Breakfast is the new dinner! Meetings with friends, more intimate conversation, even rendezvous can be a breeze, with hearty, lazy dishes and cheeky fizzy drinks to kickstart the day. Contemporary bakeries are now producing heavenly pastries suitable for any occasion, specialty coffee has long moved in and you can even throw in a rooftop bar or two. Good morning, Budapest!
1/15
à table!
The story of the à
table boulangerie started out at a small Budapest street, Retek utca, in 2011.
Since then, it’s been expanding, currently they have 13 outlets all around the
capital, attracting lovers of French atmosphere and gastronomy, éclairs,
mille-feuilles, tartes and, of course, croissants. At each location, you
can choose from all these and, in addition to the daily quiche, you can order egg
breakfasts, salads and tartines. Luckily, they also have the special pain perdu
French toast as well. One favourite à table! is at central Madách tér, as there
you can sit outside and watch the bustling street beneath a tricoleur parasol from
spring to autumn. You can also find them in shopping centres, so if you need a
little respite from all the mall neon, they can bring a little peace into your
shopping routine.
WLB tips: Pain au pistachio,
mille-feuille, pain perdu
2/15
Bartók - reggel.délben.este
It would be
a shame to pigeonhole this gastropub on trendy Bartók Béla út as a breakfast spot
or a bistro, or even a cult pub, because it’s all of those things. As the name
suggests (’Morning, Noon and Night’), they await guests any time of the day, and
with reliable comfort food – which is to say, easy-to-prepare, heart-warming, familiar
dishes. Eggs are made in all their forms, but bagels, French toast, granola and
sweet waffles can also be found on the breakfast menu. It’s a cosy spot
encouraging you to linger. You can even stay for lunch.
WLB tips:
BLT bagel, salty caramel waffles
3/15
Béchamel
Béchamel, the warm,
homemade creamy sauce spiced with nutmeg, is an essential base for many French
dishes. The name of this breakfast & brunch operation also fits the place
to a tee, as you do feel the same homely atmosphere here. Their offer is
international, as the world’s most popular breakfast delicacies have been put
together so that everyone can find the familiar favourites or try something new
for the first time. At Béchamel, the staff are always friendly, service is
great, and colleagues are very helpful. In the spring-summer season, you
shouldn’t miss having breakfast sitting by the window. Their pastries come from
the Freyja bakery, and their cakes are Espressoul’s finest. Brunch is available
from 8am to 5pm, so the non-early birds among you won’t miss out, either. (x)
WLB tips: French
toast, Eggs Benedict, pesto toast
4/15
Cafe Brunch Budapest
You can find Cafe
Brunch Budapest in three locations around Budapest, and they are also planning to
open their fourth breakfast outlet in April. Their name is quite informative, as
it suggests that you can have a hearty breakfast here all day long. They take the
first meal of the day seriously, as the most important – whether it’s a Hungarian
omelette, egg-avocado toast or a grilled bagel with salmon, they serve large
amounts. The panorama from all three restaurants is magnificent, it was an important feature when they designed them so that guests could look out over the
city through huge windows to see cityscapes such as the fountain on Hajós utca
behind the Opera, St Stephen’s Basilica and Liberty Bridge. From spring to autumn,
you can enjoy refreshing lemonades, specialty coffees and light breakfasts on
their sunny terraces. (x)
WLB tips: Eggs
Florentine, full English breakfast
5/15
Cinnamon
Cinnamon on
Csalogány utca opened in 2017, specifically to provide the area behind Batthyány
tér with super breakfasts and brunches. They quickly managed to find their
audience, grateful that they could pop in until four in the afternoon for
French toast or a signature apple-cinnamon doughnut. They also have a filling
English breakfast, almost obligatory avocado toasts, American pancakes and
poached egg variations, as well as nice presentations. They have never gone overly
trendy, so being passé is not a risk, striking a good balance between current mores
and a path dictated by current tastes.
WLB tips: Apple-cinnamon
doughnuts, English breakfasts, French toast
6/15
Cirkusz
Cirkusz came
to Dob utca in 2014 and, once the initial sensation wore off, has long been a reliable
place for breakfast favoured by many. Regulars can find it with their eyes
closed. Bagira coffee started out here, and their baristas and the machinery
they use are world-class, and they never stop learning. They make pretty latte creations
for their guests, which can spice up any lousy day. People swear by their
brunches, such as the Eggs Royal, a poached egg served with salmon and spinach,
or the Pulled Pork Benedict, which is exactly as unusual as the name suggests: stripped
pork and eggs. A whole series of avocado dishes has also been put together.
Prosecco, Bloody Mary and Mimosa can also be ordered, even on those unfortunate
Monday mornings – in fact, perhaps especially on those unfortunate Monday
mornings.
WLB tips:
Pulled Pork Benedict, avocado toast with beetroot hummus
7/15
Freyja – the croissant story
Queues form outside this croissanterie in District VII, no surprise
considering the quality of what’s on offer. Business is so good, in fact, that
they have also set up on the Buda side,
in District II. The baking process involves adding 27 buttered layers to each
item, which can be produced in almost endless variations. The flavours of the
seasonal collection change from time to time, but you can be sure to find at
least one savoury and sweet type every day. Prices fall between those of a
niche boutique and a chain bakery, but given the preparation and quality, and
the fact that the croissants here are a breakfast in themselves, Freyja is a bit
of a bargain. Roulés, even square-shaped croissants, may sometimes appear. Freyja
is nothing if not enterprising.
WLB tips: Pistachio croissant, seasonal specialities
8/15
Gerlóczy Café
The Gerlóczy Café is a cosy, Parisian-style café, restaurant and
boutique hotel in a downtown setting, near City Hall on Gerlóczy utca.
Although the building dates back to the 19th century, it’s only been operating
in its current form for just over a decade. The breakfast menu consists of
classic dishes, you can try the hot and cold versions as well as the complete
breakfast platters. There are special choices, too, or you can just dive into
one of their hearty, energy-rich breakfasts. Chia and granola are both good options,
but the scrambled eggs with marrow resting on a garlic toast is a must. When
open from spring, the terrace is a joy.
WLB tips: Scrambled
eggs with marrow, Spanish breakfast
9/15
Kaptafa
Kaptafa is a real
favourite on Akácfa utca, where you can linger in the morning, over brunch, and
even in the evening, because after the sun goes down at weekends, drinking is
accompanied by regular events. Returning to breakfast, unique delicacies are
prepared in their small but practical kitchen, while a young, international
crowd chat in the dining room and on the street terrace. Personal favourites include
the Mr. and Mrs. Molnár sandwiches and the breaded pickles, but it is also
difficult to resist the grilled sandwiches and their own rendition of French
toast. They won’t look askance at you if you order a recovery beer or a
Mimosa, we’re talking about an incredibly friendly little home from home.
WLB tips: CPR, My
Sweet Lord, breaded pickles
10/15
Lisboa Pastry & Bakery
Lisboa brought the Portuguese way of
life to downtown eating and drinking hub, the Gozsdu Udvar. This small but
meaningful place opened three years ago to showcase the flavours of Lisbon but
since then, international favourites have also been added to the offer, brought
about by demand. Pastries are typically nice and sweet (made with lots of egg
yolk and sugar), which go great with morning coffee while giving a big boost to
the day. Their bagels are delicious, they also make doughnuts with light dough,
and, in addition to the signature pastel de nata, they’ve recently introduced an
enchanting royal croissant, hiding poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise sauce.
WLB tips: Pastel de nata, royal croissant, dulce de leche croissant
11/15
Párisi Passage & Brasserie
You could hardly
find a more elegant or sophisticated spot for breakfast than the Párisi
Passage. It’s a place for a real celebration on a memorable occasion. A birthday, anniversary or graduation brunch here will be duly inspired by the motto, 'Breakfast is the New Dinner'. The kitchen, supervised by executive
chef Lajos Lutz, works with outstanding dishes and flavours, mostly from small-batch
ingredients. Their specialities include various egg dishes, including one of
the finest poached eggs in town, and desserts, for example, French toast or classic
Belgian waffles. In addition to Mimosa cocktails, they also offer Italian peach
Bellinis so that couples can clink glasses under the beautiful atrium.
WLB tips: Eggs
Benedict, classic Belgian waffles, shakshuka
12/15
Smúz Café
When the floral
fusion of Smúz and florists Virágneked.hu appeared at Kossuth tér in the
early 2010s, it was still quite unusual for a café-breakfast room to have an
additional function. However, the pleasant collaboration soon became a favourite
of the many guests – would doesn’t love gorgeous flowers all around in a
nice café… Not to mention the other charming facts such as the delicious coffee
specialties, the hearty breakfasts, the romantic atmosphere and the proximity
of Parliament… Breakfast is nice both inside and outside on the terrace, and their
cakes are all delicious. At Smúz, another unique feature is the colourful
coffees you can’t find at other breakfast outlets in Budapest. Your mum will
love it if you take her here for breakfast, but it’s also a good choice for a
friendly gathering or for couples. (x)
WLB tips: Red
velvet latte, blue spirulina muesli bowl, poppy-seed dessert
13/15
SOLID Budapest
This rooftop
outlet is the sister of Michelin-starred restaurant SALT Budapest, with corresponding
sophistication, in all in all a lovely and savvy concept. SOLID operates as a
wine bar from the afternoon until the evening, with a gourmet menu linked with
SALT. However, the guests at Hotel Rum in the same building, and guests from
around the city, loved the idea of having breakfast on the rooftop so much, they
kept this popular tradition, too. So, the place has two profiles. Gourmet breakfasts
can be ordered until noon, the offer includes Eggs Benedict variations,
croques, pancakes, granolas and yoghurt bowls. But as SOLID is a wine bar as
well, you can also choose between the elegant fizzy drinks.
WLB tips: Buckwheat pancakes, croque monsieur and Eggs Benedict with wild-garlic caviar
14/15
VAJ
This is not just a
bakery, but also a buzzing meeting spot, and you’ll probably fall in love with
the place at the first sight… sorry, bite. Hardly anyone who visits VAJ doesn’t
want to go back next time. At this bakery on Rákóczi tér, you can indulge
yourself with Danish pastries, special baked swirls, freshly and carefully
prepared, huge and nourishing sandwiches (made by a sandwich specialist), and,
of course, high-quality specialty coffee. The bustling, young, international
atmosphere feels one of those unique pastry places in Copenhagen. It’s great to
have a wake-up coffee in the bright, spacious interior. They start baking at 5am,
then open up at 7am and you can pop in anytime until 8pm, choosing from their
full selection. This place should never disappoint – they are always
prepared for the evening as well. Snacking during weekend brunches is also taken
care of, you can sip Prosecco with your baked delicacy. There is also a secret
– they’ll soon introduce with their sourdough pizzas, and a new confectionery outlet
will open near the original VAJ bakery. Here’s looking forward to it. (x)
WLB tips: Apple-vanilla Danish pastry, swirls with vanilla & walnut, cottage-cheese
pastry
15/15
Zileat
For anyone who always wanted to discover the narrowest building in Tabán
– the narrowest one in Budapest, in fact – then Zileat is the place, set up at Döbrentei utca 22 in the summer of 2021. The person who dreamt it up,
Zília Mocsári, opened a relaxed but showy and stylish brunch bistro, where both health-conscious and hang-it-all dishes go hand in hand in unison. They are
open every day of the week from 8.30am to 9pm (breakfast brunch available on
request until 3pm) with classic egg dishes, bowls of cereals and delicious
desserts. The mood at Zileat would fit smoothly into any of feelgood twentysomething
Netflix series currently running – the main characters would convene to
discuss the issues of the day over Eggs Benedict and G&Ts.
(x)
WLB tips: Breakfast criminal, dreamy crepes, burrata
