Cafés and coffee houses are establishments that sell coffee, other refreshments, and desserts for customers, who enjoy having intellectual chats with their friends. Coffeehouses act as informal clubs for members of the cultural scene, including writers, actors & actresses, and artists.
Budapest also had a thriving coffee house culture during the Austro-Hungarian Empire times. Famous Hungarian writers like Rejtő Jenő (P. Howard), or Karinthy Frigyes loved spending time in coffeehouses, many times using them as creative sources for their writings.
Many of the traditional coffee houses are gone, but the spirit of coffee culture remains in Budapest. And the coffee culture of Budapest experienced a renaissance in the last couple of years. Many new contemporary cafés were opened, and some were reopened.
We collected the top 10 cafés and coffee houses of Budapest, ranging from New York Café to Gerlóczy Kávéház, that students shouldn’t miss during their Erasmus in Budapest!
P.S.: we couldn’t resist and also included some Honourable Café Mentions at the end of the article. We highly recommend visiting them as well!
Top 10 Cafés & Coffee Houses in Budapest Students Shouldn’t Miss
The top 10 cafés & coffee houses in Budapest that international students shouldn’t miss are the following.
- New York Café
- Gerbeaud Kávéház
- Centrál Grand Cafe & Bar
- Párisi Passage Restaurant
- Kelet Café és Galéria
- Tamp & Pull Espresso Bar
- Café Astoria Restaurant
- Espresso Embassy
- Gerlóczy Kávéház
- Arch & Beans
Some of them offer breakfast and brunch options, too.
New York Café
The New York Café in Budapest is more than just a place for a quick coffee. It’s a historical gem that amazes with its opulent décor and rich history of serving as a hub for the literary and artistic elite.
Located in the heart of Budapest, this café offers a window into the grandeur of the past with its intricate frescoes, gold gilding, and luxurious chandeliers. It’s a venue where the ambiance is just as important as the quality of the coffee and pastries.
Despite its popularity, the New York Café remains a must-visit for those seeking to immerse themselves in the elegance of the former Austro-Hungarian empire.
- Address: Erzsébet körút 9-11, 1073 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 1 886 6167
- Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 8:00-0:00
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.1/5
Gerbeaud Kávéház
Gerbeaud Kávéház has a prestigious history stretching back to 1858 in the heart of Budapest’s vibrant city centre. This café-confectionery is a living piece of Hungarian history and a testament to the art of café culture.
Gerbeaud Kávéház invites guests into a world where the elegance of old Budapest meets the luxury of contemporary dining. It’s a must-visit destination for those who appreciate the finer things in life, including the cafe’s pastries, such as the iconic cat’s tongue chocolate and cognac cherry bonbons.
- Address: Vörösmarty tér 7-8, 1051 Budapest
- Telephone: +36-1/429-9000
- Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday, Sunday: 09:00 – 20:00; Friday, Saturday: 09:00 – 21:00
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.2/5
Centrál Grand Café & Bar
Stepping into Centrál Grand Cafe & Bar is like walking into a mix of history and contemporary Budapest. Located in the heart of the city, this café has been a beacon of literary and social life since its opening.
The café offers a wide range of coffee, exquisite desserts, and a menu full of hearty meals. It’s a perfect spot for any part of the day, from a morning coffee to a late-night drink.
- Address: Károlyi utca 9., 1053 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 945 8058
- Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday, Sunday: 09:00 – 22:00; Thursday to Saturday: 09:00 – 00:00
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
Párisi Passage Restaurant
Párisi Passage Restaurant, situated within the newly renovated Parisi Udvar in Budapest, offers a luxurious dining experience amidst Neo-Gothic and Moorish architectural splendor. This café promises an extraordinary culinary journey.
The ambiance, reminiscent of Budapest’s early 20th-century café culture, combined with innovative dishes and artisan cocktails, makes it a sought-after destination. It’s advisable to book in advance, especially during weekends.
Consider visiting early on a weekday to avoid crowds, and don’t miss out on their seasonal specials for a taste of the best they have to offer.
- Address: Károlyi utca 9., 1053 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 945 8058
- Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday, Sunday: 09:00 – 22:00; Thursday to Saturday: 09:00 – 00:00
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
Kelet Kávézó és Galéria
Kelet Café is a cozy spot for book lovers located on the famous Bartók Béla út on the Buda side of Budapest.
The atmosphere is intellectual yet welcoming, with warm lamps and kaleidoscopic oriental patterns. It’s a favourite among locals for its homemade coffees, ice teas, pastries, and a comfortable space for both socialising and quiet work upstairs.
- Address: Bartók Béla út 29, 1114 Budapest
- Telephone: Not provided.
- Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday 07:30 – 22:30, Thursday – Friday 07:30 – 23:30, Saturday: 09:00 – 23:30, Sunday 09:00 – 21:30
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.7/5
Tamp & Pull Espresso Bar
Numerous baristas and students across Budapest recommend a visit to Tamp & Pull for those passionate about their brews. Located near Corvinus University, this modest place has been at the forefront of the specialty coffee movement in Budapest since 2012.
The coffee has a wide array of coffees as one can see on its blackboard, indicating the bean’s variety, processing technique, source farm, and elevation. Selections hailing from Brazil and Honduras.
The café serves up a variety of standard espresso drinks such as cappuccinos, cortados, and lattes, alongside artisan and batch brew filter coffees. Oat and rice milk are available alternatives. They also have a selection of cakes and sandwiches, catering to all tastes.
- Address: Czuczor utca 3, 1093 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 456 7618
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 07:30-18:00, Saturday: 08:00-17:00, Sunday: 08:00-15:00
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024):4.8/5
Café Astoria Restaurant
Café Astoria Restaurant offers a mixture of traditional hospitality with contemporary quality. Located within the Danubius Hotel Astoria City Center, this dining spot has been serving guests since the hotel’s opening in 1914.
It’s recognized for its sublime architecture, marrying fin-de-siècle elegance with modern comforts, making it a prime location for both casual meetups and professional gatherings.
The restaurant promises an exceptional culinary experience with a menu crafted by head chef Tímea Lakatos, known for her role in earning a Michelin star for Costes restaurant.
Café Astoria provides an authentic coffee-house atmosphere, inviting guests to enjoy aromatic coffee, fragrant tea, and desserts in a setting that recalls the grandeur of early 20th-century Budapest.
Also, this place was used for filming some scenes for the Hungarian TV Show ‘A besúgó’ (The Informant).
- Address: Kossuth Lajos utca 19-21, 1053 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 1 889 6022
- Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 07:00 – 10:00 for breakfast, 12:00 – 16:30 for lunch, 17:00 – 23:00 for dinner
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.2/5
Espresso Embassy
Espresso Embassy is a true haven for specialty coffee enthusiasts in Budapest, located in the vicinity of the Hungarian Parliament and Szabadság tér. Recognized for pioneering the specialty coffee revolution in Budapest, it’s not just a café but a culture hub that brings together students, academics, artists, and tourists.
The café is known for its quality coffees, sourced from Hungarian roasters, and its minimalist-industrial yet cozy interior that’s welcoming to all, including four-legged friends.
- Address: Arany János utca 15, 1051 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 20 445 0063
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 7:30 – 17:00, Saturday to Sunday: 8:30 – 17:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.8/5
Gerlóczy Kávéház
Gerlóczy Kávéház, with its Parisian flair, is a beloved meeting spot located in the heart of Budapest. This café and restaurant not only charms with its Austro-Hungarian Monarchy era roots but also offers a unique dining experience, accompanied by live mood music.
The cuisine here mixes Hungarian and international flavours, masterfully crafted by Chef Attila Nagy, making it a standout in Budapest’s dining scene. Beyond its culinary delights, Gerlóczy Kávéház is also a popular Hollywood filming location.
- Address: Gerlóczy utca 1, 1052 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 1 501 4000
- Opening Hours: Every day from 07:30 to 23:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
Arch & Beans
Arch & Beans Coffee Works, located at Astoria and Corvin-negyed, combines traditional coffee house charm with modern specialty coffee offerings. Opened in June 2020, withstood COVID-19, and since then delighted guests with its 19th-century architectural features, including rich gold decorations and monumental limestone columns.
The café offers a wide range of freshly roasted coffee beans, delicious sandwiches, and tasty cakes, enhancing the coffee house ambiance. It’s a spacious venue, perfect for small events too.
- Address 1: Rákóczi út 5, 1088 Budapest
- Address 2: Horváth Mihály tér 3, 1082 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 784 9081
- Opening Hours: the venue at Astoria is open Monday to Friday: 8:00-18:00, Saturday: 9:00-18:00, Sunday: 9:00-16:00; the venue at Corvin-negyed is open 9:00-18:00 every day.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.6/5 and 4.9/5, respectively.
Honourable Café Mentions
Many awesome places couldn’t make it to the top 10. Yet, we couldn’t resist and decided to add 4 additional places as honorable mentions. These café places are the following.
- My little Melbourne Café
- Cat Café
- Zoo Café
- Café Frei
My little Melbourne Café
My Little Melbourne Coffee & Brew Bar is a pioneer among Budapest’s specialty coffee shops since 2012. It’s located in the 7th district of Budapest, next to Gozsdu udvar and the Jewish Quarter.
Known for its meticulous approach to filter coffee using V60, Chemex, and AeroPress, alongside espresso-based drinks This spot is a favourite for its coffee and pastries, attracting tourists and fashionable locals alike.
- Address: Madách Imre út 3, 1075 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 394 7002
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30-17:00, Saturday to Sunday 8:00-17:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
Cat Café
Cat Café Budapest is a cozy spot for cat lovers, located in front of the Szent István Bazilika. It’s home to 15 cats, including purebred Maine Coons and rescued felines. A perfect (purrfect) place for coffee and cat lovers alike!
- Address: Révay utca 3, 1065 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 394 7002
- Opening Hours: Every day from 7:00 to 21:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.4/5
Zoo Café
Zoo Café is a unique venue where visitors can enjoy the company of various animals while sipping on their coffee. You can find “regular” pets there, like cats, but more exotic animals, too, like canary or tucan.
- Address:, Fejér György utca 3, 1053 Budapest
- Telephone: +36 30 394 7002
- Opening Hours: Every day from 10:00 to 21:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): 4.5/5
Café Frei
Café Frei got its name after its founder and owner Tamás Frei, a former Hungarian journalist and explorer. Mr. Frei spent many years abroad, and after his adventurous years, he decided to bring cultures to Budapest by opening a coffee house franchise that has a huge palette of international coffees ranging from South America through Ethiopia to Japan.
Café Frei also offers many different desserts you can enjoy with your coffee.
The interior of Café Frei reflects a jungle-like environment, where you can feel like you are on an exploration with the founder together.
- Address: not provided, depends on the actual venue.
- Telephone: not provided.
- Opening Hours: vary depending on the actual venue. Opens around 7:00-9:00 and closes around 19:00-20:00.
- Current Google Ratings (04.2024): not provided, depends on the actual venue.
