Pajtás might be the most famous cafeteria in Budapest. The building was constructed in the ’50s, specifically with plans to include a restaurant here. It has served a double purpose since its opening: it not only serves guests who come in, but also the students of nearby schools and preschools. At Pajtás, operated by Junior Vállalat, they can make up to 1,200 servings of food per day, which means that they serve about 3-400 people during lunchtime, depending on the season and the time of day.
When stepping inside and walking towards the counter, we encounter a miniature exhibition that showcases Erika typewriters, analog film cameras, and a small-screen black-and-white Soviet-era television. The latter is probably the most exciting piece in the collection: it’s from those times when there weren’t any Hungarian broadcasts on Mondays, so people had to tune their TVs to Slovakia’s channel 2. The previous manager started to collect the pieces that are on display in this cabinet; today’s exhibited memorabilia are gifts from regular guests.
Talking about regulars: some of the guests have been coming to this self-service restaurant every day for the past 30-40 years. They are so attached to the familiar faces that they have a friendly relationship with those staff members who have been working here for 10-15 years – they are all basically a part of Pajtás.
The selection is, of course, also based on old times, so if you are craving the chicken gizzard stew that our grandparents made, or the hit dish of every school cafeteria – Somlói galuska (sponge cake with chocolate sauce) – Pajtás is the place to visit. Nonetheless, in recent years the management tried to modernize the menu (and the interior as well, to make it larger and more manageable) according to modern demands, so they introduced a chef’s offer, and some special dishes like roasted duck leg, pork tenderloin, or beef stew made with red wine.
Diners can also have traditional dishes, so if you wish to have Hungary’s classic broth plus fried meat combination, no problem. The people behind the counters don’t hold back when it comes to portions, so it’s guaranteed that you’ll leave this place feeling full, and satisfied with the value for money. There are several daily offers to choose from which are all priced between 790 and 1,100 forints. Soups start from 390 forints, while the price of main courses starts from 800 forints.
As we learned, one of the most popular dishes – besides the aforementioned sponge cake with chocolate sauce and the green-pea pottage – is fried cheese: no matter how many they make, they always run out. Written on the board above the counter, there are about six or seven dishes that are permanent offers; two of these are switched every week, but otherwise they make about 10-12 other courses. If you are curious about the “salt-free” menu that they deliver to the schools, you can try it, as the strictly regulated courses that they make for school cafeterias are also available at the restaurant.
Don’t plan on having dinner here, as Pajtás is only open from 11am to 3pm during weekdays, so you can’t stop by during the evening for a meal from a childhood memory; you’ll have to wait until the next morning.
Address: Budapest 1011, Gyorskocsi utca 9-11
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