In a part of town brimming with coffee options, spacious Aura serves medium-roasted Pellini optionally accompanied by plant-based milk. As the term ‘gastrocafe’ suggests, food is another important aspect. The menu was conceived with the help of chef András Berényi from Dobrumba and KuszKusz, while in the kitchen, chef Gábor Fleck makes sure that the execution is just as precise as the theory. Apart from the regular new-wave café favourites such as chia and tapioca pudding, Aura offers innovative delicacies that might entice carnivorous visitors as well.
The menu details the ingredients of each dish, with everything from curry-flavoured hummus with baked apples, chilli con corne wrap with chocolate and red beans, a smoked tofu Caesar sandwich with algae sauce, black rice pudding with lime and coconut cream, as well as various types of tabbouleh, spreads, quiches and galettes. The tasty, filling sandwiches include an option with spicy hummus and tempeh, which is a fermented soy product with a characteristic, slightly sour taste. There’s also one with grilled vegetables and a fermented cashew spread.
According to advisor Márk Pataki and owner Gábor Szalay, it was important to have traditional flavours as well, while supplying important nutrients such as protein. Aura has created a hearty soy-spread sandwich, the faux gras with mushroom paste, and as far as Hungarian flavours go, the national snack túró rudi is all you need. Originally, the main ingredient of this iconic treat is cottage cheese, imitated here by a millet paste with apple syrup, apples, coconut milk and lemons, and covered with a 70% dark-chocolate coating.
There is no alcohol, but you can choose from the many juices, the magnesium-infused filtered water, and a special beverage, a raspberry water-kefir mix. Served in a champagne glass, this unusual drink is made with a yeast culture, and can be a great addition to your weekend brunch.
Operating with trial business hours in its first few weeks, Aura aims to prove that eating plant-based fare should not be limiting. This café is the beginning of what is intended to be an entire lifestyle centre, a project expected to take place next year. The plan includes fitness rooms, naturopathy and other medical facilities, as well as cosmetics and massages to complete the picture.
Aura Gastrocafe
District XIII. Pozsonyi út 4
Open: Mon-Fri 7.30am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 8.30pm-6.30pm
