When it comes to parks it’s never enough, especially when we are talking about the capital city. We always need a place where we can take our sandals off and walk barefoot on the grass, where we can lay down underneath a tree. We also need a sandy shore on the bank of the Danube and of course a refreshing spritzer or a glass of cool lemonade. We can enjoy all these things if we go to Kopaszti gát, which is situated next to the head of Rákóczi Bridge, on the Buda side. These 10 acres of land offer great places, clubs and bars so we checked out a few of them.
2/7
Veranada
A modern, Italian-styled bistro – these words are already enough for us, the place instantly grabbed our attention. We walked in, not just because we were interested but because we wanted to try the dishes they have to offer as well. The weather is lovely so we make our way through the gorgeous terrace which is facing river Danube – no wonder the place is called Veranda. As we turned the pages of the menu we were struggling to choose; the pastas, the pizzas and the salads were all very promising. Buffalo mozzarella is unfortunately not on the menu, but we didn’t have to starve as we were waiting; we had some snack of seasoned bread sticks. Our final choices were Insalata Nizzarda (a dish which is basically a tuna salad with sardines, string beans, boiled eggs, potatoes and olives) and papadralle pasta with penny buns. You should definitely try both – that’s all we have to say, but whatever you choose you won’t be disappointed thanks to the work of the Italian chef and the traditional Italian ingredients.
3/7
Vakvarjú Beach
The lovers of home-made dishes should come and visit the pearl of the 11th district as well. Vakvarjú Beach will give them a warm welcome for sure. There are other restaurants in the city with the same name so it must sound familiar – Buda has one, Pest has one and the owners thought that Kopaszi gát should have its very own Vakvarjú as well. The name – which originally refers to a pizza-like national dish, kenyérlángos – tells a lot about the place. The menu is full of traditional dishes which were given a modern twist. It’s hard to make only one pick, but if you visit them don’t miss the kenyérlángos! A nice piece of kenyélángos, a terrace and the shore – that’s the way we like it!
4/7
Le Bistro
Champagne bar, restaurant and café all rolled into one place which has a great atmosphere. Le Bistro is yet another place that perfectly fits into the local Mediterranean-like environment. The interior offers the mood of a bistro, while outside there is an awning-covered huge terrace. The menu is quite diverse; we can find Italian pasta dishes, fried hake with ‘kovászos uborka’, alongside meatsoup and strawberry crème soup with marzipan. If you are accompanied by your friends this is the place to come to – everyone will find something for their own taste. If you are planning a night out you should also check out Le Bistro, gigs and parties are organized here during the summer season.
5/7
Lampion Bar
“Spritzer terrace, bike bar and everything nice” – these are the things that Lampion has to offer to those who want to chill out a bit according to their slogan. The River Danube, a plage, deckchairs and loads of colourful lanterns. If we see these things we should stop and stay for a while. Just grab a chair, sit with the others and enjoy the soccer games on the screens. However, if you are not suckers for soccer and you’re not into the sight of sweaty men you should arrive a bit later or you should come at weekends when the party-mood and the good music are guaranteed.
Lampion Bar (closed)
Address: 1117, Budapest, 1 Kopaszi Dam
6/7
Öbölház
At first sight, the viewer of Öbölház must think that the wooden and glass building looks really good in such an environment. It looks like it was designed to fit here. The interior won’t disappoint either. The glass walls which run from the floor to the ceiling make us feel like we’re indoors and outdoors at the same time, although we think that the terrace should be chosen, especially during the hot summer days. We can enjoy our coffee in an elegant and modern environment. Öbölház is ideal for bigger groups and it can host crowds with ease as well. Birthdays parties, weddings, conferences can be hosted here; what’s more we could easily arrange our own rock-concert if we want to. The building has a capacity of 800 people so there will be no complaints for not having enough space.
7/7
Fruska Picnic & Bistro
Nice and lovely yet cheeky and promiscuous at the same time. These are the characteristics of a real filly, or fruska as we would say in Hungarian. But how can a place have these characteristic? To get the answers to all your questions you should visit this bistro. The blend of Italian and Hungarian styles and the pleasant, familiar mood is enchanting for sure. It almost seems like that the checked tablecloths are from our own grandmothers, just like the dishes and daily offers (including mélytányéros and fruska roasts). The picnic lovers can enjoy small treats in the green – don’t miss the chance to enjoy great foods outdoors. Try the wieners, the aubergine crème, the ‘debreceni’ sausage or the bruschetta, choose from the different types of breads and salads and don’t miss the raspberries!
