By Julius Hendricks
If you’re like me, and you can’t focus on schoolwork at home, cafés are the best place to study. Lucky for us, Budapest is a city abundant with cafés, so the perfect study spot might be easier to find than you thought. I ran a poll among 20 first-year McDaniel students where I asked them if they prefer to study at home or somewhere else. Out of 20 students, 17 said that they prefer to study somewhere other than at home. For students who can’t focus at home or would rather get out of the house to study, living in a city like Budapest is amazing. But where can you find good cafés to study or just grab a cappuccino?
The first spot I recommend is Csiga Café (Vásár street 2, 1084) near Rákóczi tér (Square). Csiga is the ideal place to sit for a quick coffee before school, lunch in between classes, or dinner after school. The atmosphere in the evening makes Csiga the best place to meet up with friends once school’s out. The eclectic decorations invite you inside to a beautiful room with tables, comfortable chairs, and a picturesque bar where the bartenders are always friendly. The hodge-podge of different styles and decorations in Csiga makes it feel like you’re visiting your “cool aunt’s apartment”. The atmosphere is extraordinary. Csiga is the type of café where the waiters will sit at your table to take your order. The friendliness and kind attitude of the wait staff are, in my opinion, unmatched. If you want to study in the evening, I’d recommend making a reservation first. If you go to Csiga after 6 pm, finding a table might be a challenge. With its proximity to the Metro 4 stop at Rákóczi tér, Csiga Café might be the ultimate spot for you and your friends to grab a coffee or a tea while finishing your homework.
If you’re into studying with great views, I recommend Kisperec Café at Bakáts tér. This café has a marvelous view of the church in the square, and the pastries are delicious. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, there will be a man playing the trumpet on a bench in the plaza. At Kisperec, the baristas always greet you with a smile on their faces. It has the exceptional ‘small city café vibe’, although there isn’t any indoor seating, which would be a problem when the weather gets bad. For that situation, I recommend Kelet, a café in Buda with bookshelves and plenty of tables, suitable for studying on a rainy day. While it is on the Buda side and pretty far from campus, if you live nearby, it could be your next go-to study café.
However, if you’re looking for somewhere near campus, I’d recommend the Turkish coffee spot: Coffee Terre (www.coffeeterra.net) on Rákóczi út (Road 71, 1081). It’s a quick 10-minute walk from McDaniel’s campus and has some of the best Turkish coffee in Budapest. I asked my classmate, Rana, who works at Coffee Terra, why it’s a lovely place to study, and according to her, “Terra is so inviting and warm. Whenever I study there, even when I’m not working, you can just feel the warmth from everyone”. We checked out Coffee Terra last week, and Rana’s testimony proved to be true. The menu has lots of options for food and drink, and there were plenty of tables in the back for people to sit (and study). My only gripe with Coffee Terra is the lack of outdoor seating, but since it’s situated on a busy street, I’ll let it slide. While at Terra, we sampled some of the coffee options. My friend and I each ordered a cappuccino and a Turkish coffee. The drinks were done remarkably fast by the expert barista, Rana, and were delicious. If you’re looking for a good place to study not too far from campus, Coffee Terra is the place for you.
So, if you’ve been in a slump studying at home and need a change of scenery, lucky you! You live in Budapest with cafés on every corner! While this list may be short, these cafés are top-notch options to consider. If you’re looking for a calm, picturesque spot to write a paper, look no further than Kisperec. If you’re looking for a warm and inviting environment, Coffee Terra is the spot for you. Looking for a fun café with a bar to grab some drinks with friends after finishing your homework? Csiga Café would be awesome! Lastly, if you’re in the market for a calm rainy day study spot with good matcha, head on over to Kelet. This city is chock-full of cafés to study in; these are just a couple of options that I would recommend.
Photos by Julius Hendricks
