The name is descriptive – the concept isn’t too complicated. Hidden in Röser udvar between Astoria and Deák Square, Kontakt has been one of the city’s favorite coffee places for years, but they never really dealt with food except for cakes and biscuits. They stuck with great coffee, but have been toying with the idea of expanding the business. Thus Szimply was born, offering healthy, filling, and fresh breakfasts all day long.

We envy those who, due to their work hours, have the opportunity to have a heartybreakfast once in a while. The most important meal of the day often gets neglected, even though a consciously put-together breakfast can make us much more productive at work and school. There’s more to breakfast than hastily made sandwiches too; it’s worth looking at recent trends, which are certainly well founded from a nutritional point of view. An omelet is certainly a healthier choice than a thick slice of baloney, just like how porridge with fruit is a smarter choice than a cocoa roll.

Appropriately, the interior of Szimply is minimalistic; the lamps above the counter are most similar to geometrical glass terrariums; and behind the counter is the “kitchen”, where the frittatas and various quiches and cakes are freshly made. We can take a seat at some small tables, and if the weather is nice, we can even sit outside in the cobbled courtyard, where the seating almost touches Kontakt’s outdoor furniture. An important part of the fusion is that Szimply doesn’t sell coffee, but gets it from its neighbor. Those who would like to get their morning caffeine from tea can also drink fair-trade bottled varieties.The selection will change each month, in line with seasonal fruits and vegetables. The duality, however, is permanent: they always have salty and sweet breakfasts, as well. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes are indicated on the menu. From the April menu, we tried the avocado toast (1,100 HUF), with sourdough bread, excellent seasoning and freshly cut, ripe avocado slices. Further salty dishes include tuna salad (1,600 HUF) or frittata (1,200 HUF), which comes in variations of wild garlic with dried tomatoes and spinach-feta cheese.

Among the sweet breakfasts, the French toast (1,200 HUF) is made with an exciting twist: instead of the classic powdered sugar, the fried sourdough bread is served with Greek yogurt, basil, and strawberry jam with chili. We also liked the American pancakes (1,100 HUF), served with rhubarb compote with ginger, granola and fresh mint. The result isn’t sickeningly sweet, but fresh, natural, and energizing. There are separate granola (800 HUF) and acai bowls (1,300 HUF) available, but we tasted the porridge (900 HUF) instead. The smooth, creamy porridge was served in a rather appetizing manner, similarly to every other Szimply dish.Currently, we can drop by until 6pm, although their opening hours might change as the erratic weather passes and they assess the guests’ needs. It’s reassuring to have breakfast at such a sympathetic place – both for early and late risers.