2 Best Restaurants in Budapest, Hungary

This old-fashioned bakery--café has a loyal following for some of the lightest, most buttery pastries in Budapest. All the classic Hungarian cakes like rétes (strudel filled with sour cherries, apples, or cheese) and dobos torta (chocolate cream cake with caramel) can be enjoyed here, along with some unique in-house creations. If you find yourself near Széll Kálmán tér on Metro line 2, you can also check out their original (and still active) shop at Fény utca 8, a few minutes' walk from the station.

A classic turn-of-the-20th-century gathering spot for Hungarian writers of the Nyugat (West) magazine, this coffeehouse has endured two wars and a communist closure. For 19th-century grandeur in 21st-century comfort, this popular café can't be beat. Coffees are served on silver trays with glasses of mineral water just as in the old days, but these days they are enjoyed in air-conditioned comfort. The menu includes substantial dishes like hortobágyi palacsinta (meat pancakes with paprika sauce) and borjú paprikás (paprika veal stew) all day. Don't miss the excellent cakes and pastries, on view in a glass display case.