It may seem that there can be nothing really new about a café in Budapest - after all, a thriving coffeehouse culture continually flourishes here since the early 1900s. At that time, cafés were meeting spots for artists of all kinds, especially writers and poets. Today there's a broader demand for a good cup of coffee and an experience to match, but Budapest's new-wave coffeehouses strive to do more than just provide an inviting environment for lingering over a steamy cup. These three recently opened coffeehouses are run by java geniuses attracting fresh audiences with their innovative, fresh, and fun approaches, all the while supplying consistently excellent drinks and service.
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Mantra
This small but surprisingly roomy place lives by this mantra: coffee is a type of herb. They even have a huge sign on the wall saying “coffee isn’t bitter, because it’s a fruit!” Aside from a range of coffees that change from time to time, Mantra also has a unique way of serving its filtered coffees. Order one of these and you might be surprised to see it arrive in a cognac glass; the staff tells us that it’s all about the aeration. This place is closed on Sundays, but the crew is often busy working anyway as they hold special coffee-training sessions and taste tests.
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NOMURI
There are a million ways to ruin a cup of coffee, but at NOMURI care is taken with every aspect of this delicate process, from the base ingredients to the experts who handle each and every cup. Here they have either espresso or filter coffees, and serve some coffees in a stemless wine glass. For those who love a flat white but have struggled to find one in Budapest, look no further. Here there milk options include soy, almond, or lactose-free. In summer – but even as a refreshing pick-me-up in cooler months – they have what’s called an “espresso tonic.” This is basically an espresso poured over tonic and ice cubes. We don’t know who invented this delicious concoction, but the taste really works.
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Tamp & Pull
Following the popularity of their other stores on Váci Road and Czuczor Street, a new outlet is now open downtown near Arany János Street. Together with other new-wave coffee shops in the area (Espresso Embassy and NOMURI), this neighborhood is fast becoming a coffee-lover's mecca. Named after the final two steps of making an espresso before pouring it into a cup, Tamp & Pull has world-famous baristas and highly regarded Has Bean coffee beans on offer. Behind the coffee machine on an easy-to-read blackboard, we find just four categories: black, white, soft, and tea. While what's on offer is simple, it's perfect.
