This summer has seen a plethora of new openings around Budapest, restaurants, cocktail bars and cafés. Here we round up 20 of the most notable, some of which we’ve already covered in more detail in recent weeks. Many of these attractive debutants are blessed with summer terraces, perfect as the temperature climbs!
1/20
Açaí Fever
Bowls of the Amazon’s healthiest berries
are now available in the city centre, along with other fresh fruit and smoothies.
Local resident Adam Mansour fell in love with the authentic Brazilian fruit
superfood, açaí, a long time ago, and as he couldn’t find it too much of it around
Budapest, he opened his own business. At Açaí Fever on Régi posta utca, you can
choose your own healthy refreshing bowls based on your own preferences, and the
guarana-sweetened açaí sorbet comes straight from the Amazon. More details
2/20
Alice Terrace
The palace once owned by leading industrialist Manfréd Weiss is now resplendent
in its former glory, and reopened as a hotel named after his wife, Alice. It’s
also good news for non-guests, who can recline on the Alice Terrace x Veuve
Clicquot Garden right on showcase boulevard Andrássy út, where the champagne in
question is brought to the fore, along with delicious snacks. The concept stretches beyond Alice Weiss to another strong
woman: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin, who managed the champagne house she had
inherited from her recently deceased husband at the age of 27. Now called Veuve
(‘Widow’) Clicquot, this is the second most popular champagne in the world,
and readily available here, of course. The food goes well with the light,
elegant atmosphere, such as the tuna bowl with beluga lentils, spring onions
and dried apricots, brought together by the citrus dressing. The dark-chocolate
brownie shouldn’t disappoint, either. Look out, too, to for the Uzsi és bubi
offer (‘Dine & Bubbles’), for which delicacies are served for two on a
tiered serving platter with a glass of champagne, plus coffee or tea each. Ideal
for rendezvous, anniversaries or girl talk. More details
3/20
Arquitecto Pitpit
The atmospheric main office of the Society
of Architects (MÉSZ), with its grassy inner courtyard, is one of the most
beautiful secret gardens in Budapest. Now it has a new function, as the second venue
opened by the team behind nearby tapas spot Padron. Arquitecto Pitpit also
features classic Spanish flavours, the namesake fried peppers of its sister
operation and the gambas that earned it its fame. Of course, a tapas restaurant
is never just about the food, as much about the company, and the Becks who
operate Padron as a family understand this completely. Running two tapas bars, however
close to each other, will have its own pressures, not least as the new
location comprises around 150 covers. More details
4/20
Babel Garden
The Michelin-starred Babel Budapest has just opened an
open-air restaurant, right in the heart town at the Pest end of Elizabeth
Bridge. The garden space is expected to be in operation until the end of
September. The separate Babel
Garden is open to those who do not
necessarily want to try the dégustation
menu, but who prefer to sip expertly selected champagnes and fantastic wines accompanied by a
shorter snack selection as sun sets over the Danube in the city centre. More details
5/20
Berlin Bistro
Former Berlin student Roland Török was inspired by the
multicultural and culinary diversity of the German capital when he conceived of
his new venture in the heart of District VII. Here on Klauzál tér, the German
draught beer alone makes it worth popping into the Berlin Bistro – but great
food and ambience also beckon. Given the carefully chosen playlist, too,
you quickly realise you have left the Hungarian sector and entered a
place worthy of further exploration. High ceilings, clean pastel walls, bare
brickwork and neatly arranged photos surround tables upon which plates
of jägerschnitzel, fried chicken breast with creamy mushroom sauce and
fried potatoes, Berlin
boulette, a fried veal patty with
fried eggs, and, natürlich, currywurst, are served. More details
6/20
Blöki Bár
Its name the Hungarian equivalent of Fido or Rover,
Blöki on Zsófia utca has long been popular among dog owners, operating as a daycare
centre for pets. In the summer of 2021, it opened a cosy garden area next door
where dogs and owners can relax together. There’s plenty of space
for kids to run around, too. Visitors can commune with their fellow dog lovers
over wine and beer, Aperol Spritz and strawberry lemonades, with a few snacks
and desserts thrown in. The Blöki Bár is not at a specific house number, but identified
by its map co-ordinates. Zsófia utca starts at the Aquincum HÉV train stop, from
there it's a an easy ten-minute walk – even with the dog. More details
7/20
Blutorange
Conceived in Japan and slowly sweeping Europe,
listening bars balance high-spec audio equipment with a select choice of music.
Thanks to two old friends, Dima and Ilya, Budapest now has its first,
Blutorange, right on Király utca deep in the nightlife vortex. Comfortable sofas and armchairs, atmospheric
lights and a top-quality Magnepan sound system combine to make your listening experience perfect.
The DJs and musicians at the decks are given a free rein, playing music that cannot
be heard anywhere else, and
with no restrictions in terms of style. Here, only one thing
matters: quality. There’s decent beer, wine, pálinka, rum, whisky, gin
and tequila,
but the bar’s strong suit is mezcal. More than 30 varieties line
the back bar. More details
8/20
Brooklyn Bagel
At Brooklyn Bagel, opened by the ZSILIP
Cultural Centre, operated by the EMIH-Hungarian Jewish Association, a dozen
tasty options are on offer, including a kosher variety shipped in from Hamburg.
The riverside district of Újlipótváros, the
historic home of a significant Jewish community, is the perfect location
for Brooklyn Bagel. The chef and manager live in the area, and know and love
this part of the city. Two experienced owners behind kosher restaurants, the Tel Aviv Café and the Carmel
Restaurant, Dániel Preiszler and Dávid
Klopfer, have set the whole thing up. The dozen bagels on offer are mostly vegan,
the savoury variations come with Israeli salt, but you also find
sweet options with Nutella or peanut butter and blueberries. Own-made desserts include babka
sweet bread. Huge windows and a pleasant terrace have
a clear view of the Danube and Margaret Island, while the interior is
decorated with trendy green tiles and gold features. More details
9/20
Buttler Terasz
This new waterside hangout has just opened deep in
otherwise grey District VIII. With a split-level space and a laid-back
atmosphere, the Buttler Terrace stands by shore of the lake at Orczy Garden,
right behind the Museum of Natural History. Where better to relax with a
cooling view of the water? Offering shade and two levels of seating from spring
to autumn, the Buttler Terrace provides giant pancakes, burgers, smoothies,
ice cream, freshly squeezed juices and draught beer, to name but
a few favourites. More details
10/20
DP BBQ
After Savoya Park, next to the South Buda Ice & Leisure Centre, you
find Csaba Sajben’s barbecue paradise, DP BBQ. Open-air grilling with
vegetarian alternatives, mini-concerts and films feature on the banks of the
Danube from Friday to Sunday. Pork is prepared using a Patagonian roasting
technique, asado: the salted and peppered pig is spread over coals at a
45-degree angle and turned every three hours, for a total of some 12 hours of roasting.
In South America, asado is not only a baking technique, but also a tradition
and a communal experience. Cooking takes place over an open fire, embers or
grill, a parrilla, or on a special metal stand, an asador. More
details
11/20
Este11
Recently opened in the convivial vicinity of Feneketlen
Lake, under the shade of huge chestnut trees, Este11 offers ice-cold cocktails,
Hungarian wines and BBQ specialities. The lake has always been one
of the most pleasant spots in now trendy District XI. Although
the open-air concert stage has long gone, there’s still a wide range
of activities such as an outdoor gym, a running track and
a playground, with shade provided by beautiful old trees. Food and drink
was never been a strong point, however, so Tamás Fazekas’ lakeside
locale is ideal, especially once you throw in delicious BBQ dishes. Classic cocktails, long drinks and Hungarian
wines are best enjoyed under the fairy lights, meats are prepared for seven or
eight hours on the barbecue in the back of the courtyard, and are
served with salads. The popular pulled-pork sandwich comes with smoked
peppers and a soft roll. More details
12/20
Kacsintó
The large Vizafogó Park was opened in
District XIII earlier this year, next to the housing estate of the same name. At
its centre is an artificial lake, into which extends a wide, large jetty carved
from wood, with a pavilion in the middle. This is the charmingly named Kacsintó
bistro, where you can sit and watch the ducks as you sip coffee or tuck into a
sandwich, a salad or a cheese platter. Lemonades of various flavours, smoothies,
even G&Ts are also available, closing time at 9.30pm meaning you can relax
here for an hour or two as the sun goes down. More details
13/20
Kazetta
Close to the Buda end of Margaret Bridge, the small,
cosy boutique of the Kazetta clothing brand has opened, a café, showroom and
social space in one. Letti and Dani are a friendly young couple
who started a joint venture, originally dealing with the
design, production and sale of streetwear. This was their online brand, Kazetta,
as in the music tapes of the 1980s. During the pandemic, they came to the
conclusion that they should open a place where you could not only pick up these
clothes, but also browse for them. As Dani has
been working as a barista for many years and has good connections in
this field, when business premises came up on Török utca, they
thought that it could be more of a café, where you could also pick up
clothes ordered online and try some on in the store. But Kazetta is
first and foremost a café and social space, intimate and
familial. More details
14/20
Kern Collective Coffee
With its bohemian atmosphere and
super-quality specialty coffees, the Kern Collective Coffee really fits into
the colourful whirlwind of Király utca. The owners have created a lovely little
meeting place, attracting a diverse, creative crowd. Özlem Demirel, who originally
came to Hungary to do his PhD, his brother Alper, who worked as a chef in Spain,
and his coffee-loving friend, Osman Furkan Aken, are from Turkey, a coffee
superpower, so their expectations are high. Soon other Kerns may open in two
more locations in the city, while quality Turkish breakfasts and delicious spreads are due here soon. More details
15/20
Macarena
The name of the Peruvian chef Franklin Miranda
Yllescas may be one familiar to those in Budapest who love South-American
cuisine, as he opened his first restaurant, Pisco, here last winter. His new
locale, the Macarena, has a slightly different approach, putting the party
into the mix while not skimping on the delicious snacks. The essence of the bar concept is
that every country is represented by a cocktail and a tapas dish. The Macarena décor also
reflects the diversity of South America. The room is
organised around a large bar counter, decorated with an aquarium,
the photos on the walls evoking the various countries in the region. More
details
16/20
Mitico
The once popular nightspot
Mika Tivadar in
the heart of the nightlife quarter has been transformed into a mystical jungle behind
the dark curtains over the windows. In this Rousseau-like forest, you can chill
out over great music and cocktails evoking the culture of native Latin America,
prepared under the professional guidance of Gergely Staszkiv, Hungary’s
champion bartender soon to compete at the World Cup in Cuba. Drinks
are mixed from shrubs grown in-house, the fruit cocktail, cordials and bases, which
you can select with the friendly advice of the bartender. This is best illustrated
by the Añañuca, a vodka-based cocktail is completed by a cordial of own-grown
hibiscus, pineapple and ginger. The pineapple creates a perfect harmony between
the floral notes and the slight spiciness that develops after them, while the
wonderful red colour of the drink evokes the namesake flower, associated with a
romantic Chilean phrase symbolising sincere love and loyalty. To get the party
going, go for an Inti, inspired by the Inca god who, according to legend, banishes
the sun into the ocean every night. More details
17/20
Mixát
Around Krúdy Gyula utca, Lőrinc
pap tér and Mikszáth Kálmán ter beside the Palace Quarter, better bistros, bars
and cafés are opening in rapid succession, 30 years after this was a hub of
alternative nightlife. Mixát, on the site of the former Darshan Udvar, can probably
call itself the area’s flagship, partly due to its size, and partly due to its
all-encompassing range of food and drink. The concept is quite simple, Mixát is
a mix, divided into six parts including the terrace. Mixát Vin serves natural
and draught wines, along with Roman-style pizzas. On the left-hand side, Mixát
Keg is where you find 32 taps of sought-after brews, while Mixát Bár serves
cocktails, above which a roof terrace has been half-opened for this season. It’s
also rented out for private functions. Mixát Stage, meanwhile, is a
200-capacity live venue for jazz, blues and pop. Then there’s the courtyard
itself, where you can sit down for standard classic dishes, with a slight
twist, of course. More details
18/20
Montage
Montage is located in the newly burgeoning
Margit Quarter, on the site of what was the OTP House in the 1960s. This, in
turn, had been built on the ruins of a building destroyed during the war-time Siege
of Budapest. It had been a greengrocer’s and a cinema before becoming a bank.
Now, it’s filled with the noises coming out of the classic La Marzocco machine,
where sought-after Bagira coffee is brewed. Ice cream comes from the popular Fragola
chain, bread and most pastries from the MÁKI bakery nearby, cakes from Solymár,
and you can also choose from cordials by Mayer. As can be seen, the majority of
the products come from Hungarian suppliers, as close to the neighbourhood as
possible. As a sign of this local approach, even the kitchenware comes from the long-standing
Vasedény shop opposite. More details
19/20
Retek
Petra Palásthy and István Pusztai's Hungarian bistro
has been revived at the former Vendégfogadó a Tigrishez on Nádor utca, where
chef József Dógi creates the rural flavours of his grandparents, dressed in a
fresher, more modern garb. It's always difficult to strike a balance between
the modern and the classic of checked tablecloths
and nostalgic flavours, as the end result can be emotionless and sterile,
or quickly slide into stereotypical kitsch. The rich goulash, chicken paprikash with truffle-butter dumplings, and stellar pork meatballs here suit the familial atmosphere, offset by tinges
of retro in a downtown location. More details
20/20
White Raven
It’s not every day that you see the roof
tiles of Matthias Church and the raven statues while sipping a cocktail or
nibbling on a delicious bar snack. The view from the White Raven, newly opened
atop the Hilton Hotel, stretches even further, in fact, to take in the whole of
Margaret Island, the Buda hills and even the National Theatre and millennial
arts complex. The seven signature cocktails created by bar manager Mátyás Barta
are linked in some way to a raven’s tail feathers, and each named after a positive
characteristic. Bátorság (‘Bravery’) fans out as it is presented, revealing beetroot
with its bright colours and, as you sip, gin, white cocoa, blackcurrant,
strawberry , verjus, coconut water and a beetroot-and-coconut foam. More
details
