Even if something works perfectly, that is not a reason to sit back and relax, as a popular position can only be maintained with constant attention to detail. Thinking along the same lines, Sophie & Ben’s owners raised the bar by opening a garden bistro deep in the Buda side in the second half of June. The opening was preceded by lengthy preparations, and thus Sophie & Ben Garden became a niche-filling hangout around this area of Buda that is far from smothered with new-wave eateries. This is one reason why they opened it here, while the other is that even though it is pleasant to take a trip to this forested part of town, there are not too many options to eat out around Hűvösvölgy, Zugliget, Hárshegy, or Budakeszi.
While scouting for a location, they spotted a charming and architecturally pleasing building and garden, and thought to conquer the Buda side with a child- and family-friendly eatery. The interior is slightly eclectic, as old-fashioned furniture mingles with some fresh elements. Fortunately they didn’t “overdo” anything, they do not put a piece of lavender in our hair upon entering, and there are not too many now-trendy shabby-chic accessories around either. Instead there is a 120-year-old wooden chest, and a truly charming and cozy striped seat for two. These are all found in the garden with tables of various sizes – we even find a lengthy one suitable for friendly gatherings. A serious set of slides awaits children outside, while there is also a play area inside. Light garlands hang above our head in the garden that come alive at night, when this cozy hangout turns into the perfect place for a romantic rendezvous.
Their menu is short and changes seasonally, and the kitchen is lead by András Kollár. As their burgers are extremely popular at the downtown location, they brought over four favorites to the Buda side: at the moment we can order Le Fromage (2,990 HUF) made with Camembert cheese, a classic New York burger (2,890 HUF), a Juicy Lucy made special with melting cheese (2,890 HUF), and a Roasted Pulled Pork (2,890 HUF). Besides these meaty treats, the menu is truly international: there are Asian-inspired soups and light bites like goat-cheese steak with beetroot salad (2,190 HUF), marinated salmon with trout cream (2,990 HUF), and a truly harmonic grilled gilt-head bream with chard and baby carrots (4,990 HUF).
If you don’t crave a burger but still wish to devour something hearty, you can choose slow-cooked American ribs with corn, couscous, and sweet potato purée (3,490 HUF), or a classic beef stew with paprika noodles (2,990 HUF). There are less-sophisticated meals for children as well, like tomato gnocchi, roast chicken, or burgers for kids. Fortunately, they also brought their favorite dessert here, the pecan brownie with vanilla ice cream (990 HUF), but we can also choose a light cheesecake on a peanut bed with banana and caramel (1,490 HUF), or the strawberry tiramisu (1,590 HUF).
Sophie & Ben Garden is a niche-filling and atmospheric alfresco hangout that can easily become the favorite hotspot of the neighborhood. If you would like to explore the city a bit further away from the buzz of downtown, and find an ideal summertime spot to sit back and enjoy a frosty fröccs, a tasty lemonade, a slice of cake, or an entire meal in the lovely garden, we highly recommend the new location of Sophie & Ben. Next time we’ll come back for a fröccs with friends or for a weekend brunch, as this atmosphere often easily beats the concrete jungle, and at Sophie & Ben’s we are always in good hands.
Sophie&Ben Garden
Address: 1028 Budapest, Hidegkúti út 81.
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