Heavenly breakfast spot Cookie Beacon opens in downtown Budapest

Behind the newly opened Cookie Beacon are Andreas Kanakis, who has Greek and Spanish roots, and his wife, Tanya Volkhina. Andreas founded his first café in Barcelona 23 years ago. 

The business has grown nicely, with five outlets around Spain, so they decided to expand. At first, they headed for Toronto, but Covid blocked plans to expand outside Europe, so after a long and thorough investigation, they directed their business plans to Hungary.

This in turn means that Tanya and Andreas have moved here with their baby. A business climate favourable for a breakfast venue played its part, but it was also important that they loved the vibrancy of Budapest and its people, feeling that the Hungarian passion for food, social interaction and the communal experience over meals connects Budapest with the type of hospitality they favour.

Here we must mention the tradition of cafecito, the Mediterranean version of the Swedish fika, to meet up and relax over coffee and a cookie or two.

Cookie Beacon has taken this idea and ran with it, providing a breakfast paradise amid a bright interior where you can stare out at the winter cold through huge windows, while the beacon-style mugs, pots and lamps are made of natural materials.

The outlet is in the former Café Vian, which is no coincidence, as Tanya and Andreas are on friendly terms with the owners, as well as the breakfast staff at Cirkusz. Everything they put in front of you is refined and well thought-out.

Following the basic concept and tradition of the cafecito, the large cookies (HUF 950), which beckon you to the counter, play a big role in balancing the crumbly vs fudge border and are available in some ten varieties, from allergen-free to garnished with chocolate chips and dragées. Each is made from the finest ingredients, with Belgian chocolate, and are always as fresh as possible.

The one decorated with pink cream is a real surprise, as the heavier, sugary treat you might have been expecting is, instead, something light and well-textured with buttercream. More than 100 recipes have been tested to give the biscuits the right texture, and the allergen-free versions have been tried by food-sensitive colleagues.

The coffee (espresso HUF 600, flat white HUF 950) is made by a Spanish roaster, according to the requirements of Cookie Beacon, lightly roasted but not overly so. The espresso base comes from Brazil, Colombian is used for handmade coffees, the batch brew Ethiopian.


You can also sample hot chocolate, signature lattes (HUF 1,150) and special brunchtails, from a simple mimosa (HUF 1,400) to an Oreo-vodka smoothie (HUF 1,900).

Homemade keto marshmallows need little introduction. With them comes hot chocolate, the cocoa beans slightly fatty in flavour and not too sweet.

What we loved most was the awareness with which the flavours are built. Here, someone has decided what they wanted to feel and tried until it worked out. This approach is most evident with the Eggs Benedict (HUF 2,700), its creamy, buttery base also a showcase for the broken yolk of the egg without drowning it.


Equally, the pastry containing buttermilk and butter was conceived over a long period of time. The waffle sandwich with grilled cheese (HUF 2,950), which comes with avocado slices, melted cheese and crispy bacon, is also excellent, the flavours coming together nicely, the waffle made fresh.

These are some of the delicacies mentioned in random fashion, as they had everyone in mind when creating the particularly rich selection of allergen-free and keto dishes – you only need sit here and try them out each visit.

Most of the waiters and bartenders come from Venezuela through an educational programme, so the team are now learning the language together while making great food and coffee. When choosing the ingredients, local producers are preferred.


Where better place, then, to start to the day than this discerning, professional yet extremely friendly spot?