Page 210 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

208  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Pubs, Bars and Nightlife If money is no object, head for
the Bar and Lobby Lounge, in
To sample the true atmosphere of Budapest, it is essential to the magnificent Gresham Palace
visit the smaller, often quirkier, drinking establishments that hotel, or the super cool Blue
are scattered across the city and into the suburbs. Nowhere is Fox Bar in the Kempinski
this more evident than in the proliferation of uber-cool “ruin” Corvinus Hotel. In fact, most
of the top-end hotels have
pubs (also known as kerts or garden bars) – ramshackle bars bars offering a superb, albeit
set up in previously abandoned buildings and courtyards. expensive, selection of cocktails.
There are also a number of superb wine bars, reflecting the
country’s strong, though still little known about, viticultural Pubs and Bars
heritage. Elsewhere, bright neon and loud music reflect the The number, and variety, of
contemporary cultural interests of Budapest’s youth.
places to drink in Budapest has
improved beyond all recognition
Drinking Customs
normally grab a light snack, like thanks in no small part to the
You will find Budapest a very zsiros kenyér, bread and pork evolution of the so-called “ruin”
friendly and informal place to dripping garnished with raw pub. Set up in dilapidated build-
drink; if you sit at an empty table, onion and sprinkled with paprika; ings or the courtyards of ruined
others will probably join you. or pogácsa, a yeast pan-bread, blocks, these idiosyncratic dens
Note that in traditional pubs a served with crackling, cheese, are characterised by colourfully-
waiter will automatically bring caraway seeds or paprika. decorated, graffiti-strewn rooms
more beer as soon as you appear There are an increasing with furnishings seemingly
to be close to finishing your glass, number of more modern and plucked from the rubbish tip.
unless you indicate otherwise. sophisticated equivalents, Most ruin pubs are concentrated
Toasting a fellow drinker in notably Doblo and DiVino. within the boundaries of the
Hungarian is not the easiest task; There is also Drop Shop Wine seventh (Erzsébetváros) and
Egészségedre! (literally “To Your Bar, where you can taste wines eighth (Józsefváros) districts,
Health”) is the standard way to from every region in Hungary. where you’ll find big hitters such
toast (and even trickier to say Then there are the hotel wine as Szimplakert and Instant, the
after a few drinks). Traditionally bars, the best of which is to latter with in excess of a dozen
in Hungary it was not the done be found in the Hilton Hotel themed rooms. Others, like Most
thing to clink beer glasses (see p188), which houses a stylish Kortárs Bisztró and Szóda Cafe,
together with fellow drinkers. wine bar in a medieval cellar. have a slightly more relaxed vibe.
According to a legend, Austrians Moreover, any good Budapest Budapest is not short of
celebrated the execution of restaurant will have a decent conventional pubs and bars
Hungarian generals after the selection of wines on offer. either; there are dozens of hip
uprising of 1848–9 with beer. The places to drink, particularly
taboo has since passed, but don’t around Liszt Ferenc tér and
be offended if some Hungarians Cocktail Bars Ráday utca, whose alfresco bars
may still politely refuse to clink Budapest is alive with trendy do a roaring trade as soon as
beer glasses with you. cocktail bars that buzz from the weather picks up. Pick of the
the early evening onwards bunch here include Paris, Texas
with a young crowd, enjoying Kévézó. On nearby Jókai tér,
Wine Bars after-work drinks in the Italian Kiadó is a more intimate venue,
Unlike in countries such as fashion (aperitivo). conducive to more contem-
Britain or the United States where The trendiest establishments plative drinking. In summer, you
wine drinking is regarded as a tend to be found on Liszt Ferenc can find plenty of outdoor bars
somewhat middle-class pursuit, tér, one of the city’s main social along the banks of the Danube,
in Hungary it has traditionally hubs, particularly in spring and like Spoon, a large venue on the
been considered a workers’ summer when the cafés and river itself with five bars.
pastime. The old ways of drinking bars spill out onto the tree-lined One of the most lively and
wine are still to be found pavements; here you’ll find trendy areas for drinking, eating
underground, in the borozók of Circus Bar which has a or just going out is in and
Budapest, like Várfok Borozó, in repertoire of fancy cocktails and around the Jewish Quarter.
the Castle District, and Grinzingi serves its own branded beer, There are now more than 250
Borozó and Tokaji Borozó, while another nearby favourite places for all tastes. Gozsdu
both in downtown Pest. is the casual Boutiq’Bar. Court is a good place to start.
A traditional borozó is an In Buda, within a stone’s throw This renovated complex of eight
unglamorous, cheap wine cellar of the Castle District, a hip crowd buildings from 1901, with six
with few tables and chairs, and meets every evening at the inner yards connecting Király
where wine is served straight popular Oscar’s American Bar, utca and Dob utca, is full of
from the barrel and sold by the famous for its selection of more indoor and outdoor cafés, bars,
decilitre; here, too, you can than 200 cocktails. pubs, buffets and restaurants.

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