At the end of 2014, together with the renewal of Kossuth Square, we felt the time had come to bring back the spirit that made this place so special in the first half of the 20th century. On August 7, 2015, we opened the new Elysée Bistro & Café, which evokes the world of old Pest coffee houses with a touch of French charm, while remaining open to the modern gastronomy of today.
Our story is closely linked to the Gönczi brothers, who opened the first Elysée Café in December 1931. Their passion and perseverance made Kossuth Square one of the centers of coffee house culture, where artists, politicians and citizens gathered.
World War II and the subsequent nationalization interrupted the story of Elysée for a long time. Its glorious past slowly faded into memory, until, after decades of silence, the opportunity arose again to bring life back to the legendary café of the square. We embraced this mission: not only to rebuild walls, but to revive an entire tradition.
In the new Elysée, international bistro cuisine and Hungarian culinary traditions meet in an atmosphere reminiscent of Paris. Our philosophy is simple yet profound: while honoring tradition, we aim to add something new, offering our guests a true experience. This is why we welcome everyone with a varied lunch menu, carefully crafted à la carte dishes, a wide wine selection, and specialty coffees.
As the famous hungarian writer Géza Ottlik once a regular guest of Elysée, wrote: “One must not adapt to the world, but create it – not rearrange what is already there, but always add to it.” This thought has become our guiding principle: to add something to the life of Budapest, to gastronomy, and to everyday moments – every day, for the past ten years.
Now, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the reopening of Elysée, we look back with gratitude on the journey we have taken together with our guests. Thank you for being with us over the past decade – and we look forward to the next one, to create new experiences and new stories together on Kossuth Square.
