From a romantic French-style patisserie to an American doughnut shop, many extraordinary sweet spots popped up in Budapest during this past year. Whether you crave scrumptious cakes, creamy chocolate concoctions, fruity popsicles, or mouthwatering macarons, these eight great places cater to anyone who longs to take a break and devour some of the city’s most delicious indulgences.
1/8
Amber's French Bakery & Café
The owner of Amber’s drew inspiration from his tasteful Gallic journeys, and decided to open a magnifique patisserie on Budapest's ever-busy Fővám Square, overlooking the Great Market Hall. Combining a café, a bistro, a bakery, and a confectionery to give delicious little boosts to passersby, this place is a charming new arrival among the city’s already impressive selection of French-style eateries. Upon entering the homey locale, the sight of appetizing pastries and beautiful baked goods enchant our eyes. Amber’s also proffers a delicious breakfast selection, including soft croissants, large éclairs, and a variety of sandwiches and pies, while guests with special diets can choose from a range of lactose- and gluten-free treats.
2/8
Barber’s Wife
Barber's Wife welcomes all ladies who were stopped by the adjacent Barber Shop’s “no photos, no ladies” sign. Here they find sweet diversions while their macho spouses get groomed next door; actually, this charming café is open to anyone for a nice breakfast, a slice of cake, or even a glass of beer in the evening. The brightness of the place and its vibrant tones certainly make this paradise for significant others pleasant, and a suitable hangout for any time of the day with a carefully selected daily offer including sweet and savory treats, while this casual café also caters to guests with food allergies.
Barber's Wife
Address: 1061 Budapest, Király utca 6.
Facebook
3/8
CASCA
As a newcomer on busy Jókai Square near Oktogon, Casca offers guests a selection of high-quality coffee and cacao concoctions, where the chocolate shavings are made from Venezuelan cocoa beans, and the chocolate itself is produced in a small workshop in Italy. The final products in the shop are developed in a “secret lab”, where the owners sometimes experiment with the flavors for weeks before reaching the desired result. Besides Casca’s elaborate selection of finely crafted bonbons, guests can also purchase dragees, chocolate lollipops, chocolate cream, and special instant hot chocolate that only needs hot milk to mix up a cup of perfection.
Facebook
4/8
Chez Dodo
French romanticism mingles with Scandinavian minimalism at Chez Dodo, an inviting place dedicated to creating colorful pastries for Budapest’s macaron connoisseurs. Here cakes are placed on a custom-made display case, while coffee arrives in cups that come from New Zealand. The macaron offer changes daily, and flavors include the salty caramel-soaked Jean-Pierre, the cognac-raisin-infused Henry, or the passionfruit-scented Giselle. In addition to these tiny treats, Chez Dodo’s guests can order fine coffees and canalé – a traditional cake from Bordeaux, made in a copper mold.
5/8
Édesem
After sharing a wealth of recipes online, Hungarian gastro blogger Szonja Márk opened Édesem as the namesake of her website, where all of her scrumptious cakes and cookies are available to sweet-toothed guests. A friendly atmosphere awaits anyone who enters here, where the walls are covered with pages from the famous cookbook of József C. Dobos, the inventor of Hungary’s traditional Dobos torte). The delicious ingredients are of the best quality, and all sweets are made with natural sweeteners like sugar and honey; the tempting selection includes specialties like strudel filled with pear and marzipan, or salted caramel mousse.
6/8
Pops! (closed)
Summer days were especially sweet this year after Popsi’s tongue-tickling popsicles made their debut on Kazinczy Street. Earlier this year these colorful frozen confections added coolness to the Karaván street-food pavilion, where we could choose from about 15 different flavors like green apple, cherry-lemon, orange, kiwi, or raspberry. The simply refreshing sweets are free of artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and the fruits used in the process of making them all come from local markets. Additionally, these water-based treats are suitable for anyone with lactose intolerance. Popsi is now closed for the winter season, but they plan to be back in action as the weather gets hot again.
7/8
The Box Donut
Boldly challenging the hegemony of ordinary round-shaped doughnuts, this sugary heaven offers the palatable pastries in a chic cubic form. With more than 25 distinct square-shaped delicacies behind the counter, The Box Donut’s products are characterized by being crispy instead of oily, they are filled with generous portions of cream, while the fruit flavors are neither too intense nor artificial. The Box Donut also sells sandwiches, coffee, and a selection of syrup-based sodas. If we buy an assorted box of doughnuts, we can choose from various stickers with lovely messages to accompany the package.
Address: 1066 Budapest, Teréz körút 62.
Facebook
8/8
The Sweet by Vintage Garden
Adjacent to the widely popular Vintage Garden restaurant in Budapest’s District VII, this fairy-tale- confectionery awaits everyone who wants a complete sensory experience while pampering their taste buds with delightfully delicious desserts. Heavenly cakes, vibrant macarons, and fine cookies decorate this charming locale of rustic antiques and French chansons, along with a collection of creamy coffee and chocolate concoctions, sweet milkshakes, and some frosty delights during the summer months. Meanwhile, The Sweet’s takeaway section features an assortment of sugary birthday and wedding cakes that boast extraordinary style.
