Image by Eszter Szilva

Cukorka means candy in Hungarian and from December it also refers to one of the coolest places in Budapest where you can indulge in sugary delights and the stunning design and idea behind this tiny candy shop. It’s always inspiring to see places like this being born in Budapest.

The vivid red walls almost shocked me when I entered the candy shop but everything gets calmer in the other corner where candies are made on a sterile steel counter in front of bright white tiles. Behind there is a row of transparent bottles with flavor and color materials which made me feel like I came across some secret laboratory. And that’s pretty much the case because all the candies are made here by hand according to less-known, traditional recipes from abroad and from Hungary as well.

You can choose from at least ten-fifteen different tastes of candies and lollipops ranging from cinnamon to piña colada, all made on the spot by the friendly staff. If you have difficulties picking your favorite (which I had, of course), tasting  them at the counter might help you out. Cukorka also organizes “candy shows”, when you can get an idea how these sweet little treats are made.

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Cukorka | Shopping, Snacks | Pack of candies HUF 900
Múzeum körút 7 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 15:00

Image by Eszter Szilva

This is a place which you’d probably never come across accidentally, unless you get lost on your way to the nearby Children’s railway which is a popular spot for relaxing. Located in Hegyvidék district up in the hills of Buda, Moholy-Nagy University of Arts and Design (MOME) is outside the regular path of tourists, but worth a trip, especially if you’re interested in arts and design. Or just want to discover the greener side of Budapest which makes a striking contrast to downtown’s bustle.

The campus is a nice park, which is full of surprises. No wonder, as there are lot of inspiring artists here. You can bump into photos or other art objects randomly displayed. Just as every university buffets, MOME’s canteen (open to the public) is also noisy, people sit by their laptops or chat with each other. The red wooden benches and the industrial design makes this place a bit similar to the popular bars in the Pest side. The food comes in menus, or you can order pizza as well. The walls are full of design related program flyers which might help if you’re up to an exhibition or a party. The place also functions as a café with a nice terrace decorated by colorful graffitis.

The canteen is actually the ground floor of the dorm, a building which reminds me more of a guest house in the mountains than a regular university building. It’s a perfect place to have a break and absorb the laid-back atmosphere.

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MOME Kantin | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Menu from HUF 650
Zugligeti út 9 | Outer Buda
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 22:00

Image by Eszter Szilva

After passing Oktogon and walking down Andrássy street, it’s not so easy to find a nice café. This problem is partly solved by Ecocafé which was opened this year on Budapest’s famous avenue. The name is telling, you’ve guessed it, the café offers organic and fair trade coffee plus healthy home-baked snacks. Budapest’s slowly discovering the power of organic…

Biking home from Városliget park, I came across this spot randomly as the little terrace with flowers caught my attention. Stepping inside, I was impressed by the large, bright and modern space. Although everything is new and look somewhat sterile (especially if I compare it to my favorite places in Budapest), the kind waiters, the peaceful music and the calming combination of white, green and brown colors always make me feel relaxed. The place is mostly full of foreign students studying in Budapest, or tourists and locals heading to Városliget for a relaxing stroll.

The coffee is excellent, a blend of Guatemalan, Brazilian and Ethiopian beans. Cappuccino goes well with some cakes for baguettes, all of them made here. Those on the healthy side can choose wheat grass juice, or ask for soy milk with the coffee.

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Ecocafé | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Espresso HUF 330
Andrássy út 68 | Outer Pest
Mon – Fri 07:30 – 20:00, Sat – Sun 08:00 – 20:00

Image by Eszter Szilva

El Rapido has introduced a pretty unusual combination to the bar scene of the seventh district. It’s a taco buffet and a deli upstairs, plus a flea market bar in the cellar where everything you see is on sale.

Located in the busy Kazinczy street, El Rapido offers cheap and fast tacos and other Mexican-like fast food. The target group is clear: mainly those who arrive late in the evening from the neighborhood’s clubs and bars. As El Rapido is a deli as well, the shelves are packed with international food such as curry sauces, exotic spices and Mexican beers. 

While the small buffet is mostly crowded with people waiting for their snacks, downstairs you’ll enter a much more tranquil place. The smoky cellar bar is full of old tables, chairs and seemingly useless but funny retro gadgets, books and other bric-a-bracs. It feels a bit like sitting in a storage. That sort of a storage where you can choose from forty different types of Mexican tequilas… The slogan is the following: you can buy anything here. So if you feel that your chair is perfectly comfy, you just have to bargain a nice price and be happy with your Budapest souvenir.

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El Rapido | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Taco al pastor HUF 600
Budapest, 1075, Kazinczy utca 10. | Central Pest | +36302792861
Mon – Tue 11:30 – 02:00, Wed – Fri 11:30 – 03:00, Sat 12:00 – 04:00, Sun 17:00 – 02:00

Image by Szilva Eszter

Facades of classic cinemas with their black letters and neon commercials always impress me. The entrance of Szikra Cool Tour House opposite Nyugati station is one of these spots. The name of this complex institution is a Hunglish word pun: kultúrház (yes, to be pronounced Cool Tour House) means cultural center especially since the early socialist era where different events were organized from official celebrations to concerts of local choirs. Szikra’s programs are just as diverse.

Built in the 1920s, Szikra functioned as a cinema until the end of the 1990s. Its main sensation is the roof of its theatre room which can be opened and closed thanks to a clever machinery. When I was there last time at a Pecha Kucha night, the audience gathering to listen to designers and architects was just as amazed by discovering the starry night above their heads as cinema goers of the 1920s could have been. There’s something magical about sitting in a traditional theatre and watching the sky framed by golden stuccos.

Szikra admittedly goes against Budapest’s famous ruin bar trend by evoking a cabaret milieu. The ornate and shiny decors and the posh bar go perfectly with the atmosphere of the theatre. The program ranges from mainstream to alternative, from jazz concerts to independent theatre performances or DJ sets. The building houses a bar and bistro which you can reach from the street from as early as 8 o’clock in the morning. The snacks and drinks keep you sated until the show begins.

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Szikra | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Music, Snacks, Theaters | Espresso HUF 250
Budapest, 1066, Teréz krt. 62. | Central Pest | +3619110911
Sun – Tue 10:00 – 02:00, Wed – Thu 10:00 – 04:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 06:00