Ruszwurm Shutdown: Historic Pastry Shop in Budapest Forced to Close
- 7 Aug 2025 12:32 PM
One of Hungary’s oldest and most iconic confectioneries, Ruszwurm Cukrászda, has officially closed after a long-running legal battle with the local government. The District I Municipality of Budapest reclaimed the Buda Castle property earlier this week, ending a dispute that spanned more than 15 years.
According to Mayor László Böröcz, municipal staff took possession of the shop’s premises shortly after 7 a.m., following a final ruling by Hungary’s Supreme Court.
The court had ordered Ruszwurm Kft., the company operating the café, to vacate the site and pay over HUF 300 million (approx. €770,000) in unpaid rent and related debts.
The dispute dates back to the mid-2000s, when the municipality attempted to raise the rent to reflect market rates. Ruszwurm Kft. refused the new terms, leading to the eventual termination of the lease in 2015. What followed was a prolonged legal case, with renewed proceedings beginning again in 2020 after a temporary pause.
Mayor Böröcz stated that the company had been paying well below market rent for years and had accumulated significant debt. In an effort to preserve the popular shop, the district reportedly offered two solutions last year: to take over and run the business through a municipal company or to rehire the existing staff and continue operating the café. Both offers were declined.
“This is not the outcome we wanted,” said the mayor. “But we had no choice.”
The municipality now plans to launch a public tender this autumn to find a new team to run a quality pastry shop at the same location.
The closure brings an end to nearly two centuries of uninterrupted operation. Ruszwurm Cukrászda, founded in 1827, stood just steps from Matthias Church and had long been a popular stop for both locals and tourists exploring the Buda Castle District.
In a tragic development, Miklós Szamos, the 79-year-old owner of Ruszwurm Kft., died of a heart attack just hours after the eviction took place.
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