Turn-of-the-century Budapest Coffee Houses and Trendy Cafés

• get coffee-to-go and a bagel from an American-style café,

Budapest has it for you.

The cafés are cake shops as well, take your time to choose from the impressive array of home-made Hungarian cakes and pastries. Some cake shops like the Ruszwurm, August or Hauer have been owned by the same family since the 19th century and the secrets of confectionery making have passed on generation by generation.

Find out yourself from this introductory page and the specific pages about historic Budapest coffee houses and trendy Budapest cafés.

Historic Budapest Coffee Houses

Coffee culture apperaed in Budapest long before Wienna or Paris. Turn-of-the-century Budapest was a city of 500 cafés. Many of them disappeared by now, but you'll still find some classic Budapest Coffee Houses that preserved their heyday charm and elegance.

Cafés were an integral part of social and cultural life at that time. Many artists and writers had regular tables in cafés. They could not afford to heat their small flats, so they spent most of the day in their favourite coffee house. Regular guests were even provided with paper and pencil to create their novels and poems.

Budapest's line of cafés served also as places for spreading news, gossip and dispersing new ideas. Our renowned humorist, Frigyes Karinthy tested how long it would take a joke to get across the other side of the Danube. He told his joke in a coffee house in Buda, then an hour and half later he walked into the Centrál Café in Pest, where he heard the same joke.

Not surprisingly the communist regime supressed this vivid coffee culture in no time. Communist party leaders considered cafés as hotbeds of underground communication and secret meetings. That's why they had every coffee house in Budapest closed down in 1948.

These times have gone. Many Budapest coffee houses have been restored lately (Central Café, Café New York) and try to revive the vivid, turn-of-the-20th-century Budapest coffee culture.

Visit at least one of these historic Budapest coffee houses to capture the atmosphere of long gone times.

Cream of the Crop Historic Budapest Coffee Houses

In Buda

Operating since 1827 Ruszwurm is the oldest coffee house in Budapest. Situated in the Castle District in Buda the coffee house's neighbourhood is rich in historic monuments. Ruszwusm itself boasts beautiful Baroque interior.

It is a small place with limited sitting area so it is usally crowded in the tourist season. There's a terrace next to the entrance in summer. A nice selection of creamy cakes, tortes and pastries tempts visitors for a pleasant break during the tour of the Buda Castle.

Angelika Cafe & Restaurant I. district, Batthyány tér 7. Open: 10.00-22.00 daily Besides cakes, espresso and other coffee drinks Angelika is also a restaurant offering a two-course daily menu (990 HUF) or a la carte eating. Breakfast and sandwiches are also available. Angelika is not as historic in ambience as the other places listed in this article but has a nice location in Buda oppsoite the the Chutch of St Anne.

In Pest

Café Gerbeaud
Pest, V. district, Vörösmarty tér 7.
Open: 9.00-21.00

Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty Square at the end of Váci Utca is probably the most famous cafe in Budapest that's why it is more touristy than the other Budapest cafes listed on this page.

Read more about Gerbeaud Cafe.

New York Café
Pest, VII. district, Erzsébet körút 9-11
Open: 9.00-24.00

New York is posh high-end cafe and restaurant on the groundfloor of the impressive New York Palace Boscolo Hotel on Grand Boulevard.

In its heydays at the end of the 19th century Cafe New York was said to be the "most beautiful cafe in the world". It was a famous meeting place of Hungarian artists. The cafe is on the gorundfloor of the lavish New York Palace (today functions as a luxury 5-star hotel) built for an American insurance company between 1891-95. After extensive renovation the cafe reopened in May 2006 incorporating a posh restaurant called Mélyvíz.

Despite the grand all gold and marble interior the New York Cafe lost its original coffee house atmosphere. It became a high class tourist attraction with snobbish staff and service. As of the end 2009 the White Salon has taken over the cafe area for special events.

Auguszt Coffee House & Confectionery
Pest, VIII. district, Kossuth Lajos utca 16-18.
Open: Mon-Fri: 9.00-19.00, Sat: 10.00-17.00, Sun: closed

The downtown Auguszt coffee house is in an inner courtyard just off Kossuth Lajos street. The small terrace is a perfect place for a coffee & cake in the busy city centre. This classic historic cafe has two more shops in Budapest:

the Auguszt Confectionery at 8. Fény utca in Buda (next to the grocery market) with a turn-of-the 20th century salon upstairs. Opening Hours: Tue-Fri: 10.00-18.00, Sat: 9.00-18.00, Sun & Mon: closed The Auguszt Pavilon near the Farkasréti Cemetery (Sasadi út 190.) has a spacious garden with old chestnut trees. The cafe boasts antique furniture and offers traditional cakes and pastries both for take away and eating on the spot. Opening Hours: Wed-Sun: 10.00-18.00 (closed on Mon and Tue)

Centrál Café & Restaurant
V. district, at the corner of Károlyi Mihály utca and Irányi utca
Open: 8.00-24.00 daily

Centrál is centrally located in downtown Budapest (distric V.) and the former historic coffee house has been restored to a modern urban cafe and restaurant. It is a spacious place with large windows and ample sitting area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are offered.

Művész
Pest, VI. district, Andrássy út 29.
Open: 9.00-24.00 daily

This classic old Budapest cafe stands on Andrásy Avenue near the Hungarian State Opera House. The interior has been renewed in recent years and modern mixes with classic resulting in a somewhat weird atmosphere. The cakes are however delicious although service is sometimes snooty. It is also a restaurant offering slightly overpriced Hungarian (goulash is 990 HUF) and mediterranean dishes.

TIP: Click here to read more about the above historic Budapest coffee Houses.

Best Cake & Pastry Shops in Budapest

Although it is not a traditional coffee house and it is a bit far from the city center you must try the cakes, pastries and snacks (scones) at Daubner Cukrászda (Szépvölgyi út 50., III. district Óbuda, open: Tue-Sun: 9.00-19.00, closed on Mondays).

Szamos Marcipán Cafes & Confectioneries are also known for delicious cakes and pastries. There are several Szamos Cake Shops in Budapest, the most centrally located is the one on Grand Boulevard adjacent to the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal at 45-47. Erzsébet körút. Besides cakes marzipan figuresand handmade sweets are also available.

I dearly recommend you to spend an hour or so in one of the above Budapest Coffee Houses. They have more reasonable prices than the ones in Vienna. Try one of the famous and delicious Hungarian cakes or pastries with your coffee or capuccino. Travel back in time while sipping your drink and you'll gather strength for some more sightseeing.

Which coffee House Serves the Best Coffee in Budapest?

Tell us which coffee house brews the best coffee and cakes in Budapest!

Click to see other vistors' coffee house reviews!

Trendy Cafés in Budapest

Budapest has many trendy cafés where you can have a light lunch, listen to music and check your emails through wireless internet access. Ráday utca in IX. district and Liszt Ferenc Square in VI. district are lined with fashionable cafés and bars, but you don't have to walk a lot to find a good café in other parts of downtown Budapest. In summer you can have a drink and relax in the terraces.

Related Pages from our Website

Budapest Restaurants

Best Restaurants in Budapest

Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest

Budapest Shopping Malls

Hungarian Cuisine

Return from Budapest Coffee Houses to Homepage of Budapest Travel & Tourist Guide.