A local’s guide to Budapest
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Budapest emerged from the communist era as the poor, shabbily dressed sister of cities like Vienna and Paris. But Hungary’s 2004 entry into the European Union has helped transform its capital since, injecting it with foreign investment and new development.
Today, there’s a fitting duality to this city, divided by the river Danube into Buda, on the west side, and Pest on the east: It’s an open, colorful and international metropolis, but it showcases its history, too. More and more neighborhoods and buildings are regaining their centuries-old glory — and, in some cases, suffering the consequences of gentrification. Meanwhile, with an influx of internationally educated young chefs and a rejuvenation of Hungarian vineyards, the city’s food-and-wine culture has returned.
Meet your local
Born and raised in the Hungarian countryside, Anita adopted Budapest as her hometown in 2001 when she moved there for college. Her job as a reporter has taken her around the world since then, but her heart still belongs to Budapest.
Want to get in touch?
Email bytheway@washpost.com
Where I live:
Nagyteteny, a district in the south of the city’s Buda side. It’s a residential area that has the feel of a quiet suburb, but with easy access to the city center.
Best way to get around the city:
Visitors sometimes say that Budapest is a compact, “walkable” city, but don’t trust them. This is a huge metropolis, with lots to do and see in many neighborhoods. Rely on public transportation: It’s cheap and reliable and has a network that can get you anywhere.
Don’t leave without having:
The traditional Jewish cake called flodni in Rachel Raj’s cake shop, located behind the Dohany Street Synagogue. The extra thick layer of plum jam makes it unforgettable.
But the local favorite is really:
Just spending time outside. From May to October, most of the locals “move” into the parks, courtyard cafes, open-air bars and sidewalk terraces of restaurants and will stay there until the cold November rains force them inside again. Hungarians are Mediterranean at heart.
If I moved, I’d most miss:
Running around Margaret Island. I am convinced that this is the most beautiful 5K in the world, and the beauty of the Danube always helps me run the — literal — extra mile.
stay
IN THE ACTION
Erzsebetvaros/District 7
If there is a hip neighborhood in Budapest, it’s Erzsebetvaros, the historic Jewish district. The iconic “ruin bars,” housed in old, derelict buildings, spiced up the neighborhood and stoked its nightlife over the past two decades, but today it is much more than a party zone. Vintage stores, specialty coffee shops, craft beer joints and alternative theater companies color the area, too. There are plenty of Airbnb rentals here, even if not all residents are thrilled about it. Find this neighborhood.
LOW-KEY
Castle Hill
The museums, churches and monuments draw a lot of tourists to the Castle District during the day. There aren’t many bars or nightclubs in the area, though, which means that most of the visitors leave by evening — and allow you to wander the romantic cobblestone streets in peace. A few high-class hotels here will suit guests who love history and a quiet night equally. Find this neighborhood.
eat
BREAKFAST
Fekete
You have to enter one of the historical inner-city residential blocks to find this tiny cafe in the courtyard, but the sign in the street will make sure you don’t miss the gate. Fekete opened as a “new-wave” cafe specializing in quality espresso, but since then, it’s become one of Budapest’s best breakfast spots, with organic ingredients, pastries, waffles and homemade cakes. If you like a hearty and savory start to the day, don’t miss the homemade quiche.
BTW: You can watch as the barista makes your coffee from scratch.
1053 Budapest, Muzeum korut 5, Hungary
BREAKFAST
Ket Szerecsen
This Parisian-style cafe and restaurant is near the “Budapest Broadway” and is popular with actors and actresses from nearby theaters. In addition to classic Hungarian dishes, Ket Szerecsen has the best of international food: French croissants, Spanish tapas and Italian pasta. The breakfast menu is wider than you’ll find at most similar cafes, too.
BTW: For breakfast, try the “eggy bread.” It’s Hungary’s savory take on French toast, served with sour cream and chives.
1065 Budapest, Nagymezo utca 14., Hungary
LUNCH
Menza
The name comes from our term for a school cafeteria, and while Menza looks nothing like one, it does serve comforting Hungarian basics during the lunch hour. Ask your waiter about the daily meal deal, which might include the local version of the chicken noodle soup, the sweet tomato soup, vegetable stews, fried meatballs or cottage-cheese dumplings with sour cream.
BTW: Don’t be discouraged if there’s a wait at lunchtime. The place is spacious, and the line moves fast.
1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc ter 2., Hungary
LUNCH
Pesti Diszno
Pork holds a special place in Hungarian culture: Everyone has a story of attending a rural “pig killing,” where a family processes an entire animal and turns it into sausages, smoked ham and other products. On a more typical day, going to a butcher shop for fried sausages is a popular and cheap lunch option here. Chef Peter Andras Bekesi’s seasonal menu builds on the latter tradition but adds a modern twist.
BTW: Pesti Diszno may specialize in pork, but it offers poultry and vegetarian options, too.
Nagymezo street 19, 1065 Budapest, Hungary
DINNER
Cafe Kor
Rumor has it that the food and wine at Cafe Kor, long favored by the top management at the nearby National Bank of Hungary, have assisted in several crucial monetary-policy decisions. The great menu by chef Adam Repas includes both international cuisine and Hungarian favorites, such as green peppers stuffed with meat or layered cabbage. Not just for financiers, the elegant but cozy restaurant draws a steady group of regulars.
BTW: Always check out the daily specials, handwritten on a huge sheet of paper on the wall facing the door.
1051 Budapest, Sas u. 17., Hungary
DINNER
Kis Parazs
Hungarian-born Csaba Domonkos and his Thailand-born wife, Ole, started their first Thai restaurant in 2007 and opened the country’s eyes to quality Thai cuisine. Today they own three restaurants under the same name, and they are still providing the best Thai food in town. Kis Parazs, the little sister to the first sit-down restaurant, Parazs, gives you a quicker dinner option but the same great food.
BTW: The curries have amazing taste and fragrance. If you want a less spicy but still flavor-rich option, try the Panang curry.
1075 Kazinczy utca 7, Budapest, Hungary
LATE-NIGHT
Kisuzem
This bar is in the middle of Erzsebetvaros, Budapest’s “ruin bar” hub. However, instead of masses of tourists looking to get rowdy, you’ll find students, political analysts and journalists here debating politics. Other factors that distinguish Kisuzem from the usual ruin bar: concerts, contemporary art exhibitions and an international food menu.
BTW: Kisuzem doesn’t have a garden, but in the summer, patrons just walk out to the sidewalk with drinks in hand to continue their conversations in the open air.
1077 Kis Diófa utca 2., Budapest, Hungary
LATE-NIGHT
Karavan
It’s extremely hard in Hungary to get a license for a food truck in a public space. A few restaurants answered the legal riddle by banding together five years ago and renting an empty lot in the Jewish quarter to set up their trucks, with tables and benches in the middle. On your way home from a late-night party, this is the place to stop for quality burgers, burritos, pizza, langos (Hungarian fried bread) or a fried cheese sandwich.
BTW: Karavan only shuts down for the coldest months. It’s usually open from March until the Christmas season.
Budapest, Kazinczy u. 18, 1075
- Streets here are safe enough to walk home even at night. Beware of pickpockets and unlicensed taxis, though; the latter will rip you off. Uber doesn’t operate here.
- What we call goulash is not a thick beef stew, as most of the world knows it, but a soup with beef and vegetables. Try it with a slice of soft white local bread.
- If you’re not into late-night parties but want to understand the hype of the ruin bars, go to the famous Szimpla on Sunday morning, when it is transformed into a farmers market.
do
Walk to Normafa forest for a view
Take the cogwheel railway (tram No. 60) to Szechenyi Hill (stop mapped below). Walk over to the forest area Normafa, then to Janos Hill. Go up to the Elizabeth Lookout and take in the most beautiful view of Budapest around. Continue your sightseeing by using the chairlift to get down, flying over the trees and the villas of one of the city’s most elegant neighborhoods.
BTW: On your way from the tram to the lookout, stop for a sweet strudel in one of the wooden houses. If you’re hungrier, walk a little farther and pick up Hungarian fried bread, langos, near the entry to the chairlift.
Budapest, Széchenyi-hegy, Gyermekvasút, 1121 Hungary
Romai-part waterside promenade
This stretch of the riverbank on the Buda side of the city was a center for kayaking and canoeing for more than a century. Since the 1990s, it has been transformed into a promenade with food trucks and bars, popular with families, cyclists and runners. Locals typically go here to eat fried fish, drink beer and just sit on the riverbank and watch the boats go by.
BTW: If you visit during the summer, arrive here in style by hopping on a northbound D12 boat in the city center and getting off at Romaifurdo (mapped below). It costs a little more than 1 euro on weekdays and approximately 3 euros on weekends.
Budapest, Rómaifürdő, Hungary
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a green oasis in the heart of the city, easily accessible by walking or by public transportation (bus/tram stop mapped below). You can explore the island solo by bike, or you can rent a four-wheel bike for the entire family. Take a basket of food and have a picnic in one of the meadows, then wander around the ruins of the medieval monastery that was once home to Saint Margaret of Hungary, a 13th-century princess. In the summer, there are plays and concerts at the open-air theater, located at the foot of a century-old water tower.
BTW: The island has a running track on its edge that is almost exactly a perfect 5K.
Margitsziget/Margit hid, Budapest, 1138 Hungary
Budapest Jazz Club
A historical Budapest movie theater closed here in 2012, but the space soon gained an exciting new life when it was turned into this jazz-concert venue, which puts on live shows six nights a week and invites world-famous musicians regularly. Shows start at 8 p.m. On Mondays, Wednesdays and weekends, Hungarian musicians lead free jam sessions starting after 10 p.m.
BTW: You should come for the music, but once you’re here, don’t miss the food from the bistro. This is a good place to try the famous Hungarian goulash soup.
Hollán Ernő utca 7, 1136 Budapest, Hungary
The food court Hold utcai piac
On the ground floor of this 19th-century, inner-city market hall, you can buy local produce, meat and dairy products. Above it, the gallery has recently been turned into a modern (and high-quality) food court, catering to employees of the neighboring banks, embassies and government buildings. You can try Hungarian specialties or head to MoszkvaTer Bistro, located in one of the corners, for Russian food. When you do, don’t miss the solyanka soup and the pelmenyi.
BTW: It can be hard to concentrate on anything but the food, but when you sit down to eat in the gallery, look up and admire the cast-iron structure of the building.
1054 Budapest, Hold u. 13., Hungary
Hungarian National Gallery
The National Gallery has a collection that should be considered a permanent blockbuster exhibit, featuring the best and most important Hungarian artwork, especially from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Spend a few hours here and learn how Hungarian artists fit into the dramatic changes that reshaped the art world during that period.
BTW: Spend some time taking in the dreamy, avant-garde paintings of Tivadar Csontvary-Kosztka — no reproduction or photo can convey the colors of the originals.
1014 Budapest, Szent György tér 2., Hungary
Anita Komuves
Born and raised in the Hungarian countryside, Anita adopted Budapest as her hometown in 2001 when she moved there for college. Her job as a reporter has taken her around the world since then, but her heart still belongs to Budapest.
Laszlo Vegh
Laszlo Vegh is a contributing photographer to The Washington Post based in Budapest.
@lacavegh
