May

Sweet Days Chocolate Festival

lots of people on the festival on Szt. Istvan Sqr., photo taken from the steps of the Basilica
Sweet Days At St. Stephen Square

Venue:

  • Szent István Square in front of the Basilica and Zrínyi Street

Getting There:

  • M1, M2 M3 metros Deák Ferenc stop, tram 2 Eötvös tér or Széchenyi tér stops

Opening Hours:

  • 30. Sept- 01. Oct, Friday and Saturday: 10.00 – 22.00,
  • 02. Oct, Sunday: 10.00 – 21.00

Admission:

  • FREE – You pay for the sweet treats, food, drinks.
Front photo of St. Stephen's Basilica and lots of festival visitors on the square in front of it
The Basilica Of Budapest

A great family program not just for lovers of chocolate.

The venue in itself is impressive, the largest church of the city overlooks the event on the sprawling square of Szent István tér.

  • Zrínyi Street connecting the Basilica with the Danube bank

More Than Chocolates & Cakes…

The Sweet Days Festival is not exclusively about artisan chocolates and chocolatiers anymore.

In fact it seems that it’s less about chocolates but most everything else:

  • Say Cheese Budapest – cheese cakes (Dráva utca 10., district XIII.)
  • Hideg Nyalat – paleo, vegan, artisan ice creams
  • Hisztéria Cremeria Ice Cream parlor
  • Cocó7 Chocolatier
  • Cakes and desserts (Marangona, Desszert.Neked, Rachel’s Flódni),
  • Donuts – The Box Donut shop (Teréz krt. 62., on Nagykörút/Grand Blvd.)
  • Kürtöskalács (Sekler Cake – Vitéz Kürtös will make this traditional local pastry),
  • Wines – look for the VinCE Borsarok fro some splendid wines from Tokaj, the Garamvári Wine Estate or Italain wines.
  • Pálinka – distillates made from 100 % fruit
  • Coffee – Pellini makes espressos, cappuccinos etc. from beans roasted Italian style, as well as invites you to  thematic coffee tasting sessions at their stall at No. 17. Nespresso also will be there.
  • Even some street food bars (Piknik Utcabár, Kolbice, Paneer, Vega Bistro, Paleo & Belgian Waffles) will be present.
our 6 years old boy holding the rose-shaped ice cream in cone in his hands, he is wearing a yellow Minion's baseball cap

So, even if you don’t have sweet tooth you can still have a wonderful time over the three days:

Sip wine, pálinka, or whiskey,
Have burgers or other quality fast food, or
If you’re health conscious you can drink fresh fruit smoothies by the Veggie Raw Vegan Bistro (Veggie Nyers Vegán Bisztró they offer free tastings each day at 18.00, look for stand No. 30).

A Few Of My Personal Favorites:

the stall of Sugar with cakes, macarons, lolipops, in the counter
Sweet Treats By Sugar Shop
  • Marangona (Bimbó utca 2., Buda, district II.) – a spacious, romantic dessert shop in Buda (tram 4, 6, Széna tér stop) with delicious cakes, desserts, biscuits, ice cream in summer.
  • Desszert. Neked (Paulay Ede u. 17., district VI.) – another great cake shop, this one is in Pest in a street running parallel with Andrássy Avenue. French-style cakes and desserts are their specialties.
  • Pataki Confectionery from Érd town south of Budapest – marvellous traditional as well as more new wave cakes, and ice cream.
  • Sugar! Design Confectionery – Paulay Ede utca 48., district VI. – cakes, tartes, cupcakes,  lollipops, candies, ice cream – a must for everyone with a sweet tooth!
  • Zangio – handcrafted bonbons, their shop is opposite the Great Synagogue at 6., Wesselényi utca.

Chocolatiers, Bonbon Makers on the Festival

chocolate bars in black wrappers at Chocome
Award-Winner Chocolates By ChocoMe

Quite a few chocolate makers will be present so you will have a wide spectrum of sweets to choose from

  • Sokkoládé – handmade bonbons from Belgian chocolate.
  • chocoMe – award winner pralines and chocolates
  • Csokicsel Artisan chocolates – makes various tools and utensils and other funny objects from chocolate (screwdriver, pinchers, key, scissors)
  • Levande Design Chocolate
  • Passionate & elit chocolate
  • Bolka Chocolates

Some of the Programs

Programs, workshops are in Hungarian but you can still enjoy the visual experience even if you don’t understand what’s said.

Friday

15.00 – Secret of the Macaron made by Bolka Chocolates

16.00 – A plate dessert made by the Kempinski Corvinus Hotel’s confectioner

15.00-16.00 – Anikó Csáreczki, chef of Société – The world of French desserts

19.00 – Concerts by Hungarian bands (nági Acoustic, Kamilka and Pesti Sikk)

a range of shot glass desserts in  glass case

Saturday

11.00 – Barista show by Mantaro Café

12.00 – Árpád Szűcs from the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace makes almond pana cotta with strawberries and granola, as well as classic Dobos cake

16.00 – Almond tarte with pear simmered in red wine – by Desszert.Neked Cake Shop

18.00-19.00 – Chocolate and alcohol – by Whiskynet – 3 whiskey and 3 chocolates

19.00-21.30 Concerts by Hungarian bands: Fanni Mayer Acoustic, Klára hajdú and Krisztián Oláh Duett, Abigél Cserpes Acoustic

Sunday

12.00 – Rocket Ice Cream – made with nitrogen gas from fresh ingredients, the star of this summer (they can be found in Karaván Street Food courts in Kazinczy Street)

13.00 – Rawnie by Naspolya Nassolda: raw brownie made without flour, sugar, dairy products and even baking.

14.00 – Cake design show with Rachel Raj cake designer

15.00 – Péter László from KIOSK (Március 15. Square) makes a traditional Hungarian pastry: Darázsfészek with custard and ice cream

16.00 – Hungary’s Cake 2022: Balatoni Habos Mogyoró (Hazelnut Mousse Torte)

17.00 – Spectacular decorations from caramel by Vilmos Farkas

18.00 – Steve Sam & Nagy Kristóf Bozont concert

19.00 – Concert by the Monarchia String Quartet

See also the official website of the event.

Related

Budapest Events in SeptemberJewish Sumer FestivalBudapest Wine FestivalNational Gallop Heroes’ Square – Cultural Heritage Days