Seeing as this week marks the beginning of Midterm Season at BSM, all of us students are stumbling around looking more grey-circled and out-of-it than usual (which is saying something-- we are, after all, a bunch of math majors).
So I thought it might be a good time to do a little café review/ranking of all the places I've studied (or tried to) here in Budapest as I've explored the vibrant café culture in the city. A note about my own tastes: I'm not very big into coffee (definitely a tea person) so the cafés that most impressed me drink-wise have been those with the best tea offerings. Unfortunately, I have not been taking very good photos of the cafes I've been in, so all the photos you see here (with one exception) have been taken directly from the café website (with website linked in caption). And we're off!
11. Massolit Books & Café
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| An okay café, but definitely not my favorite. Website |
This was actually the first café I visited in Budapest, and while the wooden-shelves bookstore vibe was pretty nice, there wasn't a lot of seating. The big dealbreaker for me was the mediocre "apple tea" which was essentially apple juice warmed up and sprinkled with cinnamon.
10. Goat Herder
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| A nice place, but not great for studying. Website |
The closest café to the BSM building and a haunt for caffeine-deprived math students who don't feel like indulging in the 75 cent coffee from the machine at school. The café is pretty, bright, and airy, with nice couches and tasty cakes. But I wouldn't recommend for studying- it's quite small and as a result gets a little loud and cramped.
9. Solinfo
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| A pretty space and quality food, but not quite my vibe. Website |
Solinfo really tries to be aesthetic, and to some degree it succeeds-- its furnishings and decor are impeccable, and there are some nice spots of greenery. It's also good for studying: it's quite big and has a lot of seating and plugs. But, ultimately, it's a little too clean-cut for my taste. But you really can't complain- it's a nice café.
8. London Coffee Society
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| This is a neat café. Would go again for the delicious food and cool music. Maybe not to study though. Website |
I liked this place. I wouldn't come here to study regularly, but the one time I did I bopped to electronic music (the
only thing they play) and had some delicious banana bread while at it. Its vibe is super chill (and German) and the brunches look absolutely delicious. A cool place.
7. Mon Cherie
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| It looks and feels like a chain, but you really can't argue with chocolate pear tart that good. Website |
Out of all the cafés on this list, this one felt most like a chain. It's clean, big, and has a ton of tables. Its decor is generic but tasteful, and its cakes (I had a chocolate-pear tart) are very good. This is a dependable option if you just need a decent place to study and aren't looking for a special vibe.
6. Nem Adom Fel Kávézó és Étterem
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| Loved this place. A great café to study in when they're not having events. Website |
I loved the vibe here: it's vaguely cellar-like with flowers and pictures dotting brick walls. The space somehow manages to be large and bright but maintains an aspect of coziness. The sandwiches are cheap and good. The only real downside (or upside?): they tend to have a lot of events. I got caught in a random Bach concert while there. Check their website for event offerings!
5. Café Csiga
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| This place became my second home while my roommate was sick. Now it holds a special place in my heart. Website |
Café Csiga, I learned, is expensive, but only if you order from their regular menu. On weekdays they have a student menu with cheap, delicious food available at a bargain. The great thing about this café is that in the evening it seamlessly transitions into a dinner location while maintaining a vibe that's chill enough to have your laptop out on the table (make sure to sit near a plug-- I recommend the corner table upstairs). When my roommate got really sick, I exiled myself from the apartment and spent a good six hours here ordering various goodies and dinner from the student menu while studying.
4. Neked Csak Deszo
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| Drinking and studying? Who would've thunk it. Website |
When one of the people in my project group suggested coming here one evening to do work, I was skeptical that we'd be able to pull out our laptops at a place that Google Maps called a "brewpub." Surprisingly, I was wrong. The place is fairly well lit with a super great vibe (and plugs!), and on a weekday night we got a project proposal typed up while sipping on well-priced beer and cocktails. Unexpectedly fun. I recommend the cucumberry!
3. Madal
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| Crowded, but for good reason. Great tea! Website |
Located by the ELTE library, this is the OG study café in Budapest. I can see why. The vibe is picture-perfect, with big windows letting in lots of light and pleasant wooden decor, and the desserts are lovely. I had a mango-blueberry cake, but there were plenty of other healthy-ish (plant-based) and traditional offerings. The tea was a real winner-- a big pot of Rooibos vanilla that lasted me a good hour costed me only 600 forints or so. It's crowded though, and fills up quickly even on weekday afternoons.
2. Írok Boltja-Parnasszus Bookstore
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| A pleasant place to study if you're like me and like to study in the quiet (no music). I was surprised by how much I liked sitting here. Website |
I came here on a sunny Saturday afternoon to pick up a book to read over spring break, and I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely the bookstore is. Situated on Andrássy Út, I expected this place to be busy and loud, but it was neither of those things. I spent a couple of quality hours in the cozy upstairs surrounded by books and using the free Wifi after I had purchased my book. There are only three tables up here, but I was the only one who was sitting for an extended period of time. Refreshingly quiet after so many other crowded study spots!
1. Magvető
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| Don't mind Eric- he's just being weird. But look at how lovely! Website |
My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE café in Budapest. It's a well-lit, beautifully decorated place with an entire wall of books and lots of window seats to set the mood. The desserts are to die for, and if you're only going to be there once I highly recommend the cheesecake-- light with an unbearably delicious crust, it's easily the best cheesecake I've ever had. The tea, too, is phenomenal, with custom herbal blends like goji-pomegranate or grapefruit-apple in good-sized pots. The music is great (I've been here long enough and often enough to hear their entire playlist, can attest to every song they've got). Also, if you're a fan of dogs: lots of dogs come here. It's a great place. HIGHLY recommend. My only piece of advice: go before 4 pm as they tend to close early.
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