Central Pest Budapest – All our local tips

O.K., I admit it. I adore carpets. I go to carpet shops like other people go to museums to enjoy art. In fact, carpets are art, and Aga’s has magnificent items on offer. This shop is truly a joy to visit, I usually have trouble leaving. There are 300 square meters of carpets, kilims and tribal rugs (including antique carpets) from the Orient to enjoy. With a selection from Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, India and the Caucasus, it doesn’t get any better than this!

Aga’s is associated with a Tadzik family, who have been making and selling carpets for more than 300 years, and is the company’s European base. Because the Tadzik family has strong connections with Asian nomadic communities, Aga’s buys straight from the weavers, whose families benefit directly from their “fair trade” policy.

At Aga’s there really is something for everyone- from the finest pure silk Persian carpets that cost thousands, and which I dream about, to gorgeous cushion covers and tapestries at very reasonable prices, that I can’t resist.

The staff at Aga’s are wonderful- they are not only very knowledgeable about their carpets, they are also extremely kind and can offer customers good advice.

See here for more photos of Aga’s carpet shop.

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Aga’s Carpet Shop | Shopping
Hajós utca 1 | Central Pest | +3613413229
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00

The name is playful, it’s the first row of a children’s rhyme. Less childish is the character of the place: the restaurant, the cafe and the basement parties attract guests over 25 according to my experience.

A weekday afternoon can be pretty deserted, ideal for a chill-out lunch in the sun under the glass roof of the winter garden, I’d suggest the daily menu. When the place fills up, the evening gets buzzing and the basements opens its doors to the party seekers by the time you’ve had your seventh after-lunch beer. Don’t forget, a responsible afternoon drinker consumes non-alcoholic beverages and takes some snacks too. Everything at your disposal, this is the ideal half-day program. And it started as a simple lunch!

Free wifi is available for those “I have to show you this video on Youtube” moments, you know what I’m talking about. Neo-nomads are also welcome. Literature and music lovers will enjoy the discussions and live concerts.

I’ve no idea if it has any purpose but the 50-meter-high chimney in the backyard is very cool especially here in the heart of the VIII. district. It’ll watch every step you take.

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Apacuka | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants | Soproni beer HUF 420
Horánszky utca 5 | Central Pest | +36209382677
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 17:00 – 02:00

Arioso is a coffee-, furniture- and flowershop very close to Deák Ferenc Square. It’s a small, friendly place where you can sit down in the middle of the day for a tea and a hot sandwich, or maybe a salad, and have some peace away from the rush of the street. Besides the street front area, Arioso also has an even mellower garden in the back, open whenever the weather is nice.

They also have furniture and other home decoration elements like candelabras for sale, and if you walk a few meters down the street, you’ll find the Arioso flower shop (which is where the photo was taken) with a wide selection of really elegant potted and vase plants, bouquets and the like.

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Arioso | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Tea HUF 350
VII. Király utca 9 | Central Pest | +3612663555
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

Arriba is a recently opened Mexican fast food restaurant which has rapidly become popular, especially with the yuppie crowd (as far as I observed) and American expats craving for their Tex-Mex fix. The food is very nice – maybe not up to what you’d get in Mexico or some parts of the U.S. (I wouldn’t really know), but certainly the best I or my American friends have ever had in Budapest.

The place operates on the same “pick your own components” system as, say, Subway: you choose the base for you taco or burrito, the type of meat, and hand pick from a selection of various sauces, spices and veggies. The food is accompanied by a very nice selection of drinks, including Horchata (rice milk with cinnamon), Margarita, and various Mexican beers you can only get in maybe two or three places in Budapest.

While Taquerias are traditionally takeaways, Arriba also has plenty of seating on two levels. It’s a delightful place to sit down for you meal, with warm, colourful tables and adorable „faux kitsch” murals that really add to the upbeat vibe. Just be aware that the place can get quite crowded, and you might have no option but to take away your order and eat it elsewhere. Personally, I’ve had good luck so far late in the evening and just after lunchtime.

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Arriba Taqueria | Restaurants (Mexican) | Burrito HUF 1100
VI. Teréz körút 25 | Central Pest | +3613740057
Sun – Thu 11:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00

The pedestrian street in district IX, Raday utca, has been a great place to hang out for years- it’s full of cafes, bars, restaurants and galleries. Artizan is a small family owned shop that sells FUN and vibrant works of art at honest prices. And when I say ‘works of art’, I mean really creative AND useful things. There are prints both framed and unframed (more on that later), notebooks of all sizes, bags, earrings, postcards, fridge magnets, rings, foldable reusable tote bags. This is another Budapest shop that is perfect for gifts, though I have a hard time giving most of my purchases away in the end…

Marcus Goldston (the owner) paints Budapest life in such real and human ways onto “giclee prints” (this is high quality stuff: images are made from high resolution digital scans and then they are printed with archival quality inks onto various media like canvas and photo-base paper and are said to last at least 100 years). Mr. Goldston definitely has a sense of humor, and there are incredibly real Budapest street life scenes- the pubs, the butcher, the people and how they live in this city.

See here for more photo

s of the Budapest shop and here to learn more about everything to do with Artizan. You’ll find there’s also a web shop if you become a fan of the Goldston style…

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Artizan | Art & culture, Shopping
Raday utca 20 | Central Pest | +3612665672
Winter Mon – Sat 11:00 – 18:00 | Summer (from Apri) Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Bangla Büfé is a tiny Bangladeshi buffet / restaurant that offers great value for you money. It’s a rather special place, since this cuisine is hardly represented in Budapest at all – at least I couldn’t name another venue, that’s for sure. It’s perhaps very Budapest-like, then, that the (probably) single Bangladeshi place is not some large, swanky restaurant, but rather a tiny, tiled, one-roof affair with only a small handful of tables and an old gas stove in the kitchen.

The menu is rather small – one single page -, but I warmly recommend every single item on it. The food is fresh, always very tasty, and just the right amount: you can have your fill, but you won’t end up overly satiated. For those unfamiliar with Bangladeshi cuisine, there are large photographs of every dish.

There are two notes I must add. One, Bangla Büfé also functions as a takeaway. Two, the cuisine is all Halal – following Islamic law. This is very lucky for you if you happen to be Muslim, but a tiny bit inconvenient for those who like their curry or biryani with beer, as Halal and alcohol do not mix. Still, such a tiny sacrifice is more than worth it at Bangla.

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Bangla Büfé | Restaurants (Bangladeshi) | Main dishes HUF 1000
VII. Akácfa utca 40 | Central Pest | +3612663674
Sat – Thu 12:00 – 23:00, Fri 14:30 – 23:00

Bestsellers is an international bookshop in downtown Pest, not far from St. Stephen’s Basilica that I’ve been going to for years. It was the first English language bookshop in Budapest.

It’s not too small but not too big either. It has a good selection of English and French books all the way from fiction to business, history and art, travel or children’s books and of course books on Hungary. Some German and Spanish books can be found as well.

Those staying in Budapest longer can also place book orders through Bestsellers. They might be able to order out of print books as well. They don’t do home delivery, you’ll have to go to the shop to pick it up. Besides books they also offer a selection of international magazines and newspapers as well as some greeting cards in English.

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Bestsellers | Shopping
Október 6. utca 11. | Central Pest | +3613121295
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 10:00 – 16:00

If you regularly eat or use organic products but forgot to bring them to Budapest- or you just need something healthy after all the meat and potatoes, never fear, the Bio ABC comes to the rescue! Hidden under ugly green scaffolding for ages now (with no apparent progress on the work), this shop has an impressive stock of anything organic you might need- and a few things you didn’t know you needed- like algae?!

Seriously, from cereals to whole wheat and yeast free pastries, from nuts and seeds to tofu and miso, from cold cuts and milk made from soy to vitamins, from organic fruits and vegetables to lactose and gluten free products, it is all here. The Bio ABC also stocks a nice selection of organic cosmetics, essential oils and a vast variety of teas. This is the only place in the city that I have found coconut water, which I love, and which is excellent for rehydration after flying on planes. Some of the staff speak English, but all make an effort to help you find what you’re looking for.

The Bio ABC also has a great fresh juice bar next door that is open from Monday to Friday, 10:00 – 17:00 where you can get any kind of fresh juice, or a combination of juices.

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Bio ABC | Shopping, Snacks
Múzeum körút 19 | Central Pest | +3613173043
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat: 10:00 – 14:00

You’re walking on Kazinczy street (where Szimpla (check the Szimpla article) and Kőleves (check the Kőleves article) can be found too) and the colour strikes you: lighting pink and blushing green. Hard to resist the temptation so you enter the bar which you thought was a candy shop judging by the colour.

A welcoming and warm interior, comfortable couches await you and two rabbits appear frequently in different situations as part of the design. Many of you from the region surely remember Bob and Bobek from the Czech cartoon series. They started their day every time with some gymnastics after jumping out of the hat. Czech cartoons were frequent guests on Hungarian television in my childhood.

In such a cheerful place there’s only one thing you can do – smile. And then come food and drinks, daily menu or a la carte.

Bobek has a garden in the backyard, prepared for the cold days with roof, walls and heating. Don’t panic if there’s no place in the pink-green oasis at the front, just boldly walk by the bar and grab your chance outdoors. Still no place to sit? Come on, then grab a drink, think of the rabbits and keep smiling.

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Bobek | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants | Ciabatta HUF from 730
Kazinczy utca 53 | Central Pest | +3613220729
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri 10:00 – 02:00, Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 11:00 – 23:00

I would say that these days it is something special to find a shop that sells quality merchandise that is hand made- in Hungary. Bognár Kesztyu (Gloves) is that something special. With a small shop in central Pest near Astoria, Bognár has a beautiful selection of hand-sewn women’s and men’s gloves at honest prices that come straight from the factory in Pécs in southern Hungary.

Many of the gloves are made from super soft napa leather and are a joy to wear- I can testify to that! Bognár also uses sheep skin, stag and goat skin for special models. The quality leather products are imported from many parts of the world and then sewn in Hungary.

In addition to traditional leather gloves, Bognár makes specialty leather gloves for driving and horseback riding- both popular sports in Hungary…In most styles there is also a choice of lined (with silk, wool or acrylic) or unlined gloves, and there is a great choice of colors- no need to go for the same old black and brown- how about a pair of bright red or lime green gloves?

The staff at Bognár are very helpful, they definitely know their gloves and are happy to give advice!

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Bognár Gloves | Shopping
Károly körút 4 | Central Pest | +3614830820
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat: 10:00 – 14:00

Don’t let the bright green shutters outside scare you away- Borfalu Borteka is a great find for any wine lover.

Staffed by young wine lovers who are always ready to give advice, you will probably leave with more than one bottle. When they have something special or new, there is always a chance to taste before you buy.

The selection of wines is impressive. Every wine producing region in Hungary is represented, and the prices are honest. I live in this district VI neighborhood, and this shop feels really local and friendly.

The décor here is funky- there is wine displayed in an old suitcase, there is wine displayed on beautiful logs, and the Borfalu Borteka also sells some cool flattened out wine bottles that can be hung on the wall.

In addition to the wines and the palinkas (the traditional Hungarian white spirit distilled from a wide variety of fruits), there is a lovely selection of natural foodstuffs from various parts of the country: honey, dried organic herbs, dried mushrooms. They’ve recently added chocolate shavings to make hot chocolate with. Yum.

This place is perfect for gifts- they sell nice bags for wine and some great sepia tinted old photos of Hungary in the good old days…

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Borfalu Borteka | Shopping | Free
Szondi utca 64-66 | Central Pest | +36302702918
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Csiga is a friendly, cozy café and restaurant with really nice cuisine, rather popular with local expats. A very nice place; not too big, but it always has a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, and is a good place to visit with a not-too-large group of friends.

I can’t say I’ve tried everything on the menu, but what I’ve tasted so far has always been fine. If you’re going to stay in Budapest for a while, it’s worth checking back, as part of the menu – the one on the blackboard on the wall – sometimes changes.

They also have wi-fi, if you need it.

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Café Csiga | Bars, Restaurants (Various) | Main dishes HUF 1800
VIII. Vásár utca 2 | Central Pest | +3612100885
11:00 – 01:00 daily

People come and go, some meet friends, others check the news, some wait for the theatre show in the nearby Vígszínház to start. That’s Café Európa (Európa Kávéház), a good place to stop and recharge yourself after strolling the neighbouring Falk Miksa street (see this article) in the antiques treasure hunt.

It’s a bustling place where you’ll see young and old alike, people picking up the coffee just before work, actors or local politicians during their breaks (Parliament is not far away) or kids being glued to the counter with cake display.

Café Európa is a spacious coffeehouse on two floors with the atmosphere of a traditional Budapest café. They offer a good selection of various Hungarian desserts (try their Európa chestnut cake), you can try some cheese or potato “pogácsa” (something like scones) and if you are there for a light breakfast or lunch they have sandwiches, salads and omelettes.

They have a pastry shop next to the café where you can buy all their goodies to take away and it will cost you about 30% less. No credit cards, though. For more check a short movie (in Hungarian) and see how they make their “sajt torta” (cheese cake).

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Café Európa | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Cake HUF 390.00
Szent István körút 7-9. | Central Pest | +3613122362
Nov – Apr 09:00 – 22:00 daily, May – Oct 09:00 – 23:00 daily

Centrál is a very elegant, very old style coffee house and restaurant, kind of on the expensive side, but worth a look if you want to know what Pest was like a hundred years ago.

Thanks to Hungary’s proximity and, let’s say, historical contact with Turkey, coffee culture has always been pretty big around here, but probably never so much so as in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Coffee houses were meeting points of the intellectual elite, and the regular haunts of artists and journalists, some of who actually lived in coffee houses. Centrál Kávéház already existed back then, and even though it fulfilled other functions during the communist era, the new management is reaching back to the golden age for inspiration, and as far as looks go, they’re doing a good job.

The place looks exactly as it must have looked back then, and the selection of freely readable newspapers by the entrance is also a fitting and kind touch – even though it seems to me as if the selection of papers had narrowed in the last few years.

The place is divided into a restaurant area, and a coffee house which is more appropriate for sitting down for a bit of a rest while sipping some tea or coffee. As for the food, it’s always been good when I tried it, but a bit pricey. However, if you want to sit down somewhere in the middle of the day to chat and look at passersby, Centrál has the perfect ambience for that – and a few teas or coffees won’t break the bank.

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Centrál Kávéház | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (European) | Main from HUF 1300
V. Károlyi Mihály utca 9 | Central Pest | +3612662110
07:00 – 00:00 daily

Corvinteto (”Corvin roof”) is a club and bar with an open-air area located inside and atop Corvin Department Store, an ugly, grey, communist-era building at Blaha Lujza metro station.

Finding the place is a bit tricky, which lends it a sort of “hidden treasure” charm: you have to walk into a side street and look for a cargo elevator at the end of a short passageway, inside a fast food buffet with the sign “Corvin Kifozde”. You’ll then have to wait for the elevator to come down for you – it keeps going up and down every few minutes -, and you’ll be taken to the top floor (or you can take the stairs from the street, but that’s much less fun). As a very friendly touch, really thirsty or impatient partygoers can buy some drinks from the friendly elevator attendant’s icebox during the ascent.

Once in the club proper, you can buy some drinks, sit down at a table for a chat, or take to the dance floor. However, if you’re there during the summer and want to see what’s really cool about Corvinteto, you should look for some stairs leading up to the building’s spacious, flat rooftop, which has its own bar, plenty of seating, and much easier conversation without the loud dance music that plays sometimes. On a calm, warm evening you can really chill out here and chat away with a cool urban backdrop surrounding you – and if you get restless, the dance floor is right below.

Do note that the rooftop closes for the winter; no exact closing or opening date, it depends on the weather.

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Corvinteto | Bars, Music | Beer HUF 500
VIII. Blaha Lujza tér 1-2 | Central Pest | +36207722984
Mon – Sat 18:00 – 05:00

Stuff, lots of stuff. On the walls, on the lamps, on the doors. This is the first thing you notice and the collection of Babos Zsili Bertalan grabs your attention for at least a half an hour. Funny reinventions of Barbie dolls, toys, signs, a bike or a lifebuoy stare at you all over the place. Even the menu is a bit special, blackboards are used in many bars but this one is simply enormous. Click for photos.

They have a wise choice of location: off Múzeum körút, just 50 meters away from one of the biggest university campuses in Budapest – the place is packed day and night. The chaos on the walls, the eclectic variety of furniture create a mellow atmosphere but Csendes is not really quiet as the name would suggest. Live music and live acts entertain the guests who, according to the owners’ plans can easily get to know each other and spend quality time together in the ‘living space’ as the place defines itself.

The days of the week are scheduled for various programs: Mondays for films and photos, Tuesdays for old Hungarian music, Wednesdays live music, Thursdays dj-s vs. instruments, Fridays Balkan music, Saturdays apéro i.e. warm-up with aperitifs for the night and finally Sundays literature or theatre.

Relax a bit in Károlyi Kert around the corner before coming inside to join the company.

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Csendes Létterem | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Soproni beer HUF 380
Ferenczy István utca 5 | Central Pest | +36307588935
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat 10:00 – 00:00, Sun 14:00 – 00:00

Antique shops and galleries of all size and content with treasures of various styles and age (and price tag) – paintings, furniture, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and glass, folk art… all that is the world of Falk Miksa street and its surroundings.

There are more than 50 shops and galleries in the street itself or in the neighbouring streets that will take you to another world, regardless whether you are a serious collector, just window shopping or looking for that little something to take home.

Twice a year there is an open air event taking place in the street, a Falk Art Forum – an antique and contemporary art festival. Galleries and the street itself open their doors to concerts and different programs.

Elite design on No. 14 and Antik Zsolnay on No. 28 offer some art nouveau Zsolnay ceramics and some designed by János Török and other Hungarian designers for Zsolnay in the 1960s and 70s. In Montparnasse on No. 17 you can check some great art deco furniture, in Wladis Gallery on No. 13 contemporary silver jewellery, in Anna Antikvitás on No. 18 the antique embroidery, in Virág Judit Galéria on No. 30 the Hungarian paintings of the 19th and 20th century… Just have a walk and see where it leads you.

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Falk Miksa street | Art & culture, Shopping
Falk Miksa u. | Central Pest
Generally Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 (14:00)

Maybe this place looks a bit to luxurious at first, but it is one of the few restaurants in Budapest where you can always find the same quality, the waiters are fluent in English and really helpful and it is located on a really nice square bit hidden from the main attractions but just a short walk from Deák ter.

The design is just as simple but satisfying as the dishes. The big mirror on the wall just opposite as you enter the restaurant is part of the magic.

It is really important not to miss the special bread filled with olives. It is freshly made there and you can even choose different flavors if you do not like olives. Be aware of the special breakfast offers they have sometimes, it is often changing so visit their website or just simply ask the waiters for any info.

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Gerlóczy Étterem | Restaurants (intern.) | Meal from HUF 1350
Gerlóczy utca 1. | Central Pest
07:00 – 23:00 daily

Ok this place has quite a strange name as you heard. I guess it even sounds quite strange in Hungarian.

What is important is the fact that this is the heart of the city. Here you can really meet all or almost all of the younger Hungarians. It is just next to the underground junction where the three lines are crossing each other. It is really downtown so if you want you can visit it after a long afternoon walk on the beaten path between the Parliament and the Dohany utca Main Synagogue.

Most of their programs are for free so you do not have to bother yourself with thinking about high entry prices, but the drinks (even the soft ones) are really expensive. That is the reason why many people decide to stay at the top of the place next to the lake and just drink the bottle of wine or can of beer they just bought at the nearby supermarket. On Friday and the week

end days be prepared that the place will be crowded.

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Gödör | Art & culture, Bars, Music
Erzsébet tér | Central Pest
10:00 – 06:00 daily

Walking down Arany János utca toward the Danube, something bright and cheerful catches my eye. In a central Pest neighborhood with mostly offices, drab shops and a few restaurants, the Gogoo kids shop draws me in.

After a tour around this sparkling, bright and fun clothing and accessory shop, my first thought is: why is this just for kids??! Not fair. Gogoo has a very cool, modern selection of quality kid’s clothing, from infant wear, up to twelve years old.

Whether you have kids, or need a gift for a kid, this place is a real find. With an excellent selection from Katvig, a Danish organic cotton children’s clothing company, there is no shortage of super fun kid stuff- I couldn’t resist a pair of bright pink and white boldly striped boxers for my son, and the selection for the girls is adorable- lots of bright and bold clothes that keeps kids looking like kids rather than mini adults as too many kids’ fashions seem to aspire to these days…

There is a great collection from ‘no added sugar’, the creatively designed, with fun in mind, quality kid’s clothing brand from the U.K. with the bunny and cross bones logo. Gogoo stocks an excellent selection of creative toys for all ages- the kind of things that kids play with for years.

The staff is very friendly and helpful, a special pleasure on the Budapest shopping scene. This stuff is not cheap (it’s worth checking out the sales if you stop in at the right time), but it also won’t fall apart. And it keeps the kids looking fantastic and having fun- as they should!

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Gogoo Kids | Shopping | Free
Arany János utca 7 | Central Pest | +36704226975
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 16:00

If you take a look at the homepage of the OSA Archives, you will find the descriptions of various collections and ongoing exhibitions. From the organizing of the Verzio Human Rights Film Festival to the film club of the Budapest Gay Pride the OSA is engaged with various civil activities.

The house belonged to the Goldberger family and finally got to its present shape in 1909. The family owned a textile-factory in Óbuda. They wanted to have a representative central office downtown. After different turning points in history (German invasion, the Holocaust after that the socialist nationalization of the whole company) when the building was even empty for years the Archive chose it to be its center building.

Luckily it has a cafeteria as well, but it became a spot of the foreign professors and tourists much more than locals. In case you are still interested give them a try. The sandwiches are definitely not the main attractions of the house, rather check out the temporary exhibitions.

If you stay for a longer term in Hungary, apply for a researcher card which is absolutely free and a helpful English speaking staff can guide you through the visual and written materials of Hungarian history.

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Goldberger OSA Archives | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events | Free
Arany János utca 32. | Central Pest | +3613273250
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 17:45

As all of the vegetarians can tell you it is not so easy to find a good vegetarian restaurant in Budapest at a moderate price. Govinda gives you this chance in the heart of the city.

You can choose from different menus everyday or you can just try separate dishes. All of them are moderately priced. For the people who are not only interested in food for their body but interested in food for their soul there are several different kind of programmes organised by the staff who are members of the IKSCON which is easy to identify from the saris and the dhotis they are wearing.

This religious movement was really popular especially in the ’90s in Hungary, but now if you ask anybody about them for sure they will mention their “Food for life program” which gives food for free every week on various spots of the city and they will also mention Govinda because thanks to its central location it is a “place to go” for students are managers of the nearby offices around 12:00.

Be aware that when you are entering the restaurant you have to go down on the stairs and you can easily hit your head, especially if you are really hungry and want to go down as fast as possible.

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Govinda | Restaurants (Vegetarian) | Student menu HUF 760
Vigyázó Ferenc utca 4 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 21:00

Hold means Moon, so it is already worth visiting. But not a lot of people are aware of the fact that there is a market quite hidden from the tourists’ eyes here.

You can find the delicious goods of the countryside (milk, cheese not the superficial ones in the stores) and fresh vegetables and fruits. It is also possible to have a dinner here if you like traditional Hungarian cuisine with a lot of fat.

Do not forget to open your eyes to the beauty of the building it has the exactly same style as the “Nyugati palyaudvar” (Western Railway Station) just in green. Some of the tourists are even posing the question if it is a railway station as well, but the size of it can guide you to the right answer.

The milk and cheese seller at the back on the left (if you enter from Hold utca) is really nice. They always have fresh yoghurt in different flavours.

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Hold utca | Art & culture, Shopping
Hold utca 13 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

There is a very special little gallery in the Pest’s 5th district, in a quiet Vitkovics street, by the name of atelier Holló. You will find it in the beautiful neoclassical house from app. 1800 with a “Zopf” style front, typical only for central Europe. Not many of those are left in Budapest and this may as well be the last one.

Studio has a lovely shop selling hand painted and hand carved wooden furniture and other crafts. Everywhere you look you will see colourful flowers and birds covering the chairs, hope chests, jewellery boxes, candle-holders, mirrors and other decoration. The lively motives have their roots in the rich Hungarian folk art and yet they are unlike any other.

László Holló is the owner and craftsman behind the studio that builds on the rich family tradition dating back to 1929. Feel free to ask him anything, he is fun to talk to. He can also customise any of the products for you. The place is my favourite for buying presents or just stopping by to see what’s there and enjoy the atmosphere.

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Holló Műhely | Art & culture, Shopping
Vitkovics Mihály u. 12. | Central Pest | +3612669410
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00 & 13:30 – 14:00

The Honved ter is one of the most well organized, safe, clean parks of the city. I think it is one of the spots I can recommend for anybody staying in the city for kids. It is a small, really family friendly park with a lot of opportunities to play. Several playgrounds, basketball and football grounds and always freshly planted flowers during summertime.

It is also a bit strictly regulated place. You can not bring any pets inside, nor sit on the grass but except these you can do whatever you want. Kids from the area are just as welcome as anybody from elsewhere. Mothers are often chatting about how to feed the baby, or which elementary school you should pick if you want to settle down in the V. district.

The area, a former place of diplomats and people of the bank business, is much more lively nowadays. But if you are lucky and going there during spring time, you can even catch some politicians in suit and tie.

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Honved ter | Relaxing
Honvéd tér | Central Pest
Daily

Gang is a German loanword in Hungarian meaning the open corridor that can be found in most of the houses in downtown Budapest. The typical „gang house” was built from the second half of the 19th century to the 1920s-30s and originally served as an apartment building with big flats.

Communist times turned the few big apartments into several smaller ones sometimes resulting in flats without toilets. So people had to visit the common WC at the end of the corridor. These times are (almost) over, what’s left are the flats with their entrance door opening to the inner courtyards.

Some communities care more about these interesting yards, they have removed the clinkers to reveal the soil and plant flowers, lay it down with grass, even create a little kitchen-garden for the residents. But even if the tenants neglect the state of the premises, there is a type of tree that grows tall even in the crack of the wall and could be the symbol of urban survival: sumac.

Walk around in downtown, even further to the outskirts and carefully walk in if you see an open door. I promise, you’ll find real gems inside.

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Inner courtyards | Art & culture | Free
Central Pest | Central Pest
24/7

Gotta get away, even if you just ‘got away’ for a few days? Isis Day Spa is the place you’re looking for.

I love the feeling of entering from the heavily trafficked Ulloi ut and finding an oasis in the city center. The atmosphere is about chilling out here, it is peaceful- and quiet. There are services for men and women (and couples!). Be sure to book ahead of time, weekends are especially busy.

Between treatments I like to hang out in the bathrobe they provide in a lounge area, drinking tea and eating fruit until it’s time for the next treatment. Or they have a great sauna and steam bath, all included in the price of the treatments.

Isis provides all kinds of massages and treatments- anything from Swedish massage to aromatherapy massage, from peelings to mud wraps, using natural materials from Hungary’s thermal springs. I like Isis’ ‘Miracles’. There is the ‘Escape’, which includes a 45 minute massage, a special relaxing or invigorating bath and a manicure.

Since you’re in Hungary, perhaps the ‘Hungarian Temperament’ treatment is the way to go- it’s 120 minutes and includes a bath in Tokay wine, a wine wrap and a Tokay grape seed oil massage…

All beauty services such as waxing and facials are also available. Prices at Isis are reason

able- a 60 minute massage of many types runs 9,000 HUF, and a basic manicure is 3,500 HUF.

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Isis Day Spa | Relaxing | Massage (60 min) HUF 9000
Ülloi út 14 | Central Pest | +3612667788
10:00 – 22:00 daily

The former Corvin Áruház hosts two spots at once: Jelen [present] on the ground floor and Corvintető on the top floor. This duality lets you combine alcohol and concerts, starting on the ground floor and going high or beginning at the top and slowly sinking down to the very bottom. It’s close to a major traffic conjunction still in a small street, a cozy and spacey pub at the same time with three rooms, check the photos.

I’ve been wondering why the concert room of Jelen is smaller than the actual pub area. The more the merrier? Indeed. All of my concert memories tell about a heavy crowd although there might have been only 50 people. Nice trick! However, they never charged me for a concert. Regarding the musical profile, I’d tick the ‘jazz’ and ‘world music’ boxes on the query.

It’s an excellent stop on your downtown bar hopping tour, easy to reach and within a block you’ll have several other places to visit. Due to the late closing time there is no hurry, just make sure you find your way back home.

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Jelen | Bars, Music | Kozel beer HUF 450
Blaha Lujza tér 1-2 | Central Pest | +36203443155
Mon – Tue 11:00 – 02:00, Wed – Fri 11:00 – 16:00, Sat 16:00 – 04:00, Sun 16:00 – 02:00

Kádár is one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest. Mr Kadar himself provided the best home made dishes for even the elite in the 50s-60s and the style of the place just remained as it looked like in those times.

This is one of the few places where you can still get the plastic bottled soda and you pay by how many glasses you drank which gives a special twist for the whole dinner. Do not expect a lot of vegetarian dishes, most of the things are based on the traditional rich in fat Hungarian cuisine.

On Saturday the place is quite full because that is the only day when you can get the famous sólet (Eastern European Jewish dish with meat and beans).

The walls are full with pictures of famous Hungarians who are stating that Mr. Kadar’s dishes are best in town. Give them a try, I guess you will be satisfied.

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Kádár Restaurant | Restaurants (Traditional Hungarian)
Klauzál tér 9. | Central Pest
Tue – Sat 11:30 – 15:30

There is a secret garden in the heart of Budapest that even most of the natives don’t know about. A real pearl of green and calm, ingeniously hidden from all the rush and heat of a city centre. Once you pass the wrought iron gate you will find yourself in another world and another time.

It is perfect for some relaxation while you’re exploring the neighbourhood. For me finding the little garden was like love on first sight. Now every time I visit I happily imagine living in one of those flats with balconies overlooking the green. Even when it’s full with people it seems calm and relaxing.

The garden is one of the oldest gardens in Pest and for long a private palace garden, it was open to the public in 1919. You’ll find it behind the Károlyi Palace (V. district, Károlyi Mihály utca 16.), a beauty by itself, bordered by Ferenczy, Magyar and Henszlmann streets. Ferenciek tere and Váci utca are nearby as well as the Múzeum körút with National Museum and Astoria Hotel. Károlyi Palace hosts the Petöfi Literature Museum, exhibitions and events. Every summer they also tend to organise an open air festival.

See more photos by András here.

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Károlyi Gardens | Relaxing | Free
Károlyi Kert | Central Pest
Open daily

Klassz in Hungarian means something cool or very good. And that could as well be said about Klassz Bistro and Wine Bar, a little, stylish place in Andrássy street, near the Opera. Relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and very affordable price make it a winning combination. Since its opening in 2007 the place has become a fashionable place to go and was also featured in the Hungarian Restaurant and Food Guide 2008 as one of the 10 best restaurants in Hungary.

The place is bright and cozy, the service very friendly, people are coming and going while some jazz music plays in the background. I love to come for lunch or in the afternoon for a short break, sit and observe the beautiful Andrássy street and people passing by.

The place was designed by Theycom Studio and it can win you over with its subtle style and comfortable simplicity. Shortly, it’s a place where you can just simply feel good and of course eat and drink well.

The wine is provided by the Budapest Wine Society and you can choose among some 50 different sorts. You can also buy the wine at the bar (made of piled wine boxes).

The menu changes every week and you will always find interesting creations of international and Hungarian cuisine. Reservations are not accepted, so you will just have to walk by and try your luck. It does get very busy though, especially in the evenings.

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Klassz | Bars, Restaurants (Hungarian) | Main HUF 2000
Andrássy u. 41 | Central Pest
Mon – Sat 11:30 – 23:00, Sun 11:30 – 18:00

Narrow steps lead to the basement of an old house in Kertész street. Bricks and painted surfaces vary on the walls of this small bar. Somewhat enlarged lately but still small. Watch out, if you see pink lights and dancing girls, you’re on the opposite side of the street in the peep show basement. Vittula has some kind of artsy punk feel and I can imagine that in the back catacombs reach under the blocks to the edge of the city.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights alternately entertain with concerts and parties, other nights are for hanging out with drinks. Not Sundays though, that’s for resting. The connecting gallery, Contemporary Art Space presents, guess what, contemporary art, which means funny or confusing stuff worth to see.

Opening times are somewhat chaotic, Vittula might open at 18:00 or not, more importantly they stay open till the break of down, that’s the reason behind most of my visits this far.

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Klub Vittula | Bars, Music | Beer HUF 320
Kertész utca 4 | Central Pest
Mon – Sat from 18:00

Hungarians like food. They also like tales of food. Kőleves or StoneSoup Restobar takes its name after an old folk tale that explains the art of making a soup out of a bare stone. The place is as interesting as its name with a playful and imaginative decor that, as the story of the stone soup, creates something from nothing (lamps out of cheese graters, for example…). It is located in the middle of the 7th district, the historical Jewish quarter where every house could tell a story.

As far as the food goes some of my favourite are Matzo Flodni (Jewish Matzo cake layered with walnuts, apple and poppy seeds), Sólet (Jewish baked beans with smoked goose meat and boiled egg) on Fridays and Saturdays, Túrógombóc (cottage cheese dumplings with sour cream, honey and cinnamon) or simply cold fruit soup. You can get daily menu for 900 HUF. Locals of all ages love to either just drop by and pretend to work hard on their laptops or meet friends or watch the weary explorers of Budapest finding their way to the bar as well.

The place gets to be busy in the evenings so it might be a good idea to make a reservation. Every Tuesday at 21:00 there is a Jazz concert (entrance fee 900 HUF) and you can check their website for more info on the events. Once you are there check the walls as well, local artists regularly exhibit there.

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Kőleves | Art & culture, Bars, Festivals & events, Restaurants (Jewish) | Main from HUF 1500
Kazinczy u. 35 | Central Pest | +3613221011
12:00 – 00:00 daily

This is one of my very favorite spots in Budapest, and I recommend everyone visit- at least once. This place is about a lot more than just food! Opened in 1897 and renovated in the early 1990s, the architecture is amazing. Zsolnay tiles cover the roof, and there is an airy feeling within because of the huge glass windows reaching to the roof.

Since I am not a fan of crowds, I like to visit in the mornings during the week. But if you want a glimpse of bustling Budapest market life, definitely go on Saturday when you will see Budapestians doing their shopping. The ground floor is all fresh food. Downstairs in the basement I am always surprised by the smell, which combines fish and pickled vegetables….because that’s what they sell down there. And the upper floor has resturants and food kiosks as well as crafts of all kinds.

There is a ton of stuff here for tourists looking for souvenirs, from the classic Hungarian foods and drinks: paprika, salami, tinned goose liver, wines and spirits (pálinka), to white cotton peasant shirts and wooden crafts on the upper floor.

This is a great place to have snack once you’ve exhausted yourself shopping- there’s a selection of all the traditional cheap and cheerful Hungarian foods, and drinks, of course. Enjoy!

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Központi Vásárcsarnok | Shopping, Snacks
Fővám tér | Central Pest
Mon 06:00 – 17:00, Tue – Fri 06:00 – 18:00, Sat 06.00 – 15:00

Kuplung is an indoors equivalent of the beergardens that became so popular in the last decade, and is an excellent place to go if you want to see the boho grungy side of Pest but it happens to be winter. The street entrance is a bit hard to spot – make sure you know the house number! -, but it’s worth the search.

Like many other venues of this style, Kuplung was once a run-down building – an auto repair shop, hence the name meaning “clutch” – that was fixed up, the walls graffitied in cheerful colours, some durable tables and chairs dropped in, and some clever decor added, this one dominated by a large paper whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling.

The main room, even though some other venues might beat it in total floor area, feels comfortably spacious, so you and your party can have some elbow space even when the place is full. There’s also a smaller room where they sometimes have concerts, and a third, more recently opened bar room with a generous size, but I just haven’t got around to drinking in that one yet, so opinion will be forthcoming later.

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Kuplung | Bars, Music | Beers from HUF 500
VII. Király utca 46 | Central Pest
Mon – Sat open from 14:00, Sun open from 18:00, no fixed closing time

This small shop which is inside the Klauzal ter market is the best chance to get some “semi-antique” staff for a moderate price in the area.

With semi-antique” I mean nothing older than 1940. Obviously if you are lucky you can find some older stuff here but you have to know that almost all of the things are submitted here by local pensioners who are struggling with financial problems or homeless people who found this stuff in the trash bins. But everything is safe, nice and clean you do not have to be afraid.

It is a good spot for people interested in porcelain tea pots and cups from the 50s or to get some old school socialist memorabilia for some hundred forints.

You have to know that the staff is not really familiar with English but they will try to help you if you point on any of the objects in the shop.

Saturday early afternoon can be a good time for a visit.

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Market antique store | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzal ter market | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 16:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00

Good food, pleasant atmosphere and friendly service is what can be said about Menza, a restaurant and cafe at Liszt Ferenc square. Menza is a very popular place among locals and tourists alike and definitely one of my favorite places to eat in Budapest at any time of day.

Menza in Hungarian means “canteen” but has, luckily, no reminiscence of it. With its retro feeling and busy but comfortable atmosphere it is a good place to be and meet with others. Thanks for imaginative interior design goes to Theycom Studio that also designed the nearby Klassz.

It can happen you will have to wait for a place to sit so it’s not a bad idea to make a reservation. The staff is attentive and I never felt forgotten while waiting. Food is mostly Hungarian and I simply love their “pumpkin cream soup.” The price is in overall affordable and their daily menu is available for 890 HUF.

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Menza | Bars, Restaurants (Hungarian) | Main meal from HUF 1600
Liszt Ferenc tér 2 | Central Pest | +3614131482
10:00 – 00:00 daily

Momotaro restaurant is a perfect place for a good, quick and cheap meal while discovering the center of the 5th district, although you’ll have to look carefully to actually spot it.

The reason everyone goes there (many locals and tourists alike) is the traditional Japanese noodle dish Ramen. The interior of the place is rather small and simply decorated but comfortable and most of the time fully packed, since the food is really good and of great price. Besides Ramen the food is mostly Chinese.

The service is friendly and fast and you’ll be greeted with free green tea and readiness to answer any silly question you might have. Ramen is great and steamed dumplings are as close to my memories of China as they can get in Budapest. They also have plenty of vegetable dishes. The place is located on the corner of Nádor and Széchenyi streets, near the Hungarian State TV Headquarters.

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Momotaro Ramen | Snacks, Restaurants (Chinese/Japanese) | Ramen HUF 1500
Széchenyi u. 16 | Central Pest | +3612693802
11:00 – 22:00 daily

This store is half way on being a tourist attraction but just to pop in for a while can be fun.

The prices are quite high: do not expect to find the treasures of the past fifty years here for some hundred forints. Instead of that you can get an idea about what you can find on the flea markets held usually during the weekends.

Mr. Maj himself can be quite interesting also. He usually sits in his armchair the whole day long, sometimes occupied by phone calls so long that if you want to pay, he just writes down the price on a piece of paper. If you like it, just borrow his pen and put a tick next to the price or cross it and write a new one under it. But do not forget: he is not really flexible. Ten percent less does not exist at all.

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Mr. Maj | Art & culture, Shopping
Klauzál utca 1 | Central Pest
Opening times changing all the time

As the name suggests perfectly, Noir is a chocolate bar. While Hungary is not a chocolate world power like, say, Belgium, Noir certainly does its part in meeting the needs of local chocophiles. It’s got all sorts of chocolates, including hot drinking chocolate, hot drinking chocolate with various spices from chili to cardamom, hot chocolate with or without alchohol, or hot chocolate with or without spices and/or alcohol on ice.

What more need I say? If you have the craving for sweet, sweet (or dark and
bitter) chocolate, this is the place to go. Do reserve a table if you’re planning to visit in the evening, it gets crowded around that time.

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Noir ChocoBar | Bars, Snacks | Hot chocolate from HUF 700
VI. Hegedu utca 6 | Central Pest | +36202228555
Sun – Mon 15:00 – 22:00,Tue – Sat 15:00 – 00:00

Örökmozgó is a small cinema specializing in both old movies – some from the twenties or thirties, some more recent -, and more recent, artistic ones that you just can’t catch in the larger cinemas.

Besides having a very interesting selection, Örökmozgó is also highly bilingual – almost everything is either subtitled or voiced-over in English. If you’re interested in old movies, and especially if you want to see some old Hungarian ones, Örökmozgó is where you want to be.

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Örökmozgó | Cinemas | Ticket from HUF 500
VII. Erzsébet körút 39 | Central Pest | +3613422167
16:00 – 22:00 daily

P60 is an art gallery specializing in experimental art – including but not limited to Avantgarde, Dada, and especially the Fluxus movement and Mail Art. It’s the exhibition and performance venue of the Artpool Art Research Center, one of the world’s biggest collections of this type of material.

The gallery doesn’t have a permanent exhibition, so if you’re planning to visit, you should check the center’s website to see if there’s anything going on at the time.

There’s not much to say about this kind of art on a blog like this – you’re either interested in it, or you’re not and no amount of galleries is likely to change your mind. But if you are interested in it, then this is a place you want to see while in Budapest; and if you don’t know much about experimental art, you have nothing to lose: check online if there’s an exhibition, then come and see if you like it – entrance is always free.

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P60 | Art & culture | Free
VI. Paulay Ede utca 60 | Central Pest | +3612680114
See the website for opening times

To arrive at the spots featured on this blog, it’s worth knowing the best way to go. Budapest boasts one of the best public transport systems in the world (really!) that will get you anywhere much more efficiently than by car.

I never drive in this city, there is really no need. Metro Line 1, the Millenium Metro is my favorite line. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and riding it is taking a step back in time.

BKV Zrt., the public transport company has a helpful website in English. You can plan your routes and figure out how to use the system. Even as a local I use this site when I need to go somewhere new.

Be aware that, as in most other major cities, there is a sophisticated network of pickpockets and thieves who operate across the public transport system, and many are so ‘professional’ that you will not know what happened until later when you realize your stuff has been stolen- so keep your valuables in a safe spot and enjoy traveling around Budapest!

A note on taxis: There are many companies, but my favorite is City Taxi- always reliable and honest (+361 2111111), I have used them for 10 years. It is de

finitely worth calling a cab company rather than hailing a cab on the street- there are many rip off artists who look like legitimate taxi drivers, but the fares they charge are outrageous.

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Public Transport | Relaxing
All over Budapest | Central Pest
Daily

The truth is I like chocolate and even more I like marzipan. If you fit the category or you are simply looking for a nice place to rest and have a cup of coffee or to shop for traditional Hungarian desserts the chance is you will like the Szamos Marcipán confectionery.

You can find several Szamos confectioneries and stores in the city but my favourite is the Royal Café on the Great Boulevard (Nagy körút), the one next to the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal (a beautiful hotel by itself whose spa is very well worth enjoying as well).

Royal Café Szamos is a traditional Hungarian pastry and coffeehouse with cakes, confectioneries, coffee and hot chocolate, breakfast and snacks. The atmosphere tries to bring some of the old monarchy feeling (Sacher hot chocolate and coffee might contribute to that) and their website will tell you more about their story. You can also buy their marzipan sweets and chocolate gifts either in the cafe or in another store just a few steps further away, on the other side of the hotel entrance.

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Royal Café Szamos | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Cake HUF 350.00
Erzsébet krt. 43-49 | Central Pest | +3614137968
10:00 – 20:00 daily

Heaven for music lovers (and shoppers, of course) is a music shop on Szervita square, Rózsavölgyi and Partner. Established in 1850, it offers new and antique – more than 18000 music sheets, many first editions, music related books, librettos, music education materials for children and of course a huge amount of music recordings (CDs, DVDs, LPs) featuring Hungarian and international composers and performers, spanning all across classical, opera, musical, film, jazz, gospel, klezmer, folk, rock, pop music…

Many vinyl collections from the 70s as well. When the present shop on Szervita square was opened in 1912 it was the largest music shop in central Europe.

I always find it exciting to dig into the piles of music sheets to find some old editions or something challenging me to run home to open the piano again and play. Not to mention those great recordings that are just too difficult to resist. All kinds of treasures are hidden there.

You can also search and shop some of their online offers, unfortunately their website is at the moment only available in Hungarian but it may still give you a glimpse of what’s there.

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Rózsavölgyi | Music, Shopping
Szervita tér 5 | Central Pest | +3613183500
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Handmade quality chocolate, all forms and tastes that a real connoisseur can dream of. Pralines and table chocolates are just the top of the iceberg. Personally I am a big fan of (dark) chocolates, I don’t even want to hide my enthusiasm.

The shop is really small where the design and the lights create a calm atmosphere that accentuates the bitter-clean smell of chocolate and cocoa beans. I’m still in the phase of tasting various pralines, certainly I can recommend all of the flavours but I wouldn’t miss the lemon-oil caramel bonbon at no cost. The sweets are wrapped in stylish wrappers or put in design-boxes.

Chocolate can also be used as raw material to create artworks: chocolate sculptures, boxes or “rusty tools” show the skills of the craftsmen and -women. Eating these beautiful pieces of art would be blasphemy! Well, hard times sometimes bring the heretic out of the chocolate believer.

The street where the shop is located is currently undergoing a major transformation, it is about to turn into a pedestrian street by 2010. Until then be prepared for a huge ditch in the middle of the street leaving only a narrow stripe of the sidewalk on each side. You’ve got to watch out not to walk past the shop, look for the chocolate brown shop front.

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Rózsavölgyi Chocolate | Shopping, Snacks | Box of bonbons HUF 3250
Királyi Pál utca 6 | Central Pest | +36305044294
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 11:30 & 12:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 11:30 & 12:00 – 15:00

Siptár is a cute little shop near Deák square. A brand Siptár is a clothing line by Hungarian designer Réka Siptár. In the shop you will find dresses, t-shirts, trousers and skirts for women and children. They are brightly colourful, with swirly floral or geometric motives, hand dyed and drawn on batiked, natural materials. They are also practical and comfortable to wear besides, of course, being pretty.

You will also see a multitude of corresponding hats, shawls, handbags, hair accessories as well as something for your home, such as pillow cases and bedspreads. All from velvet, cotton or linen. Have fun!

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Siptár | Shopping
Károly krt. 10 | Central Pest | +3612660841
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

Once upon a time there was a building of public ownership. Some people thought a public space should be filled with public and arts and alcohol – thus Sirály was born. Located in the Jewish district the place has roots in the Jewish culture mostly represented by the cultural programmes.

Every year Sirály goes on a summer holiday and reopens in September with new colours and prices. Bulk beer got cheaper this September:)

Sirály has much more than you see at first sight. When you step inside, you find yourself in a cafe that turns into a pub every night. Newspapers, sandwiches, cakes and pastries strengthen the cafe side, the rows of alcohol on the wall tell you what to expect for the nights.

The stairs to the first floor lead to another space full of chairs and tables often used for discussions and presentations. Non-smokers should grab a chair here. Downstairs, in the typical fusty basement of a down town building art and culture have found their home. Click for photos.

Theatre, performances and concerts fill the old basement with new energy.

If you visit Sirály as frequently as I do you’ll notice the same face every time – pretty stable clientele. Use the space as your own, you might find yourself among them.

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Sirály | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters | Soproni beer HUF 380
Király u. 50 | Central Pest
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 00:00

The beauty of this building amazes me every time I step in. There is the smell of wisdom in the air – heaps and heaps of books. A lifetime would be too short to read all of the 3.541.972 documents. Having accepted this fact I have already given up my plan to go from “A” to “Z” and I can choose randomly with an easy heart. Thank God I don’t have to read all Danielle Steel books!

The building is known as Wenckheim-palace, the capital has acquired it in 1927 to host the library. The renovation between 1998 and 2001 opened all the buildings of the palace to visitors. Szabó Ervin was one of the first directors of the library from 1911 who created a real public library open to all members of society. Apart from the Central Library there are 23 local libraries, one in each district.

Most of the visitors are students which brings back good old memories about studying and making up plans to pick up girls here as I always found that the library is somehow loaded with the prettiest ladies.

There are 15 reading rooms in the building where you can read but not borrow the books. Pay a special attention to the “bölcseleti” or arts reading room with all the old wooden furniture, the chandeliers, huge mirrors and golden carvings that add to the palace-feeling.

With a registration card or a daily ticket you can visit the library for free, you only have to pay if you want to borrow books.

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Szabó Ervin Central Library | Art & culture, Coffee & tea | Free
Szabó Ervin square 1 | Central Pest | +3614115000
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

This is where you can find everybody who lives in the area. At 12:00 the families are having lunch, at 02:00 in the morning people are gathering there to eat because this helps a lot when you are tipsy, as we know, and who are always there: the Turkish family who runs the restaurant.

Exchange students from Middle Eastern countries also often choose  this place because here they can find the tastes of home with a bit of continental twist in it.

The prices are rapidly changing as this is one of the most popular semi fast-food type restaurants in the area. Try the sweets for sure because they are really good, but be aware that it is really-really sweet, and if you ask for Turkish tea then you will get a small cup of strong tea with two pieces of sugar which is also a good choice especially if you are afraid of falling asleep.

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Szeraj | Snacks | Döner HUF 1600
Szent István körút 13 | Central Pest
09:00 – 04:00 daily

The street called „Szerb utca” is just next to the famous Vaci utca. But instead of fancy shops and hundreds of tourist here you can find the area which the inhabitants call „Little Belgrade”.

The Serbian community played a big role int he city’s history. Their ancestors left Serbia because of its occupation by the Ottoman Empire. They built their first church in 1698 and then changed it to the present shape in 1733. The most valuable for the city’s inhabitants in the matter of everyday life of course is the garden, surrounding the church. It can give you a the feeling of total isolation from the outside world, in the heart of the city.

Be aware: it belongs to a church so lying under the sun half naked is not the best idea here. But if you are lucky and you find it opened (mostly on Sundays or on the festivals of the Orthodox community) you can sit down relax or even use the playground in the yard (designed for kids, or really thin adults).

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Szerb utca | Relaxing
Szerb utca | Central Pest
Mostly Sundays & festivals of the Orthodox calendar

Szimpla is hands-down the best known and most popular of Budapest’s “kert”-s
(”gardens”) – courtyards of condemned or just abandoned buildings transformed into outdoor summer pubs, originally catering mostly for a young, bohemian clientele. As such, it has all the typical accroutements: crumbling architecture, plain but sturdy benches and tables, beer, totally kooky decor, lots of noise, beer, heavily stickered and graffitied toilets, and beer.

While there are many establishments that follow the same recipe, Szimpla is unique for having its own open-air movie theater, where they often play art movies, sparsely screened documentaries and the like. In recent years, they’ve also covered part of the venue with a roof to let them stay open all year round, and expanded into the upper floor, where you can also get some hot grub with your drinks.

Recently, I’ve heard some friends complain that Szimpla is getting too popular and thus too mainstream these days. Well, maybe that’s true – sometimes the crowd and the noise does get a bit too much for my tastes -, but it’s still more than worth checking out if you’re in town. Loud, friendly, visually lush and exciting; a great place to go when the company you desire is more upbeat than sublime.

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Szimpla Kert | Bars, Restaurants (Various) | Beers HUF 500
VII. Kazinczy utca 14 | Central Pest
12:00 – about 04:00 daily

Tasenka is a shop featuring many young Hungarian designers. The shop owner Zsuzsi Perlaki is a bag designer herself and makes bags from almost anything and combination of everything – rubber, canvas, wool, fur, plastic, patterned textiles… You can also order a custom designed bag personalised for your needs and wishes. Besides their own bags they sell international brands as well.

In the shop you will also find a great mixture of accessories such as jewelery, hand knitted caps and shawls plus some clothes as well. Some second hand bags available. Definitely fun to go through it all.

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Tasenka | Shopping
Dob u. 2. | Central Pest | +3613448444
Mon – Wed & Fri 11:00 – 18:00, Thu 12:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

Pest’s 7th district is in my opinion one of the nicest, best-looking areas of the city. Formerly the Jewish district – and part of it the Jewish ghetto during World War 2 -, it has undergone many changes in the last half century, but still has lots of nice architecture, and probably the greatest density of synagogues in all of… I don’t know, probably Europe. Some of it is in excellent condition, other parts are sadly ran-down, but all of it is quite full of urban history and moofy little streets.

Now, if you like exploring quaint cities, you’ll probably wish to learn a bit more about the area than what’s in the guidebooks, and there’s a guy who can deliver just the information you want, and do it really well. Jeff Taylor of Paul Street Tours is an American expat who’s an academic expert on history, arts, architecture, and his specialty happens to be the historical period when much of Budapest reached the ‘classic’ look it still retains today. He also lived in this very district for quite a while, and can point out many interesting locations that you just won’t find in any book.

Jeff does appointment-only private walking tours of the 7th district (and other areas as well). I’ve been to his tour once, and even as a Pest resident of a decade and a half, I found it really engaging, understandable, full of interesting stuff I didn’t know, and wandering into areas (both physically and metaphorically) that another tour guide would have steered away from. You probably hate kitsch tourist trap bus tours with the same burning passion I do, but this really is something different.

Paul Street Tours don’t have a street office, you have to make reservations on phone or email (see the website).

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The historical Jewish district | Art & culture | Per hour for small groups HUF 25 Euros per hour for groups up to 3, 30 Euros per hour for larger, regardless of numbers
Deák Ference Square (starting point tour) | Central Pest | +36209335240
See the website to make a reservation

Toldi was a central place for underground culture and contemporary art before. The place changed a lot because of a reconstruction and many of the guest who visited this cinema daily were seriously afraid that its essence will disappear.

In my opinion it did not. Ok the new style is a bit more designed for a common taste, but now the bathrooms are clean and the fact that they are cleaning the place daily gives a lot to anyone visiting.

The cafeteria is also quite nice, but quite expensive I have to say. They provide free Wifi and you can stay for as long as you want.

What is the most important is that they give place for some really good film festivals: Verzio Human Rights Film Festival also has some screenings here and art films are usually arriving from every corner of the world.

For a spring morning chat the outside benches are just perfect.

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Toldi | Cinemas, Coffee & tea | Per screening from HUF 780
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 36-38 | Central Pest | +3614720397
10:00 – 20:00 daily (also depends on the screenings)

Treehugger Dan’s Bookstore & Café is owned – very appropriately – by “Treehugger” Dan Swartz, an avid local environmental activist. As such, the selection of second-hand books includes quite a few titles on enviromentalism, politics, sociology and the like. Dan also uses the venue for various public lectures and events, such as “Free Independent Financial Advice” and “Greenpeace Friday”.

The place’s name includes “& Café” for a reason. It offers a selection of tasty Fair Trade teas and coffees, which you can drink in the back of the store at two tiny tables – don’t plan on bringing more than 3 friends!

Treehugger Dan also has two other venues in Budapest: a larger one in Lázár Street (just behind the Opera house), which also acts as a tourist information centre as well as a regular venue for Budapest’s premier English-language poetry reading series, The Bardroom; and a third place at Süto Street 2.

Besides selling used books, Dan also buys them, but only at the Csengery Street location.

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Treehugger Dan’s | Coffee & tea, Shopping | Books HUF 900
VI. Csengery utca 48 | Central Pest | +3613220774
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

It all started in the IX. district on 23rd June 2005 in an old, unused factory building that became a buzzing cultural centre. Much more enthusiasm than money unfortunately leads to investor interests being stronger than artists’ desires. After two seasons they had to move, but what a building they found!

Once serving as a part of the ‘Szimpla-empire’ called Szimpla Kiskert (also check the Szimpla Kert article) it is a former elementary school turned into a complex system of cultural art space. First time I came here was with a friend who actually went to this school: she showed me her former classroom, told me about her memories… must have be a weird feeling.

For artists it’s a place for creating: the building has lots of rooms for designers, painters, photographers, sculptors, actors, musicians, dancers etc. to use. And for the other, receiving part of creation, the public will have the opportunity to see, hear, touch and enjoy these cultural products.

Tűzraktér is also a civic centre, and basically open to all kinds of initiative. There’s a freeshop operating for those in need or in abundance of anything. If your bike is broken, bring it to Bike Kitchen Budapest any Tuesday or Thursday 6-9 p.m.

And the list of things to see is still so long!

For more pictures click here.

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Tűzraktér | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Theaters
Hegedű utca 3. | Central Pest
18:00-05:00 daily

Két mackó (Two Teddy Bears) is a cute, small artisan toy shop, pleasantly hidden at Károlyi Gardens. It offers plenty of creative and interesting toys of all kinds of forms and colours, made of wood, textile, paper and clay. You will also find board and outdoor games, puppets, illustrations, decor and much more… and all that will either make you feel young at heart and try things out yourself or solve your gift shopping problems.

There are also many “building games” where you can mould your building material in a very simple way and create whatever you want. Those are, I believe, difficult to resist to, no matter what your age is. I also find the cardboard theatre interesting, accompanied by all kinds of puppets, big or small.

As you can see I have plenty of gift solutions for my niece that I can most happily end up playing with, whether she likes it or not Designs are by Hungarian designers and independent artists and all the toys seem environmentally friendly. No electronics and no plastics there either.

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Two Teddy Bears | Art & culture, Shopping
Magyar utca 18 | Central Pest | +3612660928
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00