I’m sure you’ve heard that Budapest is a café paradise. If you love good coffee and the beautiful surroundings of hipster cafes, I promise you’ll love Budapest as much as we do. Let’s take a look at the 12 best coffee shops in Budapest.
When to go to Budapest?
The best time to visit Budapest is spring (April-June) or autumn (September-October). Budapest is quite hot in summer and there are a lot of tourists. We also don’t recommend winter, because it’s usually very cloudy and cold.
Tip: Read the article, What to see in Budapest.
Where to stay in Budapest?
Be sure to stay in the centre, Budapest can be easily walked almost entirely on foot, saving you time and money on transport.
Cheap accommodation in Budapest
Try the Flow hostel, where we stayed when we were saving every penny. It’s a rather designer and nice hostel, a short walk from the market and super money.
Luxury accommodation in Budapest
We tried Hotel Vision, it has great breakfast, location and wonderful rooms. It’s stunning, but quite expensive. Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel Collection .
Best value for money
The Eurostars Danube Budapest, the Novotel Budapest Danube or the Milford Suites Budapest are such golden centres .
Patisseries, bistros and cafés in Budapest: where to go for the best coffee and breakfast
In Budapest, you’ll enjoy great food, culture, history and amazing cafes. Every time we’re there, we discover another one. We are adding a list of our favourites. If you are looking for what to see in Budapest, be sure to read our second article.
1) Madal Cafe – great coffee and cakes
Madal Café has three branches in Budapest. We liked the one at Ferenciek Tere 3, where you can sit and work in peace. Madal Café not only has excellent coffee, but also vegan cakes. Plus, if you’re looking for stable and fast wi-fi, this is your place.
2) Where to brunch in Budapest? Try Blue Bird Cafe
If you’re looking for a café in Budapest where you can also have a great meal, then Blue Bird Café is a great option. Delicious avocado toast, pancakes with Nutella and banana served as sushi, great coffee and a colourful Mexican-style setting are all available at Blue Bird Cafe.
3) Contact – for lovers of fine coffee
You will find the choice coffee in the popular café Kontakt , which belongs to the same owner as the Szimply bistro across the street. The place is a bit smaller, you’ll have to go across the street for food, but the coffee, they make world class coffee.
4) Budapest breakfast: only Szimply
Szimply is not a café, but a bistro (they don’t serve coffee here, you have to bring it from Kontakt), which is famous for the best breakfast in Budapest. It’s no wonder there’s often a half hour wait for a table, their breakfasts are a true work of art for your taste buds.
If they don’t have room, don’t leave. They’ll give you a machine that will let you know when a table is available, and in the meantime you can enjoy your coffee across the street at Kontakt.
5) Dose Espresso Budapest
You can also go to Dose Espresso Bar for quality coffee and good cakes. Their coffee is said to please even the biggest coffee snobs.
6) SuWu
A café with a very simple interior, but one of the best lattes in Budapest. It offers savoury filled croissants, chocolate muffins, macaroons and doughnuts.
7) Törökméz
You can also head to the right side of the river for a colourful coffee or a great breakfast. While the aforementioned cafés can be found around the centre of Pest, this treasure can be found just off the Margit Híd Bridge.
8) Toprum Budapest – a café overlooking Budapest
Want to have breakfast with a view of Budapest? Make a reservation for brunch at Toprum. Whether you’re craving waffles, pancakes, avocado toast or classic yogurt with granola and fruit, they have it all.
9) Vinyl &Wood
The café caught our eye with its small shop on the ground floor, where they sell stylish wood products, but also offer great cakes, lemonades and good coffee is a must on our list.
10) Eco Café Magnet
Looking for a café near Parliament? Head to Eco Café Magnet, which offers filter coffee and matcha lattes in addition to fine espressos, lattes and cappuccinos.
11) Budapest Baristas
If, like us, you’re staying at the amazing hipster hostel Flow, this cafe is just around the corner. Beware, it gets pretty crowded during breakfast and brunch. The food here is excellent.
12) Cinnamon
On the right bank of the river you will also find a quiet and pleasant café Cinnamon. They serve eggs, porridge and fresh croissants for breakfast, which can be a nice change from avocado toast (if you’re obsessed with it like I am and eat it everywhere).
