Kelet Café

Some pockets of Buda can be as lively as Pest, but they're few and far between. Bartók Béla Boulevard is one such revitalized neighborhood, featuring art galleries, cafés, and bars. Kelet, a snug new-wave café lined with walls of books, was one of the early birds here that breathed life into the area. They serve the whole range of coffees, Chinese (oolong) and Japanese (sencha, matcha) loose leaf tea varieties, and also pastries (carrot cake!).

The floor-to-ceiling windows are ideal for people-watching during the day, but I also come here in the evenings when the small, crammed tables fill to capacity and quiet chatter drifts from the dim space. Also here: a hipster-free crowd of college students, chic Millennials, and local residents.