THE JOURNAL
Hilda. Photograph courtesy of Hilda
Where to stay, eat and visit in the Hungarian capital – plus the ruin bar that isn’t ruined already.
A heady mix of hot summers and cheap nightlife combined with a rich history and Eastern bloc charm has made Budapest a popular tourist destination in recent years. In fact, 2016 was a record-breaking year, seeing a 6.6 per cent rise in the number of tourists – almost twice that of the world average. Consequently, the city’s art and gastronomy scenes have undergone a creative boom, making Budapest an exciting destination to visit – or re-visit – right now. Read on for six tips on what to see, eat and do in the Hungarian capital, away from the well-trodden tourist traps – because there’s more to do in Budapest than Roman baths and ruin bars.
Brody House
Where to Stay:
Bedroom at Brody House. Photograph courtesy of Brody House Group
Hidden behind an unassuming doorway, on a quiet street opposite the Hungarian National Museum is Brody House, a boutique hotel and part of Brodyland, a members’ club that’s responsible for the city’s most exciting arts events and soirées. Brody House patrons receive a “visa” for the duration of their stay, granting them access to all Brodyland events and venue and the hotel is also within walking distance of nightlife hub district VII (but manages to avoid the area’s rather rowdy row of hostels). While it lacks some of the contemporary ostentation of the larger hotels in the city, its high-ceilings, bohemian-chic interiors and relaxed atmosphere (guests are invited to mix themselves a drink from a wide selection of spirits and cocktail accouterments) more than makes up for it.
Bródy Sándor utca 10 1088 Budapest
Hilda
Where to eat
Sat on up-and-coming Nádor street in district V, Hilda serves up a trusty menu of quality classics, as well as some highly Instagrammable interiors – think modernist lamps, curbside seating and a mosaic wall made of traditional Zsolnay tiles. Organic rotisserie chicken, roast duck or Charolais beef are complemented by local flavours such as goulash or chicken paprikás. If visiting on a weekday, try the three-course lunch menu for HUF 2800 (around £8). Brunch is served on weekends until 5.00pm.
Nádor utca 5 1051 Budapest
Kisüzem
Where to drink
Budapest’s ruin bars are an institution, so much so that the most popular ones, dotted around the Jewish Quarter, are now more of a tourist attraction than a Saturday night drinking spot. Avoid the crowds and head to Kisüzem for all the foliage, bric-a-brac, cherry schnapps and rosé spritzers you would find in popular counterpart, Szimpla Kert, but with longtime regulars (and none of the stag dos).
Kis Diófa utca 2 1077, Budapest
Hold Street Market
Where to explore
Photograph by Mr Ungvari Attila/Shutterstock
Markets are something that Budapest is known for doing particularly well, but Hold Street Market (reopened in 2014 as “Belvárosi Piac” or “Downtown Market”) is a standout. Stock up on fresh fruit, spices and coffee, fresh produce, then stop for a quick lunch bite at Séf utcája (Chef’s street), a deli serving Hungarian classics with a twist, or Vörös Homár (Red Lobster), a combination fish stall and gastropub.
Hold utca 13 1054, Budapest
FlatLAB
Where to shop
A high-ceilinged, fishtail-parqueted apartment in district VIII’s Baross street is home to FlatLAB, a design collective made up of hard-to-find menswear and womenswear designers and graphic artists. A combination atelier and shop floor, FlatLAB is intriguingly hard to locate: ring doorbell 14, then follow the winding staircase from the courtyard.
Baross utca 3, Doorbell 14 1085 Budapest
Uránia Cinema
What to do
Photograph by Shutterstock
Originally built as a secession-era nightclub, Uránia is now an arthouse cinema, streaming new releases as well as cult classics. While the latter are more likely to be subtitled, catching an old favourite is worth it for the experience alone – plush red interiors, mirrored walls, and a post-show cocktail in the bar upstairs will finish your evening off nicely.
Rákóczi utca 21 1088, Budapest
What to wear
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