Budapest, Hungary

Journey to an East-Central European city full of architectural treasures, free-spirited ruin bars, and stylish hidden rooftops.

Szimpla Kert is an eclectic Ruin Bar in the city’s 7th District

Two hearts of one city are separated by the Danube River, where each side is distinguished in their own right. Budapest is the real deal — no forced charm, no false pretenses, and a sort of nitty gritty if you find yourself on the local streets of the Pest side. There’s an attainability to it all and that’s what makes it so authentic.

We (euro moms!) stayed on the Buda Side at the Hilton Hotel which resides directly atop the steep and majestic Buda Hill in the 1st District. Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion are our neighbors here, their presence commanding attention each time we stroll by. Both the Late-Gothic Roman Catholic church and the turreted lookout fortress are ticketed, which can be easily purchased on site. To reach Buda Hill from elsewhere in the city take the Funicular for a swift ride to the top.

The Buda Castle District is clean and quaint with coffee shops touting chimney cakes and pretty street-side restaurants that feel tourist crowd geared until you walk (many steps!) down the backside of the hill into Stand 25 Bisztro; a neighborhood destination, (maybe like a Café Cluny!) but make it cozy Hungarian cuisine. The Slowly Baked Duck Leg with spring onion potatoes over jus and a cabbage apple salad was easeful with crispy skin and meat gracefully sliding from the bone. They offer Hungarian wine pairings, I drank a Luka Enikő, Kefrankos, a Blaufränkisch (that’s the type of grape) red wine. The dessert pancakes with homemade piedmont hazelnut cream are an elevated version of the Nutella crepe; proving Stand 25 is a trifecta of comfort.

We decidedly spent more time on the opposing Pest side — it beckons with flat streets, original ruin bars, and local nightlife. It is also home to Heroes Square, St Stephens Cathedral, The Hungarian Parliament, Shoes On the Danube and Dohany Street Synagogue. Head over the Széchenyi Chain Bridge bridge in a Bolt — download the app for efficient taxi service as there’s no Uber here — or walk over Liberty Bridge letting handsome Danube views lead the way.

That being said, our first order of local fun after we checked into our hotel room was on the Buda Side at Rudas Baths and Szaytor Bar. The thermal baths are glorified indoor swimming pools with tile fountains dispersed in. The crown jewel at Rudas is the octagon rooftop bath — it’s not hot tub hot but a relaxing warm soak boasting river views. With a draft Borsodi in hand, that beginning-of-the-trip excitement feeling set in. We also took a dip in the cold plunge pool. It’s go time!

Baths Tip: Towels are not provided here, we showed up not knowing otherwise and had to purchase. They cost $17 each. The more you know!

Szaytor Bar is a scenic 15 minute walk from Rudas. The host could not find our reservation, apprehensively stuck us at a weird table, we showed them the actual reservation email, they moved us to a reserved table in the front near the windows. If bars take reservations, it seems likely they are big fans of you having one. Szaytor refreshed us with Strawberry Spritzes, Rosé and a terrific charcuterie board with fluffy pitas for dipping in whipped feta, eggplant and hummus spreads.

The next morning greeted us with sunshine and a long run / saunter / walk with espressos around the Buda Side before a Bolt ride over to brunch at Cookie Beacon (on the Pest Side, walk in only).

We were seated right away and our waitress was as bright and bubbly as the rainbow of mimosas she served us. My Apple Pie Mimosa was sour and juicy with a dusting of cinnamon. Cookies as appetizers are kind of a must, try the dreamy Pomegranate Pistachio.

Affirming kitchen creativity is the Grilled Cheese Waffle Sandwich with hunks of squeaky mozzarella cheese, melty cheddar, crisp bacon and avocado crema nestling themselves into the fluffy, extra deep liège waffle pockets.

Cookie Beacon brunch set the tone for a fun and full afternoon of Pest Side sightseeing.

I loved the larger than life bronze statues at Heroes’ Square (Hősök Tere) — here you will find Monuments honoring Kings, Chieftains, Noblemen, Hungarian National Leaders and The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

maxi skirt is from Marine Layer. tee is from Portugal.

From here we walked through City Park and eventually made our way to perusing around the massive exterior of The Parliament and onto the Danube Promenade. The Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial was particularly moving. A pause to reflect on the city’s Jewish / WWII history is of importance here. As we came upon St Stephens Basilica (Szent István Bazilika), we’re fully immersed in the pulse of the Pest side and soon headed up the back elevator at Aria Hotel to High Note SkyBar. We had reservations for 4:30 pm and we’re right on time.

High Note SkyBar is everything in these moments, is probably everything to anyone who decides to make a reservation and finds themselves sprawling on the sunny yellow terrace surrounded by the Basilica clock towers and grand cupola or inside among a swirling sea of luxe gold marbled banquets and shiny fixtures.

They have a two page spread dedicated to Gin & Tonics. I am sipping the Scapegrace Gold Gin with Franklin & Sons Indian Tonic.

Euro Moms, did you facetime your kids today? (yes, i think we all did at some point, though admittedly not every day. )

Our next daytime drinking destination finds us at a Ruin Bar, and probably the most iconic one at that: Szimpla Kert. Ruin Bars are a core part of Budapest’s identity, formerly abandoned buildings in the Jewish Quarter restored to different degrees of eclecticism with a free spirit chillness factor for hanging and imbibing anywhere from late afternoon until late in the morning.

Hi I turned 40 this year and it brings me ultimate joy to take selfies in cool mirrors. You gotta do you to the fullest, even if it’s a little weird. One life, ya know?

From sky high cocktail-ing to grunge beers in the old ghettos, I could go cliché and tell you this city has something for everyone, but what I really want to do is give a nod to the locals. You’ll fit in wherever you want to fit in and no one is trying too hard to make sure you do or you don’t. Budapest, Budapesters, are relaxed like that. That’s what makes it easy. That’s what makes it free of fuss. You’ll feel welcome because everyone is awesome, nothing is forced, everywhere you go.

The Duchess rooftop kicked off our night with 7 pm reservations.

If we’re calling out serendipitous moments (I am now because

Kaitlyn Ramsay

said so!) it is that my dress matches exactly the shade of green inhabiting the swanky space. A little gift from the universe to say, make an extra harmonious photo collage for your newsletter.

The Duchess is emerald greens and rich golds, peacocks and giraffes, and the clouds and sun of the evening sky unfolding over a calm Erzsébet Bridge cityscape. There’s not too much traffic here. Nor tall buildings. It’s a city that wants to remind you life isn’t hectic or built on a skyscraper mentality.

It is a city that wants to quietly say: we have superb restaurants and our country makes phenomenal wines! Enter: Babel with one Michelin Star. I’m here for an experience. I’m here for comfort and white linen. For upholstered chairs, dim lighting, sparkling crystal glassware and shiny cutlery. I’m here for a sommelier to recite poetry about Hungarian wine. I’m here to be wooed with 9 courses. I’m here for delicate bites of food magic to consume my brain with thoughts of how art translates to taste and how kitchen sorcery + all that wine adds up to so much fun.

Menus for this type of experience break it down in the simplest form. (While the in depth details are shared tableside). We had smoked eel with salmon roe and layered potatoes with mangalica bacon for the requisite amuse bouches. A white asparagus with almond and buttermilk. A casino egg with sturgeon caviar. Fish Soup 2.0 with turbot & cauliflower. Guinea Foul with a steamed bun. Venison with cranberry & mushroom. Orange Blossom with polenta & citrus. Extraordinary petit fours. All served on crockery and plates designed exclusively for Babel. We’re all in on the wine pairings too. We left…feeling exactly as you might feel after nine glasses of wine and a star backed meal. Really fucking good. And slightly shocked at how much we spent.

Hotsy Totsy is a no reservations subterranean speakeasy where a deck of cards presents your cocktails. The Adonis with Fino Sherry was my cap on the night.

I’m going to share where we ate and drank on our third day in Budapest next week: there’s another Michelin star (lunch this time) and a super traditional Hungarian dinner (goulash!)

See you then.

xx,

Kristen