New York Cafe in Budapest: Elegance at Its Best

New York Cafe in Budapest: Elegance at its Best: If you want to feel like royalty for a day, slowly sip your cup of high tea while classical music fills the air, the New York Café in Budapest is the place for you. This 120-year-old café is known as the most beautiful café in the world and rightly so. The café exudes aristocratic splendor and an artistic atmosphere that is bound to captivate your senses. Let’s look at what makes New York Café a timeless classic.

History of the New York Café

The story of the New York Café goes far back into the 20^th century. It was one of the grandest cafes of its times, popular among artists, royalty, and common folk alike. The café would serve free coffee and ink to young writers in exchange for poems, to keep alive dreams and literature.

The gallery of the café also acted as the office space for some major newspapers of its times, and the place was always buzzing with music, art, and political discussions. No doubt the New York Café became the birthplace of some prolific writers as well as literature. However, after the second world war, the café fell upon dark times and underwent neglect, and eventually served as a goods shop.

It all changed for the better in 2006 when the New York Café got a new life. Its doors were reopened to the public as a luxury hotel, and the interiors of the building were redone to match its original Italian Renaissance-style architecture. When the café reopened, it felt like traveling back in time, with every bit of its original glitz and glamor restored.

The Interiors-New York Cafe in Budapest

Think grandiose, elaborate beauty, and princely. These are the exact words that best define the interiors of the café. As you walk into the New York Café,the exterior is flanked by two imposing devilish statues holding lanterns, a symbol of coffee and thoughts. Next, a long line of tables with plush red chairs greets you. Your eyes immediately wander to the ceiling of the café. Adorned with glistening chandeliers, intricatefrescoes, and gold embossed ornate carvings the café interiorstransport you to Bella Epoque, a period in history when European civilization achieved its greatest power in politics, prosperity, and peace. The café is separated by imposing marble columns at regular intervals and is a constant reminder of the café’s rich history and opulent traditions.

The New York Café Menu

The café offers an expansive choice of breakfast menus as well as lunch options. But what steals the show is their delectable choice of cakes and afternoon tea options. We are talking about finger sandwiches, bonbons, macrons, mini cakes, and prosecco all plated to perfection. If that wasn’t enough, their 24 karat gold cappuccinos are truly a meal fit for a king.

The dinner menu is also influenced by Astro-Hungarian monarchy with options such as roasted pink duck breast, beef goulash soup, aged pork with ham chutney, and foie gras with pickled vegetables. When it comes to desserts you will find a mix of exotic offerings such as ganache with mango and coconut as well as more traditional selections such as cheesecake dripping with homemade apricot jam and apple strudel.

In 1900, the New York Café offered an affordable platter with cold cuts, cheese, and breadspecially designed for budding writers. It was impressive to see the modern-day café following similar traditions with options such as a delicate Hungarian cheese plate with fig chutney on the menu.

The Man Behind the Unique Treats-New York Cafe in Budapest

Behind all the magic that is brewed on the plate is chef Andras Wolf who is well recognized for his cooking skills and craftsmanship. The menu at the New York Café under Andras’s supervision focuses on bringing back forgotten Hungarian dishes and redefining them. His concept of the Essential Hungarian Gastronomy focuses on keeping the authenticity of traditional dishes intact while enhancing the texture, taste, and presentation to keep up with modern times.

The New York Café Strikes a Chord

A few years ago the café introduced live gypsy music to exalt the café’s eclectic ambiance and delicious food. The café previously played music occasionally but now it’s an everyday event where musicians play a repertoire of classical as well as new age music. The instrument of choice is the clarinet, a traditional Hungarian instrument. Very few hotels in Budapest offer such kind of a musical experience and the management of the New York Café believe that the guests at the café deserve extravaganza in all respects while sipping their coffee.

Like a Picture Postcard-New York Cafe in Budapest

Another unique tradition offered by the café is keeping alive the forgotten tradition of letter writing. While at the café you can request a postcard and a pen and write to someone. In the age of social media and instant messages, writing postcards is a forgotten practice, but it is far more personal and thoughtful. The gesture is a good way to appreciate the ways of a bygone era without eliminating it from our lives. Above all, the staff at the New York Café will post your postcard on your behalf. So go ahead and pour your thoughts out.

After Dark Affair

In case you are not in the mood for coffee, a salon above the café offers a bar with a view of the hotel. These balconies were originally billiard rooms and were later redone. Today the bar at the New York Café is a center for the city’s nightlife as well as eminent guests. The bar area is awash with opalescent light with special boxes and booths suitable for playing rummy.

In a Snapshot-New York Cafe in Budapest

The New York Café is a slice of pure elegance and sophistication. It is a one-a-of-kind, experience that Budapest has to offer. The aftereffects of the sights, sound, and taste experienced in the café lingers for long afterward and make a lasting memory. This is one royal affair that you do not want to miss.