As the capital of a country renowned for its food and wines, there’s no shortage of culinary delights in Budapest. No foodie visit to Budapest, however, would be complete without a pilgrimage to its ruin bar hipster shrines – pre-war buildings done up just enough to pass health and safety regulations, draped with quirk and whimsy, and paired with a great atmosphere for drinking the night away. Without any further ado, here’s a few you should keep an eye out for in Budapest.
Szimpla Kert
Situated in the heart of the city’s Jewish Quarter, Szimpla Kert is an institution at this point, being the birthplace of the iconic ruin bar concept. Having opened in 2004, drinking in Szimpla Kert is a mesmerising experience with a great selection of different specialist bars, including cocktail bars, Hungarian craft beer bars, wine bars and just got old fashioned anything goes bars. It can feel a little touristy and can sometimes be hard to find a free seat – or Trabant – but it’s still a great place to sample what the city has to offer.
Street Food Karaván
While not really a ruin bar per se, this food court situated in something of a dilapidated courtyard right next to Szimpla Kert is a good spot to grab reasonably priced Hungarian street food and wash it down with a beer. Again, it can feel a little touristy and hard to find a seat, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth visiting. From sausages and langos to Hungarian chimney cakes, this is a good shout for those who want to try a bit of everything.
Csendes
Right in the heart of Budapest, Csendes is a former café dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire with rather disturbing decorations adorning its walls. While the other ruin bars can get a bit wild, Csendes keeps its head on its uncomfortably refined shoulders.
For Sale Pub
With an odd American old west (I’m guessing here) theme, this bar just across the street from the Budapest Grand Market is a popular and very reasonably placed place to grab a drink or extraordinarily sized traditional Hungarian dish. Visitors to the bar pin everything from origami to business cards and doodles to its walls, while candles flicker excitedly just a couple of feet away. Visit this strange little place before it burns down.
Red Ruin
While this bar doesn’t really feel like a ruin bar, it’s a bar and has ruin in the name so let’s say it is for simplicity’s sake. Stocked full with local craft beers and spirits, this communism-themed bar pokes fun at the communist history of the country and, well, communism in general while heavy metal plays in the background. It’s something of an odd reminder of the city’s not too distant past, which you can contemplate as you nurse a beer.
There are many, many more to visit in the city with these just being a few. For more ideas, check out this post here.
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