Is New York Café Budapest The World's Most Beautiful Cafe?

New York Café Budapest menu

Of course, visiting one of the best cafes in the world wouldn't be complete without indulging in a glass of bubbles. Or a unique coffee like a 24kt gold cappuccino or latte from the New York Palace Café menu.

Give in to the temptation to try one of the mouthwateringly decadent cakes like chocolate torte. Or linger for longer and order the New York Café afternoon tea for two.

For those who prefer savoury to sweet, there is a range of dishes from hamburgers to omelettes to pasta.

If you want both sweet and savoury, opt for the 'Franz Joseph Experience', named after the 19th-century King of Hungary. It includes beef goulash and noodle soup, pies, cakes, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

While prices at the New York Cafe may make your eyes water, you must expect to splurge a little when experiencing such grandiose surroundings.

They are on the same scale as other world cafes like Caffè Florian in St Mark's Square Venice, where you pay more because it's a bucket list experience.

A resident band arrives at 11 a.m. to play while you dine at the New York cafe, so it's a thumbs up from me.

The food, drinks, surroundings, and music make this beautiful Budapest café a must-visit on a trip to Budapest. If you're like me, you will love experiencing one of the world's best coffee shops.

New York Café opening hours

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 08:00 a.m. - 24:00

Breakfast: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

The New York Café is open for walk-ins only, so expect long queues (but it's worth the wait).

Dinner Reservations

Dinner reservations for tables after 6:00 p.m. can be booked via the New York Cafe website.

Address

Find the New York Palace Café at 1073 Erzsébet krt. 9-11, 1073 Hungary

New York Café history

It seems pretty strange that one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest is called the New York Café. But there is a good reason for its name!

One hundred twenty-five years ago, the opulent building was designed as the Hungarian headquarters for the New York Life Insurance Company.

Coffee houses were also used as meeting places to conduct business in the late 19th century. Combine the two, and the beautiful coffee shop at New York Life became the place to be seen.

Hungary's most important news agencies had offices on the second floor and spent time in the cafe making connections.

Writers, poets, artists, and musicians of the time would gather to talk, debate, and swap creative ideas. Little did they know that decades later, their local meeting spot would become one of the most beautiful coffee shops in the world.

'There is no literature without a Café'

Sándor Márai, a 20th-century Hungarian writer who frequented the New York Café.

The cafe fell into disrepair following WWll and reopened briefly in the 1950s as the restaurant Húngaria. After that, the building became a store selling sporting equipment.

Finally, the Italian hotel chain Boscolo bought the New York Palace. Boscolo set about sympathetically renovating the hotel and cafe to their former glory. I think they did a spectacular job of bringing back to life one of the world's best coffee shops.

Why is New York Café Budapest famous?

It is famous for its interior! It is one of the most instagrammable cafes in Budapest and one of the most photographed cafes around the world.

Italian Renaissance-style frescoed ceilings showcase Venetian glass chandeliers. Gilded balustrades with delicate pastel walls make this amazing cafe feel like a palatial stateroom inside a noble palace. The upper terrace viewing balcony lends itself to the old-world Hungarian glitz and glamour of bygone times.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the cafe is stuffy and pretentious. Far from it, the New York Café welcomes tourists to experience why it holds such a prestigious title.

A visit to this flourishing cafe, which is still going strong after 125 years, is a must when visiting Budapest.

Is the New York Café Budapest worth visiting?

Absolutely! You will enjoy mouthwatering dishes while immersed in a piece of Hungarian history.

It is awe-inspiring to see the incredible decor inside this building. The menu prices are high compared to other Budapest cafes, but that's because the New York Café is unique!

Where to stay in Budapest

I highly recommend staying at the 5-star Anantara New York Palace Hotel while you are in Budapest. Not only is it a luxury hotel with amenities to match, but you can catch the lift downstairs straight into the New York Cafe - so cool!