Literary Meanderings BUDAPEST
Budapest is not a city where people merely read books. Their lives are intimately intertwined with the leisurely pastime. From historic libraries and writers’ cafés to gardens and charming bookshops, local curator and journalist Noémi Viski introduces the capital’s literary soul.
Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library
⚑ Reviczky u. 1, 1088
Some of Budapest’s most beautiful reading rooms can be found in the city’s busiest municipal library, housed in the Neo-Baroque styled Wenckheim Palace built in 1889. On the fourth floor are several reading rooms, once used as reception halls and salons of Count Frigyes Wenckheim’s family. Some of these magnificent spaces feel as if they were lifted straight from the world of Harry Potter. To find a seat in the most beautiful rooms, it’s worth arriving when it opens at 10 a.m., especially during university exam periods when Budapest’s students flock to the library.
ISBN+
⚑ Baross u 42, 1085
It’s fair to say that the most thought fully designed and visually inspiring books are likely to be found on the shelves of art and design bookstores. Every capital city needs at least one shop where enthusiasts of these fields can wander for hours. In Budapest, that experience is provided by ISBN+. The shop not only offers some of the latest Hungarian and international art and design publications, but one of the store’s unique features is that it also distributes zines by local artists. ISBN+ also supports Budapest’s independent contemporary art scene through temporary exhibitions, as well as film and animation screenings.
Centrál Grand Café & Bar
⚑ Károlyi utca 9, 1053
Around the turn of the 20th century, literary life in Budapest was thriving. Alongside the New York Café, a well-known tourist spot, one of the city’s main hubs was the Central Café, opened in 1887. After periods of closure and reopening, it is once again welcoming visitors. In the past, the elite of Hungarian literary life gathered here, and today the café seeks to convey this atmosphere both through its interior and its menu. In addition to coffee and brunch, from spring 2026, guests can also enjoy special desserts paying tribute to Hungary’s two Nobel Prize winning authors, Imre Kertész and László Krasznahorkai, as well as literary events inspired by their legacy.
Kelet Café & Gallery
⚑ Bartók Béla út 29, 1114
Travelers often leave the hilly Buda side out of the Budapest experience, even though it is home to one of the locals’ favorite stretches of the city: Bartók Béla Boulevard, where outstanding cafés and restaurants seem to follow one another every 20 meters. One of the area’s most authentic hangout spots is Kelet, beloved by members of the contemporary Hungarian literary and art scene. Beyond the delicious coffees, much of its charm comes from the countless books covering the walls and the large glass storefront windows through which guests can often catch sight of Budapest’s iconic old yellow trams attling past outside.
NOTESS & CO.
⚑ Frankel Leó út 9, 1027
The NOTESS & CO. notebook-binding workshop is 28m² of pure professionalism: a cutting-edge yet authentic space where artistically crafted notebooks are produced in small quantities. In the carefully designed shop, you can purchase notebooks featuring Hungarian clichés, or even order one with your own custom text. The space also functions as a workshop where visitors have the opportunity to try the art of notebook binding themselves during scheduled sessions. It is worth checking the opening hours before visiting, as the place is only open three afternoons a week.
Buda Collection
⚑ Margit körút 36, 1027
One of the new gems of the Margit Quarter (Margit-negyed) is Buda Collection, an antiquarian bookshop that functions as a café and cultural space. On its shelves, alongside rare Hungarian and foreign-language books and magazines, you’ll also find vinyl records, as well as a range of unique objects and pieces of furniture — everything here is available for purchase, and you can even listen to the records on-site. The carefully curated selection of books are displayed with their covers facing out. With such a variety of art and design on display, it looks far more like a gallery than a shop.
Károlyi Garden
⚑ Károlyi kert 25, 1053
A calming oasis from the bustle of the city center is Károlyi Garden. To the great delight of literature lovers, this space was recently reconnected with the park of the Petőfi Literary Museum. The garden features a beautiful avenue of horse chestnut trees, a fountain, a playground and a statue of a beloved local rabbit that once hopped around the park. On warm days, many people settle in the shaded areas with a book or a packed lunch. Near the garden on Magyar Street sits a wine bar called Csendes Társ, which offers a variety of refreshing drinks.
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