From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

The Astoria Hotel's Mirror Café & Restaurant boasts of its "unique blend of antique and fresh, traditional and modern," and rightfully so. Unlike many of Budapest's other elegant cafés, the Mirror survived the wars and communist regime fairly unscathed. Yet this is not its only source of pride, for the true blend of the traditional and modern comes from the kitchen in its fusion of Hungarian and international delicacies. The duck was a favorite amongst our group. Visit the café's website, to view its menu (both the site and menu are available in Hungarian, English, and Deutsch.) And while such delicious foods and sophisticated ambiance do not come cheap, the café's coffee and dessert menu is comparable to Centrál Café and cheaper than many of the tourist-geared coffeehouses (kávéház) on the nearby shopping street Váci utca.

So if you're near the Astoria stop on the piros metro (Red M2), the newspapers and magazines in Cafe Mirror beckon you to come and relax with a cappuccino or hot chocolate and torte. If it's around meal time, why not try one of the fusion dishes and experience this delightful blend of traditions.

For more information visit their website: Astoria Café Mirror

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Budapest's famous Vaci Utca is home to the popular Anna Café. In fact there are two locations. One bookends the shopping street with a location right across from the Central Market, but the larger--and original--café is just a few blocks away from another tourist hot-spot, Café Gerbeaud. Both Anna locations have terraces with great scenery, though the insides are inviting as well.

Originally a coffeehouse, Anna Café became an espresso café after WWII. Today it creates original coffee creations which you can pair with a decent selection of desserts. Or if you need something more substantial there's also salads and sandwiches. Be forewarned however. Anna Café caters to the tourist; so you'll find few traditional Hungarian foods here, the desserts are tasty but mostly European in style, and its a bit pricey when compared to other quality cafés, like Centrál Café, that are slightly off the main path.

For more information visit their website: Anna Café

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Tucked away on a side street just north of the Hungarian National Museum is a modest little café that won't take a big bite out of your wallet--unlike some of the more famous cafés just a block or so away. And while the selection at Caffé Novo may be smaller, it still offers sandwiches (less than 400 HUF) and salads for a light meal. But more importantly, as the café is part of the Italian Culture Center, it serves an excellent espresso and cappuccino (around 300 HUF). And of course, there's also Italian ice cream and other desserts to complete the meal. Make sure you peruse the Italian books (for sale) in the case that lines one wall topped with posters and the colorful collection of art that covers the other. The friendly staff speaks Italian and some English. So if you're in the neighborhood of the national museum and want a place with quality food at a reasonable price, with a bit of Italian flavor, then make sure you take a stroll down the recently re-vamped Bródy Sándor utca.

For more information visit their website: Istituto Italiano di Cultura

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

When you're ready to splurge on a treat you may want to visit Gerbeaud Café. This is not the spot to order a simple kavé--unless of course you prefer a basic drink to go with any one of the dozen of desserts the café offers. And as Gerbeaud has a long reputation of having some of the best traditional Hungarian pastries passing on dessert would be a shame.

But Gerbeaud is not known just for its pastries, it is one of the oldest and largest cafés in Europe. Since opening in 1858, it has expanded and now includes a full restaurant, catering and banquet hall, pub, confectionary, and coffeehouse--all together spanning the width of a city block (Gerbeaud Ház). Indoors you are surrounded by cultured nostalgia, but a seat outdoors may give you free entertainment. The café is in the wide open Vörösmarty tér at the end of Vaci utca (or the other end of the shopping street from the Central Market) which is often the stage for musicians, events, and dance groups. If no entertainers are on hand you can people watch as the café is right by the Földalatti station (M1 Metro) and across the tér is a lovely statue and small park that is also a tourist draw. Of course being in the heart of the city and surrounded by other tourist attractions, this is not the cheapest place for a bit of refreshment, (coffee drinks range from 610 - 1,900 HUF, desserts 300 - 800 HUF), but still a must at least once if you can afford it.

For more information visit their website: Gerbeaud Café

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Founded in 1887, Centrál Café (Centrál Kávéház or Central Coffeehouse) got its name because it is in fact in the center of Budapest and surrounded by many cultural institutions. It has managed to survive these past 100 years by adapting to the times and the needs of its patrons. It began as an “espresso” bar, then became a red pepper shop, university cafeteria, student club, and, in the 1990s, a casino.

In 2000, it was the first classic coffeehouse that reopened after the fall of communism. Today, as in its early history, journalists, actors, artists, and professors are among the regulars who enjoy Centrál Café's quaint interior and bow-tied waiters. Besides offering a classic charm, the menu is also full of traditional Hungarian and European deserts and coffees. To accompany our excellent cappuccinos we chose the Dobos torte, which was well worth the 600HUF. If you happen to be downtown in the evening, you may want to stop by as they regularly have musical entertainment. We look forward to returning and enjoying the music, as well as a dinner off their recently opened restaurant menu.

In comparison to some of the other historical cafés downtown, it is of interest to note that the wait staff is friendly and the bathrooms are free.

For more information visit their website: Central Café