From
the Midwest to
Budapest
There is no such thing as a bad cup of coffee in Budapest
Coffee in the United States is seen as a quick on-the-go way to start a day. Coffee in Budapest is seen as a social experience.
On almost any street corner, cafés can be found. While in Budapest, there are a handful of cafes that you might just find notable. If you’re a coffee, lover also read Carol Dittrich’s book “Historical Coffeehouses,” which includes 16 of Budapest’s historical cafes.
However, whichever café you visit in Budapest, you will not be disappointed.
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Anna Café (1051 Budapest, Váci utca 5, Hungary) – You’ll like the atmosphere and size of this café. It’s a little on the small size, but seemed more intimate. There was an outside seating section where you can see Hungarians chatting and drinking a cup of coffee. The natives looked relaxed. It was nicer to see a slower place here than at a Starbucks where everything is fast paced. The building faces Váci Street and has been around since before World War II. Other Anna Cafés are located throughout the city.
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Gerbeaud (1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7, Hungary) –Book author Dittrich says this café is one of the oldest and largest cafés in Europe. In 1884, Emile Gerbeaud, the first owner, created “sour cherry” and covered it with dark chocolate. Ever since, Gereaud gained popularity for its desserts. However, its coffees are also tasty. The coffeehouse is at the corner of Váci Street.
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Hadik (1111 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 36, Hungary) – This is also an historical café, which was opened in 1911. It is near Gellért Baths, so if you’re on your way to Gellért, you could stop by Hadik before or after a spa visit for a relaxing cup of coffee.
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New York (1073 Budapest, Erzsébet körút 9, Hungary)– This café is historical as well. It was originally opened in 1884 and located at the ground floor of the New York Palace. However, the New York palace is now called Boscolo Budapest Hotel. This café was once the hot spot for writers and editors to talk and discuss books. During communist times it was used as a warehouse.
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Coquans (Fény u. piac - Lövőház utca III. szint, 1024 Budapest, Hungary) – This café actually lets you purchase coffee beans from all around the world, such as Kenya, Sumatra, Costa Rica, Colombia and many other countries. This is a great place for tourist to purchase coffee beans as souvenirs for their friends. It is located very close to the Ibis Centrum Hotel on Ráday Street.
Here are three lesser known and undiscovered coffee experienced you’ll also enjoy.
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Mai Mano Kávézó (1065 Budapest, Nagymező utca 20, Hungary) – This café is cozy, inviting and a little hard to find. It's close to the Maygar Photography Museum. The café's coffee is the best in the world, says Brad King, who is an assistant professor of journalism and who has had coffee in at least 50 cities outside of the United States.
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Prague Café – This café is a favorite place of locals, because of it's small, great atmosphere. Its coffee is served with a cookie and a shot of water to cleanse the palette.
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Café Frei – There are many locations for this new café chain that has began in Budapest. One location is The Allee Libri bookstore. This café serves coffee from all other the world and is like a Starbucks on steroids. You can enjoy coffee from the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia. It really has a lot of different options. For more information, you can check out the website, www.cafefrei.hu.
Story by Amon Rizvi