Felix Kitchen&Bar already proved promising when we first visited after it opened in April – now we have just checked back to see how head chef Árpád Kovács works his magic on breakfast.
The interior of Felix is gorgeous: sitting on the terrace of a historic building while being served delicious and creative dishes, or even just coffee, is even more sublime. As both the menu and the view of the Danube are impressive, the only tough choice here is which to look at first. The venue, the Várkert Kiosk, complements the wonderful Várkert Bazaar, designed by famous Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl, who named this stand-alone building after his son, Felix. There are three seating areas: the elegant interior for dinner, the loggia for breakfast and the terrace for drinks.
During our visit, our focus was on breakfast and brunch, the two concepts well separated here. Good news for early birds: on weekdays Felix opens at 7:30am, and breakfast runs until 11:30am. The selection is different at weekends, and while weekday brunches are hearty and varied, the weekend always raises the bar even higher.
The breakfast selection includes matcha green bowl (1,890 forints), homemade granola, gluten- and lactose-free waffles, avocado toast with pomegranate (2,590 forints) and a Buddha bowl (2,490 forints). Everyone is sure to find something to their liking, whether it’s eggs and classic bites, superfoods or something on the more substantial side. The impressive tea selection is supplied by Zhao Zhou, while cold-pressed juices, smoothies and coffee are also available.
So what happens at weekends? The Summer Brunch menu takes over, which combines breakfast favourites with sturdier dishes that might even be enough for lunch. From exclusive eats such as keta salmon or sturgeon caviar from Serbia to ramen, meat soup or schnitzel, the selection is creative. We recommend the signature dishes – don’t miss out on the spaghetti served with Argentine prawns (3,290 forints) or the Felix duck and waffle (2,990 forints).
So what is the duck and waffle? Exactly what you think it is: healthy waffles with shredded duck leg. And this combination works perfectly. Do leave some room for the sweet offerings (1,990 forints) as well afterwards, made with a light dough, seasonal fruit and marmalade. The Summer Brunch is always an experience, enhanced with a DJ set or live music.
Although the restaurant terrace is open all day, we mostly recommend it just for drinks – the selection is huge, featuring excellent cocktails, while the food menu is a bit shorter. A morning booster at Felix is a must, and the price-value ratio is great, significantly better than at some downtown locales.
