Stories of past centuries, timeless furnishings and, above all, a selection that makes Hungarian pastries famous throughout the world. We took Tunde’s advice and went to the gourmands’ paradise.
by Marco Muggiano
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Gerbeaud Café
Vörösmarty Square 7-8
The Gerbeaud family has always played a central role in this café in the heart of Budapest, which since 1858 has pampered its guests with special cakes and chocolates that are not only tasty, but also beautiful to look at. The elegant Noir 1858 was made for its 160th anniversary, in collaboration with the historic Cacao Barry chocolate factory, which created a 71.9% chocolate exclusively for Gerbeaud Café. The Noir 1858 also forms the basis of the celebratory Torta Gerbeaud 160: cocoa buttery sponge with a caramelised dark chocolate mousse and blood peach gel layers, crystalline salt roast pecans, green walnut purée and dark chocolate frosting on top.
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Centrál Kávéház
Károlyi utca 9
The famous Hungarian writer Emil Kolozsvári Grandpierre (1907-1992) wrote: “The Centrál was a unique institution, like a free university, but more influential... In short, the cream of the Hungarian intellectual elite gathered here...”. As is often the case, the best minds would congregate in the beautiful venues of Budapest, often investing their meagre resources in works that were destined to remain, such as Újholdat, the first Hungarian literary magazine of the post-war period. Today, more prosaically, its deco sofas are occupied for hearty brunches at all hours. Great attention is given to the beverages.
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Mvész Kávéház
Andrássy út 29
Its interiors are original, as are the furnishings and beautiful chandeliers. Its late Biedermeier furniture has been protected as industrial art since 1973, although it dates back to 1898, as engraved on the glass at the entrance. The most popular cakes? Chestnut-cherry boat, Alain Ducasse Sachertorte, Double hazelnut cake, Esterházy slice and our Cremes and Pies. The Dobos cake is a so-called “hungaricum”, created by József C. Dobos (1847-1924): Queen Elizabeth and Franz Joseph were among the first to taste the soon-to-be-famous cake here, but the Prince of Wales and Bavaria, the Bulgarian prince and Prime Minister Count Kálmán Tisza were also guests.
The menu features not only cakes but also meals, including the ubiquitous goulash and Argentinian beef dishes.