Long ago, in a time in which there was no internet, the coffeehouse was the center of debate, thought, and social life in Central Europe. Once one of Budapest's traditional intellectual centers, the ornate Cafe Central (Centrál Kávéház) was slightly revamped in 1999, to retain the tradition of stuccoed ceilings, chandeliers, wood floors and fin de siecle furnishings but to clean things up and bring service into the contemporary era. Coffees, pastries, and cakes here are sublime, but so are full breakfasts like Eggs Benedict or the house breakfast, featuring veal paté and homemade smoked duck breast, served until 11:45.
There aren't many of these traditional coffee houses left in Budapest. The lovingly restored Centrál, once a favorite meeting place of Hungary's literary elite, also scores high for lunch and dinner.