11 cafes worth the trip across Hungary, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Hungary guides.
Centrál Kávéház ★ 4.5 · Budapest
lipotvaros · Károlyi utca 9, 1053 Budapest
The Central Kavehaz on Karolyi utca has poured coffee since 1887 and was the regular meeting room for the Nyugat literary set in the early 20th century, downtown Budapest.
Tip: Quieter than New York Cafe for working; the upstairs reading room is the calmest seat.
Espresso Embassy ★ 4.5 · Budapest
lipotvaros · Arany János utca 15, 1051 Budapest
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.
Tip: Mon to Fri 07:30 to 19:00, weekends 09:00 to 17:00; queue is short on weekday mornings.
Auguszt Cukrászda Belváros ★ 4.5 · Budapest
lipotvaros · Kossuth Lajos utca 14-16, 1053 Budapest
Auguszt on Kossuth Lajos has run as a family confectionery since 1870, now in the fifth generation, with a Belle Epoque room and a hidden Paloma Garden terrace in Budapest.
Tip: Open Mon to Fri 09:00 to 19:00; ask for the Paloma Garden terrace when the weather permits.
Café Gerbeaud ★ 4.4 · Budapest
lipotvaros · Vörösmarty tér 7-8, 1051 Budapest
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.
Tip: No reservation system; arrive before 11:00 to avoid the tour-bus queue on Vorosmarty tér.
Mantra Specialty Coffee Bar ★ 4.4 · Budapest
lipotvaros · Veres Pálné utca 17, 1053 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.
Tip: The owners run home-barista classes; ask if a class lands on your visit dates.
My Little Melbourne Coffee ★ 4.4 · Budapest
erzsebetvaros · Madách Imre út 3, 1075 Budapest
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.
Tip: The Brew Bar next door is the slow-pour twin; ask for a manual brew there.
New York Café ★ 4.3 · Budapest
erzsebetvaros · Erzsébet körút 9-11, 1073 Budapest
The New York Café in the New York Palace on Erzsebet korut has poured coffee under frescoed ceilings and gilded chandeliers since 1894, the most ornate cafe in Budapest.
Tip: Queue moves; ask for a table on the upper gallery for the full ceiling view.
Művész Kávéház ★ 4.3 · Budapest
terezvaros · Andrássy út 29, 1061 Budapest
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.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 20:00; the terrace fills on Opera matinee days.
Madal Café Hollán Ernő ★ 4.3 · Budapest
ujlipotvaros · Hollán Ernő utca 3, 1136 Budapest
Madal Cafe on Hollan Erno in Ujlipotvaros pours 13 single-origin coffees from two micro-roasters and stocks a wide loose-leaf tea wall in a quiet Pest residential block.
Tip: Mon-Fri 07:30 to 19:30, weekends 08:30 to 19:30; the outdoor terrace is calm in summer.
Hadik Kávéház ★ 4.2 · Budapest
ujbuda · Bartók Béla út 36, 1111 Budapest
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.
Tip: Pair with Szatyor next door for an after-coffee Hungarian dinner.
Kelet Kávézó és Galéria ★ 4.1 · Budapest
ujbuda · Bartók Béla út 29, 1114 Budapest
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.
Tip: Bring a book to swap; the back room is the quietest place to work in Ujbuda.