Finding the best ice cream in Budapest is a greater challenge every year, as the selection continually improves at a growing range of increasingly high-quality parlors that keep popping up citywide. Along with classic flavors like double chocolate, vanilla, and lemon, we can also enjoy extreme new-wave varieties like jalapeño mango or cottage cheese with saffron. Whether you prefer your ice cream in a paper cup or a cone, with stevia or maple syrup, without lactose or bursting with fruit, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for among these 20 ice-cream parlors and confectioneries.
1/20
Artigiana Gelati
Just a short walk away from Széll Kálmán Square, Csaba Street hides one of the best Italian ice-cream parlors of Buda, with ice cream so addictive that we go way out of our way to stop by for a scoop. The 27-year-old Artigiana Gelati offers a wide selection of 20-25 flavors of ice cream. After work hours, expect a long queue for the best scoops.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: pistachio, Opera, basil tomato, mango
Price: 400 HUF/scoop
2/20
Azúr Ice Cream
Azúr, located on Pozsonyi Avenue near the Pest side of Margaret Bridge, features long queues on every warm summer day. The shop’s ice creams are all made on the spot – more specifically, in the workshop behind the counter. Azúr uses what little space it has well, including its small terrace. Contrary to the shop’s size, the scoops we receive are huge and delicious – but some flavors often don’t last until the afternoon shift.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: pistachio, Dutch chocolate
Price: 190-220 HUF/scoop
Address: Budapest 1137, Pozsonyi Avenue 33/A
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday, 10am - 8:30pm
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3/20
Boróka Ice Cream
Szentendrei Street at the intersection of Stefánia and Thököly Street is a popular corner towards the end of hot days, as this is where Boróka offers ice cream in a huge selection of flavors measured in huge scoops for an affordable price. This ice-cream parlor experiments with extreme flavors as well, much to the delight of their regular customers.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: apple pie, mango, blueberry
Price: 200 HUF/scoop
Address: Budapest 1035, Szentendrei Street 13 (corner of Stefánia Street and Thököly Street)
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday, 10am - 8pm
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4/20
Cioccolatte
Lorenzo, an Italian ice cream master, is responsible for the ice creams of Cioccolatte, also located on Pozsonyi Avenue. The neighborhood is nuts about the spatula-scooped dessert, as local kindergarten groups and classes are frequent guests of the little shop. In addition to the ice cream being flavorful and delicious, the staff is also kind and patient, prepared for children’s excitement.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free and sugar-free ice cream, ice cream made with goats’ milk
Flavors we recommend: mango, pear, lemon, pomegranate
Price: 300-330 HUF/scoop
Address: Budapest 1137, Pozsonyi Avenue 7
Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday, noon - 8pm; Thursday - Sunday, noon - 9pm
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5/20
Damniczki Confectionery
Extreme flavors and sometimes-salty ice cream await customers of Damniczki Confectionery in District V. Portions weigh approximately 70 grams, so we recommend ordering one flavor at a time – fortunately, we can taste some samples before deciding. The confectionery also sells gluten-free cones, and specialties such as the macaron ice-cream sandwich.
Alternative ice creams: gluten-free, lactose-free, and sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: chestnut, raspberry with red wine, pumpkin seed, mákos guba
Price: 400 HUF/scoop
6/20
Desszert.Neked
In this elegant French-style confectionery, both pretty pastries and ice cream are made with great creativity. While their scoops are large, it’s better to start with two flavors, so that we can find our ultimate favorite with a few weeks’ tasting. Desszert.Neked sells ice cream from spring until fall, so there’s plenty of time to experiment!
Alternative ice creams: sugar-free ice cream and sorbet
Flavors we recommend: vanilla, chocolate, elderberry
Price: 350 HUF/scoop
7/20
Dolce Intervallo
Dolce Intervallo is a small ice-cream shop near Andrássy Avenue, where customers can taste flavorful and creamy ice cream every day, with flavors like speckled vanilla, pumpkin seed, and fig with walnut. Alberto, the shop’s ice cream master, shares his daily specials on Facebook every day, so we can look out for our favorites. The shop also offers 10- or 20-scoop ice-cream tickets.
Alternative ice creams: sugar-free ice cream and sorbet
Flavors we recommend: salty peanut, Catalan cream, cheesecake, strawberry, gorgonzola
Price: 220 HUF/scoop
8/20
Émile
Located within a former villa surrounded by green space, Buda’s own branch of Gerbeaud, Émile, offers ice cream a wide selection of flavors on the ground floor. Its charming garden might be an ideal place to laze around with an ice-cream cone, although for longer stays, we recommend ordering a sundae with multiple flavors of the chilly dessert.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free fruit sorbet
Flavors we recommend: walnut, chocolate, coffee, strawberry
Price: 380 HUF/scoop
9/20
Erdős és fiai Confectionery
Many ice-cream enthusiasts travel to Kelenföld just to taste the popular desserts of Erdős és fiai Confectionery. Fortunately, metro 4 can take us to the family-run confectionery from Keleti Railway Station in about 15 minutes, just so that we can join the queue in front of the shop. The ice creams of Erdős are of the highest quality, with the flavors Mozart and Erdős being the ultimate crowd favorites.
Alternative ice creams: sugar-free ice cream, lactose-free fruit ice cream
Flavors we recommend: Erdős, triple pistachio, cottage cheese with saffron, pink grapefruit, passion fruit with milk chocolate
Price: 310 HUF/scoop
10/20
Fragola - Móricz Zsigmond körtér (Closed)
Despite being a franchise with seven shops and numerous stands in Budapest, Fragola not only continually crafts scoops of high quality, but also offers a wide selection of flavors, all made with 60% fresh fruit and other unique ingredients, including Aperol (with alcohol!), retro toffee, Nutella, and passion fruit.
Alternative ice creams: gluten-free, lactose-free, and sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: Nutella, passion fruit, turmeric cashew, lychee with rose
Price: 300-330 HUF/scoop
11/20
Gelateria Pomo D’Oro
Gianni Annoni’s authentic Italian confectionery, belonging to Gastronomia Pomo D’oro, is one of the most popular ice-cream spots near Szabadság Square. Instead of coming up with revolutionary new flavors every once in a while, Gelateria Pomo D’Oro sticks with the classics like fior di latte, pistachio, coffee, and strawberry, all while ensuring the highest quality.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: pistachio, fior di latte, salted caramel, tiramisu
Price: 350 HUF/scoop
12/20
Gelarto Rosa
In addition to having excellent locations in the shadow of St. Stephen’s Basilica, Gelarto Rosa also entices its customers with rose-shaped scoops that come in a wide selection of flavors. Their Italian-style ice cream might take a bit longer to serve, but the shop’s flavors definitely don’t disappoint, especially the seasonal specialties.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: lavender white chocolate, mango, walnut
Price: 600 HUF/2 scoops, 700 HUF/3 scoops, 800 HUF/4 scoops
13/20
Gustolato Budapest (Closed)
In addition to serving up lunch menus and excellent pizzas, Gustolato lines up an impressive selection of cake, chocolate, seed butter (pistachio, pumpkin seed), and, of course, ice cream. We recommend eating the natural, additive-free gelato with a croissant, with some chocolate syrup poured on top.
Alternative ice creams: none
Flavors we recommend: Kinder Bueno, almond, chocolate, mango
Price: 450 HUF/1 scoop, 700 HUF/2 scoop, 950 HUF/3 scoop
14/20
I Love Gelato
The half-Italian siblings of I Love Gelato don’t use bases, flavor enhancers, or additives. We tasted more than 35 flavors from their selection, and could clearly name everything with our eyes closed. The ice cream has 40% fruit content, and is made with the best seasonal fruit – mango from India, lemon from Sorrento. We recommend the jalapeño mango and honeycomb-toffee flavors.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free, paleo, and vegan ice cream
Flavors we recommend: jalapeño mango, rosemary pineapple, salty pistachio (dairy-free), salty caramel, Suleiman
Price: 290 HUF/scoop (alternative: 350 HUF)
Address: Budapest 1095, Mester Street 40-44
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday, 10am - 9pm
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15/20
KIOSK
The confectionery of KIOSK offers additive-free, naturally flavored ice cream to eat while strolling on the Danube Promenade or relaxing on the bar’s terrace. They pay particular attention to customers with food allergies or on diets, so the freezer is packed with alterative gelato, free of gluten, lactose, and sugar.
Alternative ice creams: gluten-free, lactose-free, and sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: crunchy pralines, cinnamon, orange cheesecake
Price: 300 HUF/scoop
16/20
Moritz Eis (Closed)
This Serbian ice-cream chain came to Budapest in 2016, bringing along a new-wave style of ice cream to Budapest. The sophisticated ice-cream parlor offers nearly 150 flavors, as well as some new recipes each month. At Moritz Eis, asking for samples of the frozen dessert is a given in case we cannot decide between two or three flavors – we recommend making the best of this opportunity.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free, and vegan ice cream
Flavors we recommend: hazelnut, cinnamon rice, blueberry
Price: 600 HUF/scoop
Adress: 1065 Budapest, Hajós utca 7.
17/20
MAMO gelato
Ráday Street’s Mamo Gelato ensures high-quality, authentic ice cream by working with Italian owners, technologies, and ingredients, as well. The seasonally changing selection is made with fresh fruit – strawberry in early summer, watermelon in late summer. Instead of a boring old cone, order your ice cream in brioche for a uniquely delicious experience.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet
Flavors we recommend: Snickers, tiramisu, pistachio, Kinder Bueno, raspberry
Price: 590 HUF/2 scoops, 750 HUF/3 scoops, 1,000 HUF/4 scoops
18/20
Nándori Confectionery
Tradition meets professionalism at Ráday Street’s legendary Nándori Confectionery, in business since 1957. The shop’s repertoire stretches from strudels to classic cakes, innovative sweet and salty creations, and excellent ice creams, including classic creamy gelato and luscious fruity treats.
Alternative ice creams: sugar-free ice cream and sorbet
Flavors we recommend: chocolate, poppy seed, black currant, strawberry vanilla
Price: 250 HUF/scoop
19/20
Spillion (Closed)
The self-proclaimed contemporary ice-cream shop Spillion opened with two stores in 2017 – one on downtown Nagymező Street and one in the Csepel Island neighborhood. Except for one or two flavors, all of their ice cream is vegan, and most of them are also sugar-, lactose-, and gluten-free, catering mostly to food-sensitive guests. Their specialty is the “weekly spill”, combining two fitting flavors every week.
Alternative ice creams: practically 90% of their selection is “alternative”
Flavors we recommend: poppy seed, apricot, white chocolate
Price: 320 HUF/scoop
Address: Budapest 1065, Nagymező Street 36; Budapest 1211, Karácsony Sándor Street 10/A
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday, 11am - 8pm
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20/20
Valdocco
Located near Astoria, Valdocco is a reliable cake and ice cream shop featuring unique flavors by master confectioner István Rusics. While there are only 16 flavors available at a time, choosing one isn’t any easier a task. After purchasing a few scoops of ice cream, we recommend strolling to nearby Károlyi Kert and enjoying the frozen dessert while lying down in the shade.
Alternative ice creams: lactose-free sorbet, sugar-free ice cream
Flavors we recommend: lavender rosé, poppy seed, salty peanut
Price: 180 HUF/scoop
