Stop in at Café Gerbeaud in the heart of Budapest to experience one of the most traditional coffee houses in Europe. The legendary Gerbeaud was established in 1858. Walk inside to sample the coffee culture of the city’s ‘golden era’ in an elegant setting of magnificent chandeliers, marble tables, and highly polished wood. Shiny counters display mouth-watering pastries, including all kinds of famous cream cakes, extravagant baked goods and exquisite ice-creams.
We visited Café Gerbeaud after an afternoon of wandering through the shops on Vaci utca. Café Gerbeaud is at the end of this pedestrian mall where in warm seasons a large outdoor patio awaits the weary shopper. Sit down and examine the menu, filled with wonderful pastries with mystical names such as Dobos tortes or Esterhazy. Most non-Europeans do not know what type of pastry they will actually receive when selecting a treat from the menu, but it is fun to experiment and see what you end up with. Watch Hungarians and tourists alike meander through the square while enjoying a pastry of sipping a fine coffee.
A trip inside of Café Gerbeaud is where the real splendor is found. To the right a row of gleaming glass counters display cakes, pastries and ice-cream. Take your time perusing the selection behind the glass to find the perfect indulgence. Next to the pallor is an opulent seating area exceeding the grandeur of a typical old-fashioned coffee house. Crystal chandeliers drip above several small tables in a room trimmed with burnished wood paneling. Art and wall sconces adorn the walls while thick deeply colored velvet drapes divide the room.
Visit Café Gerbeaud, one of Budapest’s many gems, to step back in time with the cultured nostalgia of years past while sampling some of its famous gastronomical delights.