Gerbeaud on Vorosmarty ter has poured coffee under chandeliers since 1858, a Belle Epoque grand cafe at the head of Vaci utca's pedestrian shopping street in downtown Budapest.
Must order: The Gerbeaud-szelet, a walnut and apricot jam slice baked here since the 19th century.
Tip: No reservation system; arrive before 11:00 to avoid the tour-bus queue on Vorosmarty tér.
Address: Vörösmarty tér 7-8, 1051 Budapest
Mantra Specialty Coffee on a tree-lined Lipotvaros backstreet pours light-roast Ethiopian, Brazilian and Honduran filter coffee on AeroPress, Chemex and V60 in downtown Budapest.
Signature drink: AeroPress and Chemex filter
Order: The single-origin filter on Chemex or AeroPress, the room's specialty.
Tip: The owners run home-barista classes; ask if a class lands on your visit dates.
Espresso Embassy on Arany Janos, steps from the Basilica, opened in 2012 as Budapest's first wave-three specialty cafe and still sets the bar for downtown filter, Budapest.
Signature drink: Espresso and flat white
Order: The single-origin espresso, paired with a chocolate chip cookie.
Tip: Mon to Fri 07:30 to 19:00, weekends 09:00 to 17:00; queue is short on weekday mornings.
The Muvesz Kavehaz on Andrassy across from the Opera has poured coffee since 1898, a quieter alternative to Gerbeaud with full Hungarian pastry counter, Budapest.
Signature drink: Espresso and Dobos torta
Order: The Dobos torta with an espresso and a glass of water.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 20:00; the terrace fills on Opera matinee days.
Hadik on Bartok Bela ut, rebuilt in 2010 from a 1910 cafe, is the literary heart of Ujbuda with bookshelves, Karinthy memorabilia and a daily Hungarian lunch menu in Buda.
Signature drink: Hungarian melange
Order: The Hungarian melange and the daily soup from the kitchen.
Tip: Pair with Szatyor next door for an after-coffee Hungarian dinner.
Kelet Kavezo on Bartok Bela ut in Ujbuda is a cafe, book-exchange library and exhibition space combined, with bagels, filter coffee and a slow Buda crowd, Budapest.
Signature drink: Filter coffee and bagel sandwiches
Order: The bagel with cream cheese and a single origin filter from the rotating menu.
Tip: Bring a book to swap; the back room is the quietest place to work in Ujbuda.
Mantra Specialty Coffee on a tree-lined Lipotvaros backstreet pours light-roast Ethiopian, Brazilian and Honduran filter coffee on AeroPress, Chemex and V60 in downtown Budapest.
Signature drink: AeroPress and Chemex filter
Order: The single-origin filter on Chemex or AeroPress, the room's specialty.
Tip: The owners run home-barista classes; ask if a class lands on your visit dates.
Espresso Embassy on Arany Janos, steps from the Basilica, opened in 2012 as Budapest's first wave-three specialty cafe and still sets the bar for downtown filter, Budapest.
Signature drink: Espresso and flat white
Order: The single-origin espresso, paired with a chocolate chip cookie.
Tip: Mon to Fri 07:30 to 19:00, weekends 09:00 to 17:00; queue is short on weekday mornings.
My Little Melbourne on Madach square was Hungary's first specialty coffee shop when it opened in April 2012, an Australian flat-white cafe near Gozsdu Udvar in Budapest.
Signature drink: Australian flat white
Order: The flat white with the daily filter from the Brew Bar next door.
Tip: The Brew Bar next door is the slow-pour twin; ask for a manual brew there.