Budapest Guide, Part III

Coffeehouses . . . Budapest has 'em . . . and they're mighty tasty.

From the overly elegant New York Cafe:

Which I would only recommend going to if you have plenty of time in the city. Cappuccino and biscuit is good but not $6 / cup good. Go only for the ambience.

To the out-of-this-world taste of Cafe Gerbaud:

It's not cheap, either. But just go. Trust me.

To the stunning inside of the Alexandra Bookstore Coffeehouse on Andrassy Avenue:

Budapest has done well with its coffeehouses. You have plenty to choose from.

The truth is, though, you really can't go wrong. You need to go to some of the above. But some of your best experiences will most likely be from places you see as you walk about and decide to stop into. Such was the case with Central Kavehaz:

I wound up stopping in here a couple of times and was not disappointed either time. Tasty desserts and good drinks, mixed with an atmosphere that you takes you back decades before communism did its number on the country, makes for a very enjoyable experience.

Perhaps my favorite place is Jegbufe Cafe. Speaking of communism, that is the time when this place became famous. They're known for their no-nonsense ordering procedure and eating standing up, similar to what you would expect to find in the Soup Nazi's kitchen. I was walking around Budapest one morning and a tourist stopped me and asked for directions. I was feeling pretty good about myself, like I was blending in as a local. I stopped into the Jegbufe and was quickly brought back to reality. I tried to throw around the Hungarian phrases I knew and was put in my place.

The lady behind the counter put my change on a plate. I thought the plate was mine to take. I was mistaken; and she tried to let me know about it, in Hungarian. Fortunately, a friendly local behind me in line intervened, translated, and helped me understand that the plate is just there to pick up the change on. What ensued after that was a wonderful conversation between he and I, over breakfast, about Hungary, his frustrating conversations with Westerners, and a number of other subjects. It was, without a doubt, my favorite memory during my time in Budapest, as I had the chance to get to know Budapest from the back door, to experience it as a local. Rick Steves would be proud.

So go to Budapest and pop into a coffeehouse. You won't be disappointed.