Budapest Recommendations
I’m a big fan of Budapest for a lot of reasons. It’s still (just about) an affordable city for short trips from the UK if you stay away from the obvious tourist traps (although some below you should still check out).
Food
Kino Cafe Mozi
Kino is the cafe for a little art house cinema near the Pest end of Margit Híd. This is one of my favourite spots for breakfast anywhere in the world if you like un-fussy food and environments. Lovely sunny terrace in summer, cosy warm inside in the winter.
Szent István krt. 16, Budapest, 1137
Most Bistro
This is my favourite restaurant in Budapest. I don’t really know why. Warm, unpretentious atmosphere and good food. I’m a big fan of the Indian food here, but they offer a pretty diverse menu.
Zichy Jenő u. 17, 1066
Mazel Tov
A Budapest institution in the Jewish quarter serving Israel cuisine.
Akácfa u. 47, 1072
Menza
Modern European food in relatively upmarket surroundings
Liszt Ferenc tér 2, 1061
Twentysix
The Garden at Twentysix is a really genuinely beautiful space to have dinner in. Good, Mediterranean food and drink for a not completely unreasonable price.
Király u. 26, 1061
Coffee
Dose Espresso
A solid coffee downtown near Basilica.
https://doseespressobudapest.com
Hercegprímás u. 21, 1052
My Little Melbourne
Great Australian inspired coffee vibes right in the centre of the city
http://facebook.com/mylittlemelbourne
Madách Imre út 3, 1075
Drink
Instant-Fogas
I am by no means a nightclub guy, but I feel like this is worth visiting for the experience alone. When two massive Budapest nightclubs combined in to one even more massive club. This ruin bar space has 7 rooms of music, 18 bars and 1200 square meters of dance floor. Much more welcoming than a UK club and easy enough to just hang out in chatting if you’re not up for dancing.
Akácfa u. 51, 1073
Szimpla Kert
The ruin bar that everyone recommends in Budapest - A total tourist trap, but worth a visit anyway. Szimpla will be unlike any other bar you’ve ever been in. Definitely go off-peak though as the queues can be wild and it gets pretty crazily busy.
Kazinczy u. 14, 1075
Live Music
A38
Routinely voted one of the best places to watch live music in the world, A38 is a mid sized venue on a boat on the Danube. Hosts some of the best touring bands in Europe.
Aqvarium
This nightclub and venue is under an artificial lake in the very centre of the city. Hosting some of the cities bigger club shows it’s a cool and unusual place to watch live music.
Petőfi híd, 1117
Durer Kert
Though A38 undoubtedly takes the mid-size venue crown in Budapest, Durer Kert is a long time staple in the city. A bit grimier and often home to less well known acts, it’s definitely an experience for shows.
Öböl utca 1, 1117 Hungary
Sightseeing
Memento Park
Memento park is a fair bit outside the centre of Budapest, but really worth travelling to if you have any interest in the modern history of Budapest and Hungry, or in Soviet statues in general. After the fall of the communist regime in Hungary a lot of the statues and monuments were removed, and were re-located here to preserve them in an outdoor museum.
Balatoni út - Szabadkai utca sarok, 1222
Pinball Museum (Flipper Múzeum)
Tucked away down a side street near Margit Híd is this cool little “museum” that contains about 130 pinball machines from the end of the 19th century up to modern day. An entry ticket is 5000huf or about £10GBP.
Radnóti Miklós u. 18, 1137 Hungary
Hot Baths
>This is a bit of a cliche to recommend in Budapest I guess, but you should do it. Széchenyi is the famous one you’ll have seen in all the pictures - yellow buildings and outdoor pools - and it is great, but I’d also recommend Gellért baths which are on the Buda side of the river at the bottom of the hill.
Állatkerti krt. 9-11, 1146 Hungary
Kelenhegyi út 4, 1118