GO BUDAPEST: The Hungarian capital boasts more beautiful cafes than almost anywhere else in Europe, if not the world, and they are integral to city life, writes TONY CLAYTON-LEA

HERE’S A question for you: given the choice between the historically imbued and Viennese-style elegance of Café Gerbeaud and the punk rock-style demeanour of Szimpla Kertmozi Café, in which one would you choose to nurse a coffee?

The answer is not as easy as you might think, and for that you can thank Budapest’s long-standing relationship with coffee culture.

In Café Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér 7), for instance, you are instantly transported back in time. Founded in 1858 by Henrik Kugler during the Austro-Hungarian empire, the flavour of history rises in tandem with the combined aroma of coffee and the herb/sugar whiff of the establishment’s famous szilvás lepény (moist plum pies). By comparison to the classical simplicity of Café Gerbeaud, Szimpla Kertmozi Café (Kazinczy útca 14) is a riot of influences.

It is apt that you are faced with such a conundrum in a city whose name is also divided: Buda (the historical half of the city on the west bank of the River Danube) and Pest (the more commercial half on the east bank). But, then, that’s Budapest for you; its title aside, it’s a city that doesn’t do things by halves.

Coffee culture has been integral to the city for hundreds of years, while the city itself has been home to coffee and/or café culture before anywhere else in Europe. You can blame the Turks – when they invaded Buda in 1541, the Ottoman Empire introduced the initially bitter product to its occupied populace, and as the years passed, coffee’s pleasurably addictive qualities set in. By the end of the 19th century, the coffee houses of Budapest (Buda and Pest amalgamated in 1873) were places where artists, intellectuals and other freethinkers gathered to discuss, debate, gossip and generally plan their lives and the lives of others.

From 1910 to the 1930s, coffee culture prevailed, as over 500 cafes around the city hosted, essentially, social parlour gatherings, where the smart ones and the not-so-clever types mingled together in one big convivial melting pot. Such halcyon days were not to last, however, as the second World War and the subsequent takeover of Hungary by the Communist regime (which regarded Budapest’s cafes as gathering points for underground, resurgent groups) brought to an end the majority of these coffee houses by closing them down.

And that, unfortunately, was that until 1989, when Hungary opened its borders with Austria, which in doing so precipitated the collapse of the Soviet Union. Happier times, then, and while it took some years for Budapest’s classic cafes to once again look their best (the cafes had been closed down, not torn down), it’s true to say that, in line with, perhaps, Vienna, the city boasts more beautiful cafes than anywhere else in Europe, if not the world.

Which brings us back to the likes of Café Gerbeaud, which was founded on the basis of Henrik Kugler’s background in confectionery studies. In the 19th century, Café Gerbeaud was considered the best of its kind in Budapest. Today, it still looks as if time hasn’t passed: the ceilings are decorated with Louis XIV-style Rococo stucco, and the chandeliers and the wall-lamp fixtures are in the style of Maria Theresa of Austria.

A rather less imposing but no less historically interesting coffee house is Centrál Kávéház (Károlyi Mihály útca 9), which is another of the great coffee houses of Budapest, and at one period a true hub for progressive thinking. It closed down during the two world wars, while in 1949 – Hungary’s year of nationalisation – it was turned into a canteen for construction workers. Thankfully, it has been restored to its functional, one might say utilitarian past, and it’s a great place to sit at one of its marble tables, sip from a gourmet coffee, pick at a delicious Dobos cake, and watch the people of Budapest go slowly by, from flirting students to elderly ladies setting the world to rights.

If you’re looking for something more decoratively poised, perhaps, than even Café Gerbeaud, then make a beeline for New York Café (Erzsébet körút 9-11) at the New York Palace Hotel (originally the offices of the New York Life Insurance Company). It opened in 1894, and was instantly dubbed the most beautiful cafe in the world. It is a description that many would say it retains. While the building itself is redolent of the Italian renaissance and baroque periods (complete with 16 windows that are adorned with individual “El Ashmodai”, diabolic figurines, designed by Károly Senyey, that signify a blend of coffee and meditation), the lavish interior is astonishing. Marble, bronze, velvet, silk, panel paintings and Venetian chandeliers combine with a noticeable scent of moneyed clientele to produce a cafe/restaurant that has to be seen to be believed.

Fancy something a bit more down to earth but just as “landmark”? Then perhaps Müvész Café (Andrássy út 29) will do the trick. Diagonally across from the State Opera House, this is as close to an authentic 19th century grand salon-style establishment as you’ll ever see. It survived the Communist period pretty much intact, and because of that its interior is a wonder of virtually discontinued design: high ceilings, stately chandeliers, beautifully crafted marble tables, a wrap-around counter and magnificent banquettes. What’s not to love?

Indeed, what’s not to love about Gerloczy Café (Gerlóczy utca 1), either? While it may not have the acute sense of history of other similar city establishments, it is located on a calm, leafy square tucked behind Váci utca (a good street for shopping, by the way), and could be confused for a bona fide Parisian bistro. In fact, when director Steven Spielberg effectively annexed the city in 2005 for his film Munich, Gerloczy Café doubled as one; so it’s more European by design, maybe, than strictly Hungarian, a stance typified by its menu, which is somewhat more international.

Did we say European by design? Strike that in terms of Café Menza (Liszt Ferenc tér 2), which is so deliberately retro in terms of its compositional likeness to Soviet-style canteens (rigid geometrical lines stretched metro-map style across the walls in varying tones of orange and brown) that you’d expect nettle soup to be on the menu and copies of One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich to be distributed free on entry. It also might not help that the near-as-dammit English translation of “menza” is “cheap canteen”. Don’t be sidetracked by the design or the description, though; this place, literally seconds way from the implausibly appealing Oktogon Square, is quite likely the coolest modern eating/drinking place in the city.

WHICH BRINGS US back, reasonably neatly, to the question we asked at the start of this glimpse into Budapest coffee culture: which would you choose between the class of Café Gerbeaud and the clash of Szimpla Kertmozi Café? The answer really depends on what kind of mood you’re in: are you looking for grand architecture or grunge atmosphere? Do you want strongly considered design or are you in the mood for dishevelment? Dress up or down? Harmony or discord? Midday or midnight?

If it’s the latter half of these questions that you’re nodding to, then you’ve got to check out Szimpla Kertmozi, which is located in the back streets of District VII. It is, quite simply, the most unusual café/bar you will ever set eyes on. Employing a less-than-zero design sensibility, it is known, indigenously, as a “ruin bar”, which is wholly indicative of its mismatched chairs, tables and sofas, and its overall air of visual dissonance. The pitch is short and sweet: Szimpla Kertmozi is funky post-industrial getting it on with the chill-out zone in a dystopian, alternate universe. Is it a dream as devised by Hieronymus Bosch? No. Is it a future-shock version of the kind of joint in which Blade Runner’s Deckard might meet a rogue replicant for an espresso before telling them their time had run out? Possibly.

Then again, perhaps it’s just an example of Budapest coffee culture in all its lop-sided, head-spinning glory. After which, frankly, it’s back down to earth with a visit to Gerbeaud or Gerloczy, and a cup of their finest.

Budapest where to . . .

Eat

Manna Lounge, Palota út 17. Tel: 00-36-20-999-9188 or see mannalounge.com. On a hot day this is the place to hide. It sits atop the tunnel running under Castle Hill, and comes with a very cool design, an excellent menu and an extensive, dependable wine list. Open daily, from noon to midnight; on weekend nights mellow live music assists the digestion.

Klassz, Andrassy út 41. By name as by nature? This well-designed restaurant is one of the city’s best. Early arrival (or having a lot of patience) is necessary as they don’t take reservations.

Podma Café, Podmaniczky út 14. Tel: 00-36-1-3022696 or see podmacafe.hu. What, no coffee? For tea lovers only, try this calm and cool space that offers over 50 tea varieties and a no-smoking policy.

Stay

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Erzsébet tér 7-8. Tel: 00-36-1-4293777 or see kempinski.com/budapest. In keeping with this rather elegant and stylish franchise, this hotel is a striking building complete with sizable rooms, an attractive series of subtly interconnecting lounge/dining spaces, and an alfresco area ideal for early/late dining. Doubles from €129.

Hotel Art, Király Pál út 12. Tel: 00-36-1-266-2166 or see bestwestern-ce.com. Located in a quiet side street in the heart of old Pest, this award winner features classy, original architecture and very agreeable rooms. Transylvanian dishes a speciality. Free Wi-Fi. Doubles from €69.

Radisson SAS Béke, Teréz körút 43. Tel: 00-36-1-889-3900 or see radissonblu.com. Situated on Grand Boulevard, the city’s main thoroughfare, this chain hotel is ideal for both leisure and business travellers. On-site restaurant, Olive’s, meanwhile, serves gourmet Italian food. Free Wi-Fi. Doubles from €70.

What to do

Walking Tour Buda: this two-hours-plus tour is ideal for those who want their culture in bite-sized chunks. Starting at 10am from the House of Hungarian Culture Foundation, you get to see the most prominent sights of the magnificent Buda Castle, as well as the Gothic structure of the Fishermen’s Bastion. The tour is free with the Budapest Card, or around €9. See multigotours.com.

Szechenyi Bath Spa (szechenyibath.com). Well, it’d be rude not to, wouldn’t it, seeing as Budapest is the city of spas. Szechenyi Bath Spa was the city’s first (on the Pest side), and remains a resident and visitor attraction par excellence (or whatever that is in Hungarian). Open 6am-10pm daily.