As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, our intrepid editorial team has explored every corner of this city, from artisanal bakeries to five-star hotels, and from new-wave cafés to Habsburg coffeehouses, in search of the perfect morning pick-me-up. Over the course of two months, we have devoured burgers, oysters, catfish sausages and leek frittatas, and sipped the finest coffees, freshest juices and bubbliest champagnes. Here before you – ta-da! – is our choice of the 50 best spots in Budapest for breakfast, tailored to suit all wallets, moods and locations.
Price range:
* Cheapish and cheerful
** Decent but wallet-friendly
*** Look smart and take the credit card
BAKERIES
1/48
Alma Nomad Bakery (Closed)
This is one of the most bohemian bakeries in town, run by the dream team of Timi and his Spanish partner Joaquín, an eclectic place with a tasteful Middle-Eastern interior. The selection changes all the time, but some big favourites always feature. Trust your instincts here, anything you find will probably taste great, too. It is best to savour your breakfast on the terrace – and then take a loaf of bread home afterwards.
Tips: brioche sandwich (690 forints), almond croissant (700 forints)
Price range: **
2/48
Artizán Budapest
Artizán is one of the few bakeries in Budapest that make bread in the traditional way, with yeast. The selection is wide, with focaccia, baguettes and ciabattas. You can sample each before you buy, and they are often turned into hearty sandwiches with mozzarella or tuna or ham. This downtown venue is spacious, with a terrace as well. For drinks, you can have coffee roasted on the spot, tea or freshly squeezed orange juice. Items such as granola, homemade biscuits and an all-time favourite, cardamom roll, also feature, enough for breakfast on their own.
Tips: cardamom roll, any sandwich
Price range: **
3/48
Butter Brothers
If you fancy a rich, buttery and crunchy pastry to start the day, head to Lónyay utca to find a young and enthusiastic team baking creative bites all day long. The selection changes daily, depending on the ingredients available, and they say that no pastry ever turns out the same twice. The fillings are always generous, the cocoa roll is excellent, while the milk they use comes from the cows of a friendly farm. They open early enough to head here first thing and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. The treats should entice you out of bed early enough.
Tips: cocoa roll, tomato-and-Emmenthal-cheese pastry
Price range: *
4/48
Kiskovász Bakery
At Kiskovász, the breads are made as they were in your grandmother’s day: the dough only consists of flour, salt, water and yeast, and the result is a rich and filling loaf. Do try their other treats as well, such as the pastry with basil pesto, cottage cheese and bacon, or another version with peach, jam and walnut – or the cocoa roll. They often sell other diverse products as well, such as apple chips, goats’ cheese, natural yoghurt or wine that always gives breakfast a bit of a kick.
Tips: Peti lelke, kotkoda, croissants
Price range: *
5/48
Szerelmes Levél
The bread here is crunchy, dense and slightly sour, perfect to try just by itself, but if you wish, you can also try it as part of a sandwich. This charming bakery on Lövőház utca offers all kinds of pastries and baguettes. Even though the products here are artisanal, the prices are not too high. Try the cocoa roll with coffee and a glass of fruit juice.
Tips: cocoa roll (250 forints), any sandwich (590 forints)
Price range: *
CAFÉS
6/48
Budai Kettő
Budai Kettő near Széll Kálmán tér is a real favourite in Buda, thanks to its great location, lovely terrace and fresh food. They welcome guests from 7am on weekdays, and from 8am at weekends. Their pastries arrive fresh from The Mill bakery, and their bread from Marmorstein. The aubergine-cream sandwich and the pastry with cottage-cheese filling are simply fantastic. Coffee options include a light roast and a traditional dark variation. Lunch is available from Ez is Budai nearby, you find their bakery Budai Pékség in Városmajor, and Budai 3 café is in District XII, near MOM Park.
Tips: aubergine-cream sandwich (750 forints), pastry filled with pecan nuts and maple syrup (350 forints)
Price range: *
7/48
Budapest Baristas
Budapest’s inner ring road, the Kiskörút, is now all a-bustle, full of busy passageways and cafés such as Budapest Baristas. Here not only are matcha lattes prepared with care, but also your humble espresso. Breakfast is served from 8am to 2pm, the fruit variety particularly recommended. As well as fruit, they do a dang good job with bacon, as anyone ordering the American pancakes would testify. Sweet-potato toast is a rarity you won’t find elsewhere. There is a great selection of eggs and bagels, and students can opt for the breakfast menu at a discount.
Tips: Sweet-potato toast (1,990 forints), granola with Greek yoghurt and fruit (950 forints)
Price range: **
8/48
Café Flore Matin et Soir (Closed)
The Flore is a Parisian-style café in a beautiful spot in Hattyú utca, near Széll Kálmán tér. A nice terrace welcomes everyone who wants to soak up the sun while enjoying tasty treats. Service is friendly and attentive: owner Flóra Emese Tóth always informs guests of specials and newly introduced dishes. Breakfast is served from 8am on weekdays and from 10am on Saturdays. Croque mademoiselle, pain perdu or omelette with truffles and caviar are just some of the delicious options. If you want to make your breakfast even more decadent, choose ice-cold champagne or a great wine to go with it.
Tips: pain perdu (1,750 forints), croque mademoiselle (1,750 forints)
Price range: **
9/48
Centrál Café
If you fancy a rich, buttery and crunchy pastry to start the day, head to Lónyay utca to find a young and enthusiastic team baking creative bites all day long. The selection changes daily, depending on the ingredients available, and they say that no pastry ever turns out the same twice. The fillings are always generous, the cocoa roll is excellent, while the milk they use comes from the cows of a friendly farm. They open early enough to head here first thing and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. The treats should entice you out of bed early enough.
Tips: cocoa roll, tomato-and-Emmenthal-cheese pastry
Price range: *
10/48
Csiga Café
For years now, the Csiga Café has anchored one corner of Rákóczi tér, alongside the market hall. Part of the reason for this longevity is the friendly, laid-back atmosphere, freelancers busying away all day, students poring over their notes. Tastes and demands differ but the vegetarian and meat tapas, classic pastries and tortillas filled with blackberries, salsa, guacamole or liver usually please all customers, not to mention the grilled goats’ cheese, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Tips: croque madame (1,490 forints), buffalo mozzarella omelette (1,590 forints)
Price range: **
11/48
Cirkusz Café
When Cirkusz opened in 2014, Dob utca was a quieter proposition. This bohemian-style café soon roasted its own coffee, Bagira, establishing itself as a quality spot for brunch and breakfast. Staff are expert baristas, creating exquisite lattes from the single-origin coffee beans, capable of lifting even the most miserable morning. Breakfast/brunch can be ordered every day from 9am to 4pm, highlights including Turkish Eggs (with yoghurt, poached eggs and fresh dill), Eggs Royal (with salmon and spinach) and, somewhat lighter, oatmeal with almond milk. Prosecco, a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa may accompany.
Tips: Turkish Eggs (1,700 forints), Eggs Royal (2,100 forints)
Price range: **
12/48
Coyote Coffee & Deli
Coyote Coffee & Deli on Batthyány tér opposite Parliament has been offering top-quality dishes for ten years. As soon as you you smell their freshly ground coffee from the street, you just can’t resist going in. Their own new-wave blend comes from the Alt Wien roasters in Austria, and they also offer a changing selection of speciality coffees, too. The food assortment is based on seasonal ingredients. They serve homemade bagels, cheesecake, granola, salads, vegan cakes, and tasty options for those with food allergies are also available. They are open until 9pm, so you can visit in the evening, too.
Tips: mango mousse, bagel with mangalica pork (890 forints)
Price range: **
13/48
Ébresztő
Ébresztő on Jászai Mari tér combines speciality coffee with style and design. In minimalist, Scandinavian surroundings, this new-wave café in trendy Újlipótváros garners the best Hungary has to offer. Baked goods come from The Mill, freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices from Fű on Retek utca by the organic market, dips from Mártogatós, cakes from nearby Chochou – and caffeine from coffee roasters Awaken. In addition, every day, even Sundays, there are vegan desserts, cheesecakes and cakes. The sunny terrace makes sense in summer but the interior is equally pleasant.
Tips: salmon sandwich (1,290 forints), freshly squeezed juices (950 forints)
Price range: **
14/48
Farmbistro - Buda
Farmbistro on Bartók Béla út is the Buda dining outlet of the Házikó catering company, offering delicious breakfasts and lunches. You can opt for healthy sandwich varieties with cereals and sauces, fresh salads, quiche, cream cups, or homemade cakes and cookies. A wide selection of organic fruit juices and coffee are also offered. They support local farms by using only high-quality ingredients coming from reliable producers, which enhances your meal with flavour and makes sure that you know where the eggs, cordials or cheese have come from. This branch and Farmbistro Pest on Dembinszky utca only open during the week.
Tips: cream cups, quiche
Price range: *
15/48
fekete
Fekete is one of the best places on Múzeum körút: you can smell their amazing coffee from afar. They have filter and Nitro coffee besides traditional options, such as espresso with milk, or latte. They started their own bakery in 2017, offering fresh pastries, croissants and muffins – you may want to arrive early because these are real favourites. Cakes and cookies, eggs, toasted sandwiches, and even shakshuka (spicy tomato-and-green-pepper stew from the Levant) are available all day. You can enjoy their food and drinks in the courtyard but can also eat your breakfast outside, too.
Tips: quiche variations, scrambled eggs
Price range: *
16/48
Flat White Kitchen
This breakfast spot at Kolosy tér, a busy hub up in Óbuda, became Flat White in 2017. Artificial grass and furniture of natural wood set the tone – it’s dog-friendly too. On offer are new-wave drinks and dishes, the Flat White French toast stuffed with cheese and spring onions, the porridge served with coconut milk and fruit chutney. If you have time to linger, you can enjoy a sit-down breakfast on the terrace (or on the signature swing) such as Shrimp Benedict or shakshuka. The eponymous flat white may accompany or a smoothie, squeezed and mixed on-site.
Tipp: Goats’ Cheese Benedict (2,290 forints), French toast (1,490 forints)
Price range: **
17/48
London Coffee Society
In 2016, the London Coffee Society started out as an ordinary little café, but as Dohány utca filled with ever more breakfast destinations, so the LCS developed and broadened its scope. With echoes of Brick Lane in Shoreditch, here there’s a cheerful buzz as breakfast is devoured. It’s best to take a seat upstairs and wait for your avocado, shakshuka or egg dishes to arrive. You might opt for Nutella banana bread, but it would be a shame to miss out on a full breakfast.
Tips: shakshuka (1,690 forints), mashed avocado (1,450 forints)
Price range: **
18/48
Kuglóf Bistro
Newly renovated Kuglóf awaits guests with its beautiful location, great coffee and delicious breakfasts. Located in Piarista köz, near downtown Ferenciek tere, this friendly little place offers freshly made smoothies and pastries, own-made croissants, muffins and tube cake. If you’re craving a hearty breakfast, you can choose from a rich selection that includes Eggs Benedict, toasted muffins with salmon, avocado and various sauces on top, quinoa and organic granola with yoghurt. Breakfast is available between 8am and noon on weekdays and from 9am until 12:30 pm at weekends.
Tips: croissant with pistachio cream (650 forints), rye bread with salmon, avocado, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce (1,490 forints)
Price range: **
19/48
Sarki Fűszeres Deli and Café
Breakfast on Pozsonyi út in up-and-coming Újlipótváros is always a pleasure, partly because of the terrace culture, partly because of the quality of fare on offer. Here, from the most modest of croissants to the finest gourmet ham, you will feel fêted and sated. At pretty corner spot Sarki Fűszeres, breakfast is served through the day, the delicacies accompanied by wine and prosecco, with takeaway options too. As if to underline its high standard, this premium delicatessen-cum-café has just installed a gleaming La Marzocco coffee machine, all the way from Florence.
Tips: Toasted cheese sandwiches, salmon sandwiches (2,100 forints)
Price range: **
20/48
mókusch Café & Deli
You can visit this friendly little place near Széll Kálmán tér from 7am on weekdays, and from 9am at weekends. Their cakes, cookies, and sweet rolls are all homemade. You should try their fried bread with various fillings (such as cheese and sour-cream, and fruity mascarpone), available until 2pm – they fry it in butter instead of oil, which makes it even more delicious. The pretzels come from Germany and bread is supplied by Budapest’s Marmonstein bakery. They offer healthy breakfast alternatives too, such as fruity chia-seed pudding, granola, vegetarian sandwiches and plant-based milks for your coffee.
Tips: Fried bread with cheese and sour-cream filling (590-820 forints), German sandwich (690 forints)
Price range: *
21/48
Rojt és Bojt Kávéskuckó
The cosy café in Krisztinaváros is a real gem in District I. Breakfast is available here every weekday: their rich BLT bagel with Black Forest ham, sunny-side up eggs, cheddar, bacon and fresh greens is a must. Don’t miss out on the savoury croissant sandwich with cream cheese, salami, sun-dried tomatoes and eggs. The food selection includes several types of homemade croissants, too, with savoury and sweet varieties. Delicious Italian roast coffee may accompany. You might want to reserve, because the place is very popular – and not open weekends.
Tips: BLT bagel, croissant sandwich
Price range: **
22/48
TÁBLA
Next door to the ESCA studio restaurant, TÁBLA offers breakfasts, brunches and lunches from 8am to 4pm every weekday. This partner eatery focuses on sandwiches, bagels, dips and cold delicacies. Raw ingredients come fresh from the nearby market and carefully selected producers. Among the toasted sandwiches, the four-cheese variety stands out – as for bagels, ham-and-horseradish. Don’t overlook the platters, either fish or meat. For something less bulky at breakfast, granola should suffice. To accompany, there’s new-wave coffee, smoothies and kombucha fermented tea.
Tips: four-cheese toasted sandwich (1,290 forints), ham-and-horseradish bagel (950 forints)
Price range: **
23/48
Stika
Stika has managed to remain a popular eatery in Budapest’s party district since 2014. It really is a quality place that keeps up with new trends and stays innovative. Their breakfast is available from 8am all the way to 6pm, with a wide selection: oatmeal, poached eggs, delicious sweet pancakes and, a real treat, a five-ounce burger patty in an American pancake, called the Breakfast Burger. If you’d like to go with a lighter, healthier option, choose a fresh salad or a tasty ciabatta sandwich. The coffee is outstanding.
Tips: Breakfast burger (2,190 forints), pancake breakfast (1,490 forints)
Price range: **
COOKED BREAKFASTS
24/48
À la Maison
Possibly no other restaurant in the city features such an expansive list of breakfasts as this inclusive eatery. Dozens of egg-based dishes, all sorts of savoury waffles and unbelievable variations of Eggs Benedict are all offered here. A good selection of dishes is also available for guests who follow alternative diets and require vegetarian or gluten-free dishes. Sparkling wine and cocktails give a twist to morning meals. Breakfast is available all day, the restaurant open daily from 8am to 5pm. Booking recommended.
Tips: French toast (from 1,590 forints), Eggs Benedict (1,790 forints)
Price range: **
25/48
BeefBar Budapest (Closed)
Newly opened Clark Hotel on the Buda side of Chain Bridge has plenty of elite features, such as this deluxe in-house restaurant, selling prime Kobe beef. In the morning, epicureans are offered four kinds of mixed plates, from Continental Breakfasts to Fit Feasts boosted with superfoods such as beetroot and goji berries. The Budapest Breakfast includes local delicacies, such as Hungarian ratatouille and pastries. Each menu comes with a hot beverage, fresh juice and water. There’s also a decent à la carte selection, with classic frankfurters or sesame seaweed salad with salmon.
Tips: Budapest breakfast, Fit feast (each 6,000 forints)
Price range: ***
26/48
Börze
With an interior reminiscent of an old coffeehouse, Börze features a grand yet understated style and authentic Hungarian cuisine. Breakfast is centred around the rich deli counter that contains smoked sausage, aubergine spread and duck-liver pâté. Warm breakfast salad is just one of the delicacies among the seasonal selection, and currently involves marinated salmon, roast potatoes, soft-boiled egg, spinach and pan-fried mushrooms. The meaty Royal Breakfast is served with a glass of sparkling wine, while French toast comes filled with ham and cheese.
Tips: Royal breakfast (2,490 forints), stuffed French toast (1,290 forints)
Price range: **
27/48
Déryné Bistro
Buda’s French-style Déryné is open for breakfast every day until 11:30am except Sundays, when brunch lasts through the afternoon and includes full meals such chicken paprikash, and oysters. From Monday to Saturday, the restaurant’s regular morning offer is equally enticing – avocado toast is made from organic spelt bread and English breakfast comes with homemade sausages. Déryné was the first eatery in Budapest to sell Eggs Benedict, and this staple on the menu has gained them many returning guests. Croque monsieur, Brussels waffles and granola also feature.
Tips: English breakfast (2,890 forints), Eggs Benedict (2,480 forints)
Price range: **
28/48
Émile
Tucked amid the Buda Hills in leafy District II, Émile, run by the Gerbeaud management, occupies a former family home that has been thoroughly renovated with 21st-century style. Although the interior is comfortably sophisticated, wicker sofas and shaded tables set up in the garden are especially inviting to enjoy gourmet breakfasts in summer. Omelette with Parma ham, American pancakes, and croissants with smoked salmon all feature on the menu. Freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices can accompany your morning meal. Vegetarian versions of select dishes are also available.
Tips: Eggs Benedict (1,890 forints), American pancake (1,300 forints)
Price range: ***
29/48
Hilda
Known for their tasty free-range roast chicken, Hilda near focal St. Stephen’s Basilica is also open in the morning hours to offer tasty treats to guests. Omelettes come with distinct toppings, such as Norwegian salmon, smoked duck breast, goats’ cheese or even mixed green salad with lemon vinaigrette. Then there’s also Sacher pork sausage served with Dijon mustard, cucumber pickle and crispy bread, while as a light treat, Hilda offers organic yoghurt, granola, fruit pűrée and fresh fruit. The breakfast menu expands at weekends, when guests can also enjoy brunch specials.
Tips: omelette (1,290 forints), Sweet morning (vanilla Danish, cranberry cake, cinnamon roll), chocolate cake), quiche varieties
Price range: **
30/48
Kollázs Brasserie & Bar
Found within one of the world’s most spectacular Art Nouveau buildings, this deluxe dining destination of the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace welcomes locals and all city visitors to stop in for a full meal, even for breakfast. A smorgasbord is available every morning and includes a selection of cold and warm dishes, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juices. The à la carte menu abounds with French-style treats: brioche with maple syrup, chocolate croissant, omelette with foie gras and croque madame are all presented with tasteful touches to match the elegant surroundings.
Tips: Eggs Benedict with spinach (5,800 forints), Belgian waffle (4,600 forints), buffet breakfast 9,900 forints
Price range: ***
31/48
Paletta Budapest
Bringing the flavours of Balaton to Budapest, Paletta in gentrifying District IX is also strong in morning meals. From this summer, breakfast is offered every day of the week and includes delicacies such as mangalica frankfurters served with a dab of local mustard and freshly baked bread. Those on a healthy diet can get a bowl of almond-milk porridge that comes with cornflakes and dried fruit. Some classic breakfasts are also created with a twist: eggs can be ordered with boiled sausage made of catfish. Thorough research precedes the sourcing of each ingredient.
Tips: English breakfast Balaton style (1,950 forints)
Price range: **
32/48
Pest-Buda Restaurant
Housed in a 17th-century inn within the cobblestoned Castle District, stylish Pest-Buda Hotel is not just for overnight guests. A pretty in-house bistro serves countryside-style morning boosters, Hungarian and international. One item on the menu is the ‘Frenchy’ breakfast, comprising croissants, homemade jams, freshly squeezed orange juice and a bottle of filtered water. But you can also come here for croque madame presented on crispy brioche or for sausage-infused lecsó (Hungarian ratatouille) served with scrambled eggs. Breakfast starts at 7:30am and runs until about 11am.
Tips: Power breakfast menu (4,200 forints), croissant with jam (380 + 420 forints), croque madame (1,680 forints)
Price range: ***
33/48
Café Smúz
A downtown flower shop at Kossuth tér doubles as a café, where the blooming merchandise adds a sweet-scented touch to any meal. Breakfast can be devoured at tables set up by the picture windows or on the Smúz terrace, both offering views over the nearby Parliament building. Morning boosters include vegetable omelette sprinkled with grated cheese and a dab of edible flower petals. Organic yoghurt with muesli and fresh fruit are offered for those opting for lighter treats. Coffee is as colourful as the interior itself and comes in hues of red, blue and green.
Tips: organic yoghurt with muesli and fresh fruit (1,990 forints)
Price range: **
34/48
Szimply
With a monthly changing selection of sweet and savoury offers, pocket-sized Szimply is a haven for health-conscious guests. The current menu features leek frittata with goats’ cheese, and marinated carrots, while the vegan doughnut with fresh fruit and apricot cream are offered for sweet-toothed customers. The chef, a former member of fine-dining Fáma at Buda Castle, creates these edible artworks using superfoods and local ingredients. Table reservation is not available, but guests who can’t be seated immediately can grab a coffee at sister store Kontakt just opposite.
Tips: Transylvanian mici sausage, red-cabbage cream, fresh salad and fruit, Guinness dressing (3,200 forints), vanilla semolina pudding, grilled pineapple with citrus cream (1,800 forints)
Price range: **
35/48
The Ritz-Carlton Budapest
Daily between 7:30am and 11am, the opulent Kupola Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton, Budapest presents a classic buffet breakfast under the hotel’s elaborate stained-glass dome. The smorgasbord, also available for non-guests, comprises fine cold cuts and cheeses, presented alongside cakes and pastries. Meanwhile, you can fill your plate with warm meaty delicacies. Allergens are highlighted with each food, while breads for those on a gluten-free diet are also available. This all-you-can-eat deal even includes an assortment of bottled juices and a selected egg dish from the à la carte menu.
Tips: breads, cakes and pastries, hush puppies, gluten-free selection, buffet breakfast (11,000 forints), Hungarian omelette (5,400 forints), shakshuka (3,000 forints)
Price range: ***
36/48
Villa Bagatell Café
This relaxed Buda hangout is open from 8am on weekdays to serve breakfast specials in a stately villa house or on the restaurant’s tranquil terrace, weather permitting. Classic morning dishes are made from farm eggs and presented with fresh bread from the bistro’s Brót bakery. Here, even those who follow alternative diets can have a feast as some classics can be ordered with paleo bread. The extensive tea selection includes specialities from hibiscus to masala chai, while at weekends, breakfast is best paired with prosecco and champagne, reservations essential.
Tips: Bundás kenyér (egg-coated fried bread) sprinkled with cheese, served with tomato confit and sour cream (1,790 forints), salmon breakfast (3,490 forints)
Price range ***
37/48
Vintage Garden
Meals are slow-paced and served amid a fancifully romantic milieu at Vintage Garden, one of Budapest’s prettiest hangouts blooming with Provence-style design. Breakfast is served all day between 9am and midnight and features a selection of sweet and savoury treats. Hungarian-style French toast (bundás kenyér), croissants with jam, Viennese sausage and American pancakes are all available. Croque monsieur is served in a fresh bagel and made of basil-infused cheese cream, ham, mozzarella and béchamel. An ideal spot for girly get-togethers and cheerful chatter.
Tips: American pancake, croque monsieur
Price range: **
HEALTHY BREAKFASTS
38/48
Törökméz
At Törökméz the breakfast options are endless: you can choose burritos, eggs, fried bread or gambas pil pil (fried spicy prawns), but can always opt for a simple but tasty pastry-butter-jam combination, too. Besides classic dishes, they offer superfoods, healthy and vegetarian options and gluten-free, alternatives for sandwiches. Service is very friendly and attentive, and you can even bring your dog along with you and enjoy a freshly pressed juice or lemonade on the terrace. Breakfast is available from 8am Mondays through Saturdays.
Tips: prawn-mayo sandwich (2,150 forints), huevos rancheros (1,950 forints)
Price range: **
39/48
Fruccola - Mom Park
Fruccola has maintained its principles of fresh, high-quality ingredients to create its healthy and delicious dishes, from sandwiches to chia-seed pudding. Their latest restaurant in Buda is no exception. This largest Fruccola outlet is wheelchair- and child-friendly, with a terrace. The menu is abundant in flour-, lactose- and meat-free options. Breakfast is served until 11am on weekdays, take-away or eat-in, the vegan featuring grilled vegan sausage, tofu omelette, baked beans and buckwheat bread, the salmon omelettes with cheese cream and chives. Weekend brunches also served.
Tips: Vegan cooked breakfast (1,980 forints), flour-free American pancake with coconut (1,490 forints)
Price range: **
40/48
Juicy + Budapest Bagel
To produce quality products from decent raw ingredients sounds simple enough – but it’s no easy job. Juicy + Budapest Bagel on central Madách út, the pedestrianised square leading off Deák tér, provide a good example. This joint venue creates juices made from superfoods and freshly pressed seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as signature bagel sandwiches, such as the Beauty and the Beet (orange, beetroot, ginger, carrot). And if you’re still feeling peckish, there are also chia puddings and raw vegan energy bombs.
Tips: salmon-and-advocado bagel, juices
Price range: **
41/48
Oh My Green (Closed)
Cross a modern, urban and health- conscious lifestyle with a colourful range of fruit and vegetables and you get Oh My Green. This food bar near centrally located Ferenciek tere embodies everything you should expect from a place where superfoods underscore the menu. You can also choose from fresh fresh salads, sassy sandwiches, crunchy home-made granola, colourful smoothies, and desserts for the food-sensitive or following a certain diet. A 9am start (10am on Saturdays) is a gentle lead-in to day – do note that it’s closed on Sundays. My Little Melbourne supplies the coffee.
Tips: acai-tapioca smoothie (1,690 forints), vegetable quiche (960 forints)
Price range: **
WEEKEND BRUNCHES
42/48
Buddha-Bar Hotel Budapest Klotild Palace (Closed)
Dining at the newly renovated Klotild Palace is an experience in itself, but the icing on the cake is the weekend brunch. During a two-hour session, you can sample the smorgasbord or choose something from the menu. Classic breakfast dishes, Pacific Rim specialities, and the flavours of China, Japan and Thailand all feature – note the Tom Yum soup, the separate sushi table (with more than 14 varieties), the Buddha Bar chicken-and-avocado salad and gyoza. A few dishes from the in-house Lebanese Baalbek restaurant (hummus, paprika cream, lamb sausage, aubergine cream with tahini) also appear from autumn onwards.
Tips: Buddha Bar chicken salad, sushi, miso soup, salmon
Price range: *** 9,900 forints (brunch with soft drinks)/ 12,900 forints (brunch with unlimited champagne, wine and beer)
43/48
Deák St. Kitchen
From noon on Sundays, the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, Deák St. Kitchen, serves one of the best brunches in town. Be prepared for a long visit of up to three hours. You start with Bellini, followed by a freshly squeezed juice and pastries. For a healthy break, a chia shot is offered, before the ham or cheese selection. Next comes a soup – we highly recommend goulash, but a seasonal vegetable-cream soup is also a safe bet. The main course is one from the restaurant’s signature dishes as a smaller portion: a DSK burger, a club sandwich, trout or a poached egg. The menu concludes with desserts, most notably the Royal chocolate cake.
Tips: DSK burger, pastries, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Price range: *** (9,900 forints including soft drinks)
44/48
Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest
The Kempinski offers a top-quality à la carte weekend brunch between 9:30am and 2pm. While you get comfortable in a velvet armchair, a DJ spins discs in the background, but what elevates it all is the assortment and the high-quality ingredients. There are seven kinds of poached eggs on the menu, as well as an oyster selection of six of the best and freshest. Steaks are also available, but an egg-based dish followed by a dessert, such as a waffle or a pancake, should suffice for the whole day. The cocktail selection is also impressive, not only Bloody Marys but also more special mixes and champagnes, for a higher outlay.
Tips: poached egg (1,860 forints), half a dozen oysters (5,900 forints), banana crème-brűlée pancake (1,500 forints)
Price range: ***
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Mazel Tov
Mazel Tov on Akácfa utca serves Middle-Eastern breakfasts in a laid-back atmosphere – and sometimes live music – between 10am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The à la carte menu contains sweet and savoury treats alike: shakshuka, hummus, salmon, avocado and spinach all feature. Poached egg is served with sweet potato, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and sesame cream. The Israeli tasting menu for two is also a great choice but don’t miss out on the sweets. Accompany your breakfast with a beetroot-kiwi-pear smoothie.
Tips: Mazel Tov Eggs Florentine (1,590 forints), banana bread with red berries, yogurt and raspberry (1,490 forints)
Price range: **
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MoszkvaTér (Closed)
Moszkva tér is one of the most reliable and least hyped street-food spots at the Downtown Market. On weekdays, it is flooded with office workers munching on Kiev chicken, but on Saturdays there is always a brunch offer, quite luxurious indeed. Instead of avocados and chia seeds, here they stick to Russian-style and offer two kinds of breakfast menus with a complimentary glass of champagne. Delicate blinis, Russian pancakes, are topped with salmon caviar and drowned in a herby sour-cream sauce, while omelettes are sprinkled with orange caviar pearls. Champagne is the perfect match for the savoury dishes.
Tips: Blinis with salmon caviar (2,800 forints) including a glass of champagne
Price range: ***
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Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge
The brunch at Sofitel – served between noon and 4pm on Sundays – is for those with a big appetite. You can browse the smorgasbord or order from the à la carte menu. An English breakfast, Hungarian courses, desserts (including a chocolate fountain!), pastries and desserts can be enjoyed with a perfect panorama of the Chain Bridge, while the menu offers grilled dishes with meat (including steak) and fish. Options are available for vegetarians and those following a special diet as well. The price includes one glass of champagne and unlimited soft drinks.
Tips: dishes from the à la carte menu and the chocolate fountain
Price range: *** 9,000 forints, 6,000 forints for children – free under-6s
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Szimpla Kert
Szimpla Kert is the granddaddy of all ruin pubs in Budapest, and the most popular. Between 9am and 2pm at weekends, they serve a delicious brunch upstairs, the smorgasbord featuring almost anything sold at the Sunday farmer’s market below. Cold and warm dishes, scrambled eggs, sausages, raclette, salads, dips, cakes, yoghurts, muesli, granola and jams tempt taste buds. The pastries come from local bakery Panificio, the meats, cheeses and seasonal veg from the farmers, with at least five kinds of smoothies. The 5,000-forint admission allows you to pop back for more later on. Reservations recommended for bigger groups.
Tips: Varied salads, creams and dips (one-off price for all meals 5,000 forints)
Price range: **
