Many of the city’s cafés and bars serve as a second home for their regular patrons, but at these four places, it looks like people are actually living there. From a cozy coffeehouse adorned with lace tablecloths and babushka dolls to a wild dive bar decorated like the bedroom of an artistic teenager, each of the hangouts listed here welcome everyone as truly distinctive destinations.
Zsivágó awaits its guests like a bourgeois salon in Russia, whether they come in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Upon entering, we might feel as if we were visiting some long-lost Russian relatives, and the brightly colored carpets, vertically striped wallpaper, and old lace tablecloths only reinforce this feeling. The elegant little menu includes craft beers, syrups, lemonades, special hot chocolates, beers – and most importantly, pirogies straight from Tatiana’s oven: stuffed with meat, cabbage, egg, rice, and onion. They also have Russian chocolate in a glass jar on the counter, which is worth trying more because of its uniqueness than its flavor. We can sit around here all day and can even bring dogs; moreover, couples can retreat into romantic little nooks on the upstairs level. The staff is friendly and welcomes us with a serene atmosphere in the afternoons, although the place grows somewhat noisy by the evening.
There are quite a few places around Széll Kálmán Square to rest and enjoy ourselves after a busy day by hopping into a comfortable armchair with a foamy wheat beer in hand. Among these, the tiny recreational island of Nemdebár is often overlooked amid its surrounding Chinese and American fast-food restaurants. The color-changing wall lamps, silk tablecloths, and sometimes-erotic newspaper cutouts definitely give the place a unique atmosphere, but aside from its peculiar looks, the bar awaits guests with a non-mainstream music selection, daily-changing DJs, and occasional literary and musical evenings, as well. In good weather, they open up the small, French-style inner courtyard with deck chairs and occasional outdoor parties. Nemdebár is one of the favorite hangouts of film directors, curators, musicians, art historians, and Buda’s artists, a place where we can leisurely contemplate the hustle and bustle and lights of Széll Kálmán Square.
Giero Brasserie is a hidden, almost secret, legendary underground nook, where Aunt Gizi’s been awaiting regular guests and lost tourists for many years. The brick walls of this basement bar take us into another world, and Aunt Gizi makes us feel like we belong here. The music starts around 10pm, with a cleverly placed piano and violins. Everyone knows everyone here, even if they became acquainted just ten minutes ago. On the left wall of the brasserie hangs an old black-and-white portrait photo of Aunt Gizi’s father, who was nicknamed Giero among his fellow musicians. We can’t spend a single hour here without making one-night friendships or having world-changing conversations – if it’s already too late for these, there’s always dancing. There used to be another part of the place, which doesn’t operate as part of the pub as of now, so we can foxtrot in the right side of the brasserie.
Giero Brasserie
Budapest 1061, Paulay Ede Street 58
Opening hours: 1pm - until the last guest leaves
Many college and university students – especially those studying humanities – gather in the basement of Mélypont Presszó every night, as if they would be visiting their grandparents... or throwing a house party in their absence. While the place is reminiscent of the ’80s, it opened long before retro became cool. The counter is around the middle of the labyrinthine space, with seats located in the more separated back section, and next to the entrance in the form of retro-style couches. We can rest our drinks on inlaid tables decorated with lace tablecloths, while studying the various antiques; vases, clocks, and knickknacks line up in the display cabinets. The selection includes more than 100 kinds of whiskey (!), syrup sodas, hot sandwiches, fröccs, and craft beers on tap, with a varying selection. When ordering a “macifröccs” (wine, soda, and fruit syrup), we can decide on the kind of syrup and will even get a gummy bear in our glass. Overall, Mélypont is an ideal place for timeless conversations, board games, nostalgia, and class reunions.
Mélypont Presszó
Budapest 1053, Magyar Street 23
Opening hours: Monday-Tuesday, 6pm-1am; Wednesday-Saturday, 6pm-2am
