Kazán

Located on Ó utca, just off of Andrássy út (Andrássy Avenue), Kazán (literally boiler) is housed by a cellar that – the least bit surprisingly – used to serve as a boiler room, hence the name. Fortunately for all parties involved, Kazán’s interior doesn’t resemble the former function of its premises (although there are gas cylinders reinterpreted as bar stools) ; and is pillared by pieces of stylish secondhand furniture.

It is comfortably spacious – two stories and four rooms with distinguishable atmospheres - , and is rich in nooks fine-tuned for philosophizing. Apropos: cultural delicacies constitute a major portion of Kazán’s concept, which is centered around building a community, so don't be shy to ask for board games and cards at the counter. The drink list holds no surprises, while the often-changing menu enlists beer-friendly, alcohol-soaking Hungarian specialties such as paprikás krumpli, pogácsa, and bread and dripping.

Kandalló

The name of this Kertész utca-based, brand new spot – which translates to English as fireplace – provides an obvious clue as to what is in the past of Kandalló: it used to be a fireplace workshop. A minimalist fireplace stands as the reminder of the past, and also functions as the symbol of the reinvented present.

Talking of the present, let’s move on to Kandalló’s selection, which is wholly made up of everything that’s artisan – beers, wines, and various Hungarian delicacies; with cheese platters, breads, grilled meats, and salads serving as prime examples for the latter category. Thanks to a customer-friendly attitude, dish-wishes are granted according to your diet. Must-try hamburgers courtesy of a jovial chef put the thin layer of foam on the artisan beer.

Now that artisan beers popped up on the scene, let us declare that we have no intention of suggesting that there’s something wrong with down-to-earth beers; but the fact of the matter is that the artisan versions of liquid bread not only dissolve your inhibitions, they also guarantee good times for your taste buds thanks to a wide selection of stranger-than-fiction flavors like dark chocolate, pumpkin, plum, and ginger.

Közhely

Only for the sake of variety, let’s put the name of this recently-opened spot under the magnifying glass. Közhely means cliché or commonplace, but there’s nothing boring about this two-storied, zigzaggy culture pub characterized by innovative pieces of street art, leather sofas, a swirling staircase, a James Dean-mural, an open kitchen, world-class pizzas, and, last not least, loads of beer.

Talking of beer, it is served in a portion called piccolo, which has nothing to do with a flute, and has everything to do with two deciliters. When it comes to beer, Közhely does everything to quench your thirst and to boost your mood by going against the principles of capitalism: the more you buy, the cheaper the beer. There’s no shortage of either acoustic concerts or various cultural programmes, so you’ll never be bored and won’t come across any commonplaces.

Published on XpatLoop.com with the permission of: We Love Budapest