A new all-in-one breakfast-brunch-lunch place has just opened near Budapest’s National Museum. With traditional flavours, a weekly changing lunch menu and an impressive interior, Mindenem should soon attract tourists and students from the nearby college – particularly with the focus on quality instead of following trends.
Moving into the space beside the late, legendary 24-hour Múzeum cukrászda café, Mindenem (‘My Everything’) has kept the essence of the pristine architecture of Múzeum körút with a cosy minimalist interior and picture windows providing endless views of street bustle. WiFi and AC offer contemporary convenience.
Renata and Kristóf have put a lot of thought into the concept and composition of this café/eatery. A modern kitchen at the back helps the service remain speedy. Tables are plentiful, and they’re looking for a footfall of 100-150 customers a day.
The name was not chosen by chance. This is the kind of place where you can start your day with quality coffee at 7am and bookend it with a plate of chicken paprikash – also available for takeaway in an environmentally friendly container. Alternatively, you can order a ham or cheese platter (Camembert, goats’ cheese, blue cheese with chives, with pear foam and pickled apple on the side) and a long drink or glass of wine from Balaton.
Mindenem doesn’t go overboard on new-wave and gluten- free trends, but they don’t neglect the little details. The menu displays all the ingredients and any possible allergens, and there are vegetarian options, too. Health-conscious food choices include chia pudding, oatmeal with coconut milk and granola (1,190 HUF). A three-egg omelette with ham, cheese and mushroom (890 HUF, plus additional toppings), should sort you out for breakfast, served until 3pm. This runs concurrently with the lunch menu (11.30am-3pm), which involves two or three courses, two kinds of soups, one appetiser, three mains and a dessert.
The weekly suggestions are based on seasonal ingredients, while traditional Hungarian favourites fill the main menu. Goulash, chicken paprikash (2,290 HUF) and curd dumplings with sour cherry topping (890 HUF) all feature.
The overriding impression, though, is one of space – elbows do stick out awkwardly, and the large tables can hold up to four or five dishes plus drinks without the need to perform any kind of balancing act. Without feeling overcrowded, it has capacity for 40 diners. And, with take-out available, you can always take your meal to the relandscaped gardens of the National Museum nearby.
Mindenem District VIII. Múzeum körút 10
Open: Mon-Sat 7am-7pm, Sun 8am-4pm
