Budapest Cafe “New York”
I’ll let you in on a “secret.” No one in their right mind goes to the “New York Café” to eat or drink coffee. People come here to marvel at the stunning interiors and, of course, to take photos of themselves. Coffee is just a pleasant bonus. But it’s definitely worth it! No wonder that, in some long-ago year, some reputable publication made yet another “best of the best” list and named the New York Café “the most beautiful café in the world.”
Location
Erzsébet krt. 9-11 (link to Google Maps). The nearest metro and tram stop is Blaha Lujza. It’s a 10-minute walk from the Szimpla ruin bars, so you can check out both the glamour and… not-so-glamorous in one stroll.
Opening hours
Daily 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Table Reservation
You can book online at newyorkcafe.hu. You can also check the menu on the site beforehand.
During peak season, table reservations are only available for dinner from 6 PM until closing. At other times, there’s a live queue. If you plan, like everyone else, to pop in, have a coffee with dessert, and take some photos, I recommend not booking anything. The wait will most likely be around twenty minutes.
New York Café – History and Legends
This story began in the 19th century, when a Hungarian teacher, Miksa Aranyi, moved to Budapest, studied law, changed his name to the German version — Max Aufrich — and in Paris met the director of the New York Insurance Company, who entrusted him with developing the insurance business in the Hungarian capital. And where does business start? With a MacBook a luxurious office! By 1894, a magnificent four-story building with a café on the ground floor had been built in the very center of Budapest.
They say that when the café opened its doors to visitors, everyone was so impressed by the interiors that Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár took the keys and threw them into the Danube so the café would never close again.
Pause here, so you can also take a moment to be impressed by the interiors.
The story about Molnár is just a beautiful legend, because the Danube is several kilometers away, and it’s unlikely he could have thrown the keys all the way to the river. Besides, he was still a schoolboy when the café opened. But in 2014, the new managers of the New York Café learned of this story and actually threw keys into the Danube, with the comment — the café may not stay open forever, but for the next 120 years, definitely.
There’s another legend: it was expected that the café would attract all of the Hungarian aristocracy, but they were put off by sixteen little devil figures holding lanterns on the façade of the building. On the other hand, the bourgeoisie loved it.
A little clarification for the whole bohemian crowd: aristocrats are noble by birth, the bourgeoisie by acquisition (buying titles, marriages).
After 1900, the café passed into new hands and became a regular hangout for writers, poets, and playwrights. Since these were not wealthy clients, the menu included the “writer’s plate” — an inexpensive assortment of sliced cheeses and meats, sometimes served on credit. And the “dog tongue” — a napkin with ink and coffee. The dog tongue had to be removed soon after because the ink kept spilling on the sofas.
During World War II, the building suffered heavy damage, was repaired, and for a short time, the café spaces housed a sports shop, then became a coffeehouse again. There were plans to close everything and open a theater or cultural center. This continued until 2001, when the entire New York Palace was bought by the Italian Boscolo Group. In 2006, Boscolo opened the five-star Boscolo Hotel and, of course, the renovated New York Café. In 2020, Boscolo sold part of the business, including the Hungarian branch, to Covivio. The hotel is now called Anantara New York Palace Budapest, and naturally, the café was left untouched.
What to Eat at the “New York”
The couple at the table to the right ordered two cappuccinos, the couple at the table to the left had two homemade lemonades. Because at the New York Café, people come to admire the interiors and take photos. For actual meals, you need to go elsewhere in Budapest.
So:
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Cappuccino – 3,700 HUF (€9)
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Iced tea – 3,145 HUF (€8)
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Tiramisu – 4,255 HUF (€11)
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Somlói Galuska (Hungarian dessert) – 4,255 HUF (€11)
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Service charge 15% (mandatory, noted in the menu) – 2,303 HUF (€6)
Total: €45.
Don’t listen to anyone who says that the New York Café is purely a tourist spot and not worth visiting. Yes, it’s touristy. But that’s no reason not to see its beauty with your own eyes, right? The Trevi Fountain is a tourist spot too. And when else will you get the chance to have coffee in a Versailles-like setting? In short — you absolutely have to go!
