Favourite Terraces to Enjoy Summer in Budapest

With the arrival of the first warm sunny days Budapest’s streets fill up with parasoled terraces tempting both tourists and locals to enjoy the fine weather by a cup of coffee or other drink.

Here are our favourite places with outdoor seating! Some are located in

  • busy neighbourhoods like the Jewish Quarter or the heart of the city,
  • others are a bit hidden offering more peaceful atmosphere.

Cafes, restaurants  – both indoor and outdoor – have opened in the first part of June. Staff is required to wear mask and gloves.

Indoor seating has shrunk since every other table had to be taken out to comply with the Covid-19 measurements.

Quick Links:

KioskBálna TerraceRaqpartPontoonAkadémia Italia (Basilica) – Akvárium TerraceSzamos Today (Parliament) – Egyetem SquareLiszt Ferenc SquareKadarka Bárka (Margaret Island) – Zsiráf (Eiffel Sqr.)Jászai SquareMillennium Háza

Budapest Terraces with the Best Views

people seating under blue parasols and the lwan in front of the white building of Kiosk
Kiosk Terrace

Kiosk

Address: Március 15. tér 4, Bp 1056

Open:

  • Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs, Sun: 12.00 – 24.00
  • Fri, Sat: 12.00 – 01.00 am

Located near the Pest end of Elizabeth Bridge the Kiosk offers unbeatable views of Gellért Hill and the Danube. If you arrive at midday try the daily menu of 2 or 3 courses (2 100 HUF/2 550 HUF).

You can enjoy breakfast between 08.30 – 11.30 – have a croissant with coffee and take in the morning panorama. Go for a full breakfast if you are really famished and not on a strict diet.

I appreciate the vegan option: green pea potato flat bread with roasted tomato, bean salad, ruccola (2 750 HUF).

Kiosk is a place where you can have a taste of our flavourful cuisine, too:

  • goulash (1 750 HUF), greean pea soup (zöldborsó leves – 1 450 HUF),
  • Chicken paprikash (3 650 HUF).

You can also pop in just for a drink – you will have wide choice from the cocktail or wine list.

TIP: Use tram 2 to get to Kiosk.

Bálna Terrace

Bálna terrace: people sitting on the terrace of Bálna in Pest, overlooking the Danube on a sunny summer day
Bálna Terrace

Address: Fővám tér 11-12., Bp. 1093

Open: every day: 10.00 – 24.00

Bálna Terasz, between Petőfi bridge and Liberty bridge is another great place to enjoy a riverside panorama in Budapest.

The Terasz is a favourite of many locals for afterwork beer or cocktail while enjoying the picturesque view.

Besides drinks, you can have burgers, quesadilla (there is vegetarian choice) and other snacks as well as cakes.

A huge plus that it is a bike and animal friendly spot.

a riverside terrace with white clothed tables, raqpart written in white on orange background on the wooden footing

Raqpart

Address: Jane Haining rkp., Bp., 1051, at the foot of the Chain Bridge

Open:

  • Mon, Sun: 12.00 – 01.00 am,
  • Tue: 12.00 – 04.00 am,
  • Wed: 12.00 – 01.30 am,
  • Thurs: 12.00 – 01.00 am,
  • Fri, Sat: 12.00 – 04.00 am

Raqpart is also an ideal choice for an amazing, Insta-worthy background.

Right next to the Chain Bridge in Pest you can admire the view of Royal Palace in Buda Castle, Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church.

Burgers, salads, nachos, fish & chips are the favourite choices in the menu.

Prices between: cc. 2 000 – 4 000 HUF.

Pontoon

Address: Id. Antall József rkp. 1, Bp.  1052, next to the Chain Bridge in Pets

Open: Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 24.00, Sat – Sun: 11.00 – 24.00

Similarly to Raqpart, Pontoon is at the Pest bridgehead of the Chain Bridge with the same breathtaking views of the Buda side and the river Danube.

Oven-baked pizza, a glass chillded drink, sunset, live music – what else would you want for a perfect summer evening?

TIP: The Danube Promenade (Duna Korzó) along the Danube in Pest between Erzsébet Bridge and the Chain Bridge is packed with terrace cafes and restaurants, hotel bistros. Panoráma Terasz next to the Vigadó hall is one of these places.

A bit touristy with pricey items on the menu – Hungarian dishes mainly – but the view is certainly spectacular!

Downtown Budapest Terraces- Outdoor Hangouts

The city centre has some lovely outdoor hangouts too where you can savor the historic ambience along with a drink or nice food.

tables and chairs under white shades in a side street
Akademia Italia Terrace

Akadémia Italia – Basilica

Address: Szent István tér 12, Bp. 1051

Open: Mon – Sun: 09.30 – 23.30

For some Italian feeling head for Akadémia Italia right next to the imposing St. Stephen’s Basilica on Szt. István Square.

It has a spacious terrace where you can have a late breakfast or just a cappuccino with a pastry.

All classic Italian dishes are present on the menu and they have a wide selection of Italian wines too.

The neighbourhood of the Basilica is full of cafes and bistros with terraces on the street:

  • Zrínyi utca,
  • Hercegprimás utca,
  • Sas utca,
  • Nádori utca

are all hotspots of great dining places with alfresco eating option.

Szamos Today – Parliament

Address: Kossuth Lajos tér 10., Bp. 1051 (tram 2)

Open: Mon – Fri: 07.30 – 19.00, Sat, Sun: 09.00 – 19.00

Szamos Today is part of the Szamos Confectionery Chain, a family-owned business specializing in classic Hungarian cakes and pastries.

They have a small outdoor seating area overlooking the Parliament building. If you don’t like sweets try their sandwiches, savoury scones called pogácsa or the daily menu (available on weekdays: 11.30 – 14.00).

Price: soup + main dish: 1 690 HUF, soup + pannini: 1 490 HUF. For +300 HUF you can have  a slice of cake with the menu.

Akvárium Klub & Terrace

Kiosk terrace: colourful chairs and tables on the stairs of the Klub, the Ferris Wheel in the background
Akvárium Terrace

Address: Erzsébet tér 12, Bp. 1051

Open:

  • Mon, Tue: 12.00 – 01.00 am,
  • Wed – Sun: 12.00 – 04.30 am

Akvárium is one of the largest event venues in Budapest with weekly concerts by local and international bands.

It is conveniently located in the herat of the city  at just a short stroll from Deák tér metro hub (M1, M2, M3).

Has a charming lake and a quite spacious terrace dotted with colourful chairs and tables.

It opens at noon so you can enjoy a a simple meal with a cold drink outdoor.

The menu includes burgers, vegetarian samosa, wraps and other comfort food.

tables and rattan chairs on the street lined with trees
Egyetem tér – al fresco eating

Egyetem Square

Adress: Egyetem tér, 1053 Bp., Kálvin tér or Ferenciek tere metro station (M3 line)

A beautiful church dominates the square in the city centre where the New Main Street of Budapest runs between Kálvi tér and Ferenciek tere.

It’s a lovely place for a coffee or light lunch on the terrace of the many cafes and restaurants located in the area.

There is

  • a Pad Thai Wok Bar,
  • burger bar,
  • Hungarian restaurants (SonkaArcok, Alföldi Vendéglő)
  • specialty coffee bars (Forest Cafe in Papnövelde utca, Madal Specialty Coffee Bar on Ferenciek tere),
  • brunch bistro (Gentry Coffee & Brunch in Királyi Pál utca).

TIP: If you have time explore Károlyi Garden, a green oasis in the centre at only 2 min walk from the church on Egyeten tér.

the bronze statue of Franz Liszt sitting, on the square named after him, terraced cafes in the background
Liszt Ferenc tér

Liszt Ferenc Square

Address: Liszt Ferenc tér 4, Bp. 1061

Getting there: trams 4, 6, M1 underground, Oktogon stop

This downtown piazza – stretching between Király Str. and Andrássy Av. -, named after Franz Liszt composer is basically a huge open air dining spot from spring till late autumn.

Visit the Music Academy (Zeneakadémia) on a guided tour or attend a concert there before a plesant dinner at one of the numerous sidewalk cafes.

Socks’ Coffee

Address: Dohány u. 1., Bp., 1074, opposite the Great synagogue

Open:

green slope with plnated shrubs and trees leading down to the terrace of Zsiraf, an office building in the background
Zsiráf

Zsiráf – Eiffel Square

Address: Teréz körút 53., Next to Nyugati Train Station

Getting there: trams, 4, 6, M3 metro: Nyugati tér stop

Look for the terraced green lawn right next to the grand building of the Nyugati Railway Station.

Concrete steps lead down to this nice open air spot, called Zsiráf – an awesome pub with fine beer, lemonade and other drinks.

Hosts concert, design markets and other community and cultural events.

Open:

  • Mon – Thurs: 16.00 – 24.00
  • Fri, Sat: 16.00 – 02.00 am
  • Sun: 16.00 – 24.00

Jászai Mari Square

Location: Jászai Mari tér, Pest end of the Margaret Bridge

This busy square next to Margaret Bridge  has some fine cafes, breakfast places restaurants with terrace.

Try Waycup if you love specialty coffee, delicious pastries, cakes and sandwiches.

They also have daily menu (cream soup for 790 HUF, main course for 1 890 HUF)

bubō is great breakfast place next to Waycup. A wide range of  breakfast menu, bagels, sandwiches, pasta dishes await you there to savour inside or outside.

Try the Croque bubō De Luxe: two fried eggs with smoked salmon and cheese wrapped in toast served with fresh veggies + coffee/tea/cocoa: 2 190 HUF.

It will give you plenty energy to explore the nearby Margaret Island.

Roof Terrace of the WestEnd Shopping Centre

Address: Váci út 1-3., Budapest 1062

This busy shopping mall near Nyugati tér has a lovely rooftop terrace where you can relax with a glass of drink

budapest terraces full of patrons around wooden tables, string of lights on the canvas shade
Kadarka Bárka Wine Bar

Kadarka Bárka Margaret Island

Address: Margitsziget, next to the Athlectic Centre (southern tip)

Getting there: trams 4,6 Margitsziget stop

Kadarka is a wine bar with a beach feeling.

Red beach chairs adorn the sand-covered open-air place where the lush green of the island the closeness of the river offer an escape from the noise of the city.

TIP: Kadarka is a red wine made from a grape variety indigenuous to Hungary.

Hungarian food specialties (paprikash), burgers, tapas, snacks, salads, patés are the main choices if you wish to eat.

Millennium Háza City Park

Address: Olof Palme sétány 1. Bp., 1146, Városliget/City Park

Open:

  • Tues – Fri: 09.00 – 17.00,
  • Sat – Sun: 10.00 – 18.00
  • Mon: Closed

The oldest building in the City Park has reopened after a thorough renovation as the House of Millennium. The exhibition tells the story of Budapest’s largest public park, the Városliget.

The building functions as a n at and cultural centre with lots of programs for families with kids.

The restaurant and cafe evokes the atmosphere of classic coffee house culture Hungary’s capital was famous for at the turn of the 19-20. centuries.

Sip a nice coffee with cake under the shade of giant trees on the terrace. During summer you can also eat a la carte.

Kopaszi Dam

Ráday Street

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