Founders Évi Katona and Viki Hitka are locals in the area, and were frequent visitors to the beauty salon which used to sit here. When the property became available to rent, they decided to transform it into the vintage shop you find here today. In fact, both women are artisans themselves, and their work can be found in the store alongside classic vintage items. Évi is a knitter, making custom caps, hoodies and tops under the ëviköt brand, while Viki paints personal messages on hand-selected porcelain plates and cups.
But NOS is more than just a store. From the beginning, the founders hoped to make the space somewhere the community could gather, and so workshops, brunches and even book readings are often held here. To add to the communal feel, they even offer coffee to guests, so after their treasure hunt customers can sit down and relax in the pleasant atmosphere.
Of course, a beautiful shop of NOS’ calibre can’t then go and serve bad coffee – when the idea of adding a little java to the mix was first introduced, the founders asked the question, “Where do we get the best coffee?” This they posted on Facebook, announcing that they were looking for a partner, and several traders applied. In the end, they chose By Beans Coffee – not only because of the quality, but because, as Viki explains, “They were the only place who understood the NOS vibe. They also didn’t immediately want to rearrange the place, and bring in a big, serious coffee counter”.
By Beans is a name that might be familiar to some – their coffeeshop on Hold utca is popular, and run by founders Ferenc Halász and Ádám Benkovich. They made a special effort to adapt themselves to the NOS feel, without losing any quality. The unique atmosphere of NOS rests on warm feelings of nostalgia, while still staying modern and up-to-date. The By Beans boys translated this into coffee by introducing a slightly darker-roasted variety than usual, but keeping things laid-back.
Indeed, one of the great things about sipping By Beans coffee at NOS is the relaxed atmosphere, uncluttered by uppity rules we find at so-called sophisticated new-wave cafés. For example, whipped cream is available here, “not because whipped cream is essential to coffee,” says Feri with a smile, “but because it brings back memories of childhood”.
A little something sweet is necessary with it, and for this, the choice is Freyja, one of the best pâtisseries in town, producing fresh croissants daily (650-950 HUF). Alongside these are cookies and macaroons from Chouchou or for hot summer days, lovely Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
Other summer treats can be found among the iced drinks, such as Rosalie (990 HUF), a fantastic rose lemonade with lime and hibiscus flowers poured over a shot of espresso, and Machate (990 HUF), an elderberry tonic with matcha tea.
These coffee-and-sweets innovations were unveiled to the public at a special weekend event, when anyone could pop in for a look around and a bite. Visitors enjoyed the calm of the Castle District without tourists, browsing while sipping delicious coffee.
NOS
District I. Hunyadi János út 23A
Open: Tue-Sat 11am-7pm
