Whether you prefer to start the day with a divine pastry, porridge or a tasty sandwich, you'll find a quality breakfast at these Budapest bakeries – eating on the hoof or in relaxed surroundings.
1/12
Arán Bakery
The essence of the Arán Bakery is found in the sourdough they introduced here from Dublin: Paddy, creating the ultimate high-quality bread on Wesselényi utca. The owners, who themselves have spent a good amount of time in Ireland, are also good at creating pastries and sophisticated sandwiches. The chosen breakfast option should go with their One Eleven light-roast coffee or one of the Superjuice flavours they offer.
WLB tip: cruffins, any of the sandwiches
2/12
Artizán Budapest
Traditional, homemade sourdough breads are lovingly prepared at Artizán. The variety here is truly impressive, with everything from wholegrain breads to special daily offers, including focaccias, baguettes and ciabattas. Take them home while they are fresh, or taste them on the spot through one of the graciously packed and delicious sandwiches found here, with quality ingredients from mozzarella to tuna and ham. The spacious interior is complemented by a lovely terrace, where you can have an especially stylish breakfast experience over coffee, tea and/or a freshly squeezed orange juice.
WLB tip: cardamom roll, any sandwich
3/12
Bake my day
Just like its original outlet, Bake my day on Böszörményi út also employs workers with disabilities, but here you can also have a complete breakfast meal throughout the day, as well as the great breads and pastries. The different types of scrambled eggs come with salad, while the diverse and appealing porridges and granolas are also healthy options. Tasty sandwiches also feature, a great choice in case you would like to start your day with a healthy and filling option, instead of snacking on the go.
WLB tip: salmon sandwich, granola
4/12
Butter Brothers
Craft bakery Butter Brothers is known for its rich, buttery, flaky pastries with a great variety of fillings, found near the Great Market Hall on Lónyay utca and run by a young and dynamic team with endless creativity. The offers change almost daily (depending on the types of ingredients they have to hand) and, as they say, the results speak for themselves – but this is what makes them special. Their cocoa swirls are absolute winners, and the dairy products used in the treats are sourced from a free-range family farm. Opening early in the morning, they welcome you in for a satisfying breakfast before going to work or college.
WLB tip: cocoa swirl, tomato-and-Emmental-cheese puff
5/12
Frey
The founders of Freyja have proved their skills when it comes to baking on countless occasions, like at Butter Brothers or The Mill, which serves half of the city. Their croissant place in District VII explores a whole new territory however, delving into the world of Danish pastries. Their long-matured croissants made up of 27 buttery layers is present as the single choice for now, but they come in an endless number of varieties. We’ve seen goats’ cheese, raspberry and pistachio versions here, but the offered flavours change over time, depending on the season, the invention of the bakers and the wishes of the visitors. One thing is certain: there are always both savoury and sweet options to choose from. Though pricier than what you might find at a store or at a regular bakery, the way these treats are prepared, their originality and their ability to serve as the perfect, filling breakfast definitely make them a must-try.
WLB tip: pistachio, duck mousse
6/12
Három Tarka Macska
The Három Tarka Macska bakery on Pozsonyi út hides one of the best cocoa swirls in town – a reliable indicator of any great breakfast place. Those who get the chance should also try the excellent baguettes and red-wine flavoured snacks found here, as well as the breads made on-site by the French baker. Három Tarka Macska is acclaimed both as a bakery and as a breakfast place, the sunny interior creating the right atmosphere for munching on a sandwich or one of the egg dishes in the morning.
WLB tip: cocoa swirl
7/12
The Hatchery (Closed)
The Hatchery on Krúdy Gyula utca is one of our favourites, and not only because it is found in the heart of Budapest’s Palace Quarter near Mikszáth Kálmán tér, but also because – as its name suggests – it offers treats with eggs involved. The interior is bright and spacious with a theme of white, grey and yellow colours, where there’s always room for novelty and experimentation, with lots of popular sweet and savoury pastries. You should enjoy the cocoa swirls, the raspberry swirls, the mini quiches with eggs and vegetables and the chorizo puffs. Coffee sourced from Racer Beans Coffee Co accompanies all of these pastries well, and after breakfast, their fine sourdough bread can be taken home as well.
WLB tip: raspberry-and-cocoa swirl, quiche
8/12
JM6 Sütiző
Run by pastry chef and baker duo Kata and Norbi, JM6 is an excellent brunch and bakery venue on Jászai Mari tér, with freshly baked sourdough breads available twice a day. Their pastry selection is quite eclectic: besides classic Hungarian desserts, visitors will also find in-house invented, one-of-a-kind treats, such as zserbó swirls, rugelach with almond cream, or goats’-cheese-and-rosemary pies. You can ask for a complete breakfast menu here, with homemade sandwiches, tapioca puddings and confectionery items.
WLB tip: rugelach with almond cream, zserbó swirl
9/12
Kisperec Artisanal Bakery
Kisperec on Bakáts tér is a traditional bakery in the best sense of the word. Apart from offering ten different types of bread a day, Kisperec also serves classic Hungarian pastries, including cocoa swirls, sweet cottage-cheese filled puffs and bear claws. There are also plenty of meat, vegetable and seasonal fruit-filled delicacies. Everything you encounter here has been prepared locally, from the dough to the fillings to the creams, with great attention to the quality not only in the case of the flour, but for all of the other ingredients. Whether you come here looking for a great sandwich or sweet and savoury pastries, you will have a full breakfast experience, especially when combined with coffee or cocoa.
WLB tip: cheese roll, any sandwich, cottage-cheese pie
10/12
Kiskovász
Péter Sábli exchanged ballet and the stage of the Opera House for a peel and a bakery on Nagymező utca – and we definitely approve of his decision. At Kiskovász, breads are prepared the same way as in your grandmother’s day, using nothing but flour, salt, water and leaven, with a result that is richly textured and substantial. You’ll really like their pastry with the fancy name Peti lelke (‘Peti’s Soul’, after the owner), with a basil-pesto filling as well as cottage cheese and bacon, but you’ll also be captivated by concoctions featuring peach, jam and walnuts, and their cocoa swirls. essence, Kiskovász is a simple, lovely and honest place.
WLB tip: Peti lelke, kotkoda, croissant
11/12
Lisboa
Lisboa, opened within the Gozsdu udvar early in 2019, has introduced tasteful and authentic Portuguese delights to Budapest’s party district. This small but lovely outlet evokes the atmosphere of the Portuguese capital, where bakeries and confectioneries often go hand in hand. At Lisboa, you find special treats such as pastel de nata, pampilho, Jesuíta and Portuguese toast. Their pastries are usually very sweet, generally made with lots of egg yolk and sugar, making them the perfect match for a morning coffee. Portugal pastry chef Daniel Sousa, who came to Budapest from the region of Lisbon, makes sure that everything is authentic and just as you’d find on this side of the Iberian peninsula.
WLB tip: pastel de nata, croissant, Portuguese toast
12/12
Szerelmes Levél
Not far from the Millenáris Park, Szerelmes Levél (‘Love Letter’) offers rows of nicely arranged pastries and excellent sourdough breads, which they like to promote at festivals as well as in-store. The lovely vibe of the bakery is the perfect setting to browse the crusty, densely baked, flavourful breads – also as sandwiches. As the most recent venture of the esteemed Pékműhely bakery, the high qualities of the brand are complemented with agreeable innovations here, such as the sandwiches and baguettes, as well as the fact that you can comfortably sit down. Despite their craft label, the goods at Szerelmes Levél are quite wallet-friendly.
WLB tip: cocoa swirl, canalé, any of the sandwiches
