting and a bit different. If you want a dessert, try the Gerbeaud Pancake (with chocolate sauce) or the Somlói Sponge (soft cake with walnuts, tokajvin and cream).
Address: Vörösmarty tér 7
3. Tamp & Pull Espresso bar
Tamp & Pull Espresso Bar is a completely different kind of café. The room is small and the smell of coffee and freshly baked buns fills the air as you enter. There are a few tables where you can sit down and the small door is always ringing when a new guest comes in - this place is popular!
Tamp & Pull is the place for those who really like coffee. Here you can get coffee from beans from everything from Ethiopia to Brazil, and there is a solid list of different coffee drinks - even cold ones. We got to do a little coffee testing here, very interesting!
Address: Czuczor Str 3
4th Toprum Rooftop bar
Toprum is located at the top of the seventh floor of the Rum hotel. The bar has large multi-directional glass windows with a magnificent view of the city. The bar serves breakfast, brunch, bar menu and drinks. bar menu and drinks.
We started a morning here, and I really liked the breakfast table, especially the sweet yoghurt bowls. On the breakfast table we also found "Cinnamon bullar" and these looked exactly like Swedish kanelbullar, so now we know that the word "bulle" is spreading in the world! We also tried a tray of Hungarian specialities - bread, butter, sausages, pickled tomatoes with rose oil (approximately?) and fermented mini-melons.
Address: Királyi Pál utca 4
5. High Note Skybar
The High Note Skybar is located at the top of the Aria Hotel and offers a really nice roof terrace with fantastic views of the surrounding buildings. Now it was too cold to sit outside, so after a moment of admiring the view, we sank into a sofa group indoors.
This rooftop bar offers different themes and right now the theme was "Legends & Myths". The waiter really went all in and enthusiastically told a story about our drinks, which glowed blue and had 'magical properties'. We settled for drinks here, but for those who are hungry, they serve both lunch and a bar menu.
Address: Hercegprímás Street 5
6 Boutiq bar
On the very last evening "with the gang" during our last trip to Budapest, we went to the Boutiq Bar for one last drink together. It had become quite late after a long dinner, and this place felt absolutely perfect. What a great atmosphere! The guys and girls behind the bar wore floral shirts and bow ties, and served us at the table, even though it really felt like a "hang out at the bar" place.
I don't really know what was more imaginative, the names of the drinks or the drinks themselves. In any case, we were all equally surprised by what was brought in, and it was not particularly expensive either. At least not by Swedish standards.
Address: Paulay Ede u. 5
7. ruinous Szimpla
One thing not to be missed in Budapest are the cool ruin bars. These bars are housed in old residential buildings that have fallen into disrepair and are no longer fit to live in. While waiting for investors to take over, the buildings are rented out to bar owners who turn them into lively nightclubs. People party amidst raw concrete walls covered in graffiti and mismatched furniture from flea markets.
We didn't have time to visit any ruin bars this time, but last time we were in the Hungarian capital we had a few beers at the Szimpla Kert ruin bar. This is a two-storey pub where people drink beer, smoke hookah and play ice hockey games. And if you get tired of beer, you can of course order the Hungarian fruit brandy "pálinka".
Address: Kazinczy u. 14
The Jewish Quarter
Many of the ruin bars are located in the Jewish quarters, as are many other popular cafés and bars. Check out the area around Madách Imre ter Square, for example, to find hip haunts and pubs.
More bars and cafes in Budapest
Of course, there are even more bars and cafés in Budapest. Here are a few we'd like to check out next time we're in the Hungarian capital:
- Auguszt Cukrászda, Fény utca 8, classic patisserie offering courses in baking Hungarian pastries.
- Centrál Kávéház, Károlyi utca 9, beautiful café and restaurant dating back to 1887.
- 360 bars, Andrássy út 39, rooftop bar with 360 degree views of the whole of Budapest.
- A38 Ship, Petőfi híd, something as unusual as a bar located on top of an old ship from the Soviet Union.
- St Andrea Wine & Skybar, Deák Ferenc utca 5 Váci 1, an exclusive rooftop bar overlooking Vörösmörty Square.
Do you have tips for other cosy bars or cafés in Budapest? Let us know!
Videos from Hungary
Here you can watch two films from our trip to Budapest and the surrounding area.
More to see and do in Budapest
When you get tired of coffee, there is much more to see and do. what to do in Budapest. For example, you can swimming in thermal baths or detect Budapest's caves. Or why not take the opportunity to shopping in Hungary's capital? Below you will find even more tips, both for Budapest and other parts of Hungary.
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Lena - good for the soul says:
Jesus! No. 1!!! What riches! How beautiful!
Hug Lena
26 November 2019 - 7:01
Helena says:
Yes, fantastic! 🙂
26 November 2019 - 21:39
Annika says:
I am so eager to visit all the places. Ettan is probably a must to add to our list!
26 November 2019 - 9:22
Helena says:
That place is definitely on a list! 🙂
26 November 2019 - 21:40
Madde says:
We were at the New York cafe when we were there. Absolutely amazing, was completely speechless. Very expensive for Budapest, but quite ok for us Swedes. Anyway. Worth every penny.
26 November 2019 - 9:25
Helena says:
Glad you also found there! Agree, fantastic place!
26 November 2019 - 21:40
Ann says:
Oh Budapest, how can you not love that city?
When we were there, there was a food caravan right next to Szimpla, did you visit it?
26 November 2019 - 12:10
Helena says:
Totally agree with you, Budapest is a cosy city somehow, despite its size. Ah, the food caravan we missed ...
26 November 2019 - 21:41
bmlarstravellingblog says:
So many cool places!
The prestigious Café Gerbeaud is probably the only one on your list I have visited.
26 November 2019 - 17:17
Helena says:
But it's not that bad, really nice place! 🙂
26 November 2019 - 21:41
Lisa says:
Two years ago, I visited Budapest with my sister. By coincidence, we went to the New York café and felt like we were transported to another time and to an indescribable luxury. It was an extraordinary experience, you could say.
28 November 2019 - 13:24
BP says:
The sumptuous cafés are so incredibly beautiful. Imagine if the walls there could speak.
Personally, I would probably be more comfortable in the sky bar for the view and in a ruin bar for the atmosphere.
26 November 2019 - 20:31
Helena says:
Very different types of places, right? I like all of them, but maybe at different times 😉.
26 November 2019 - 21:42