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Restaurant

The Budapest Cafe

498 Swanston St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

Recommended by 71 people

Updated

Find The Budapest Cafe

498 Swanston St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

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HoursMonday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Thursday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Sunday: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About The Budapest Cafe

Carlton’s pastel-pink cafe swaps out tired morning staples for playful Japanese-leaning brunch plates. Regulars line up early along Swanston Street for creamy mentaiko udon, swirl-topped tornado omurice, and thick Hokkaido pancakes smashed open at the table. Drinks skew just as deliberate, from bitter unsweetened hojicha lattes to rich butter foam coffees.

  • Playful Japanese Fusion: Creamy mentaiko noodles, tornado omurice, and smashable Hokkaido pancakes deliver a distinct break from standard morning fare.
  • Candy-Pink Interior: Pastel tones and photogenic dining accents create a vibrant backdrop just off the city fringe.
  • Specialty Brews & Teas: Genuine unsweetened matcha and hojicha powders sit alongside rich einspanner and butter foam coffees.
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What's On at The Budapest Cafe

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose The Budapest Cafe

Discover what sets our Japanese fusion brunch and cafe experience apart in Carlton.

  • Inventive Japanese Fusion Dishes

    Creative dishes like mentaiko udon and tornado omurice offer a refreshing departure from typical brunch staples.

    definitely recommend the tomato omurice katsu don, mentaiko Udon and also the eggs Benedict garden

    Shivang Agal

  • Playful Dining Presentations

    Interactive presentations like matcha pancakes served with a smash hammer bring genuine excitement to the dining table.

    unique concept of serving this matcha icecream and Hokkaido pancakes dish with a hammer is really cute and Insta-worthy

    Aditi Saha

  • Instagrammable Pastel Interior

    The thoughtfully designed pastel pink interior creates an eye-catching setting ideal for capturing shared memories.

    The place is well designed and absolutely Instagram-worthy! Especially if you love pink, you have to visit this place.

    Vicky Nguyen

  • Ideal for Group Sharing

    Varied sharing plates make it easy for groups of friends to sample an array of sweet and savoury flavours together.

    We like to go out in groups and order everything so we can try a bite of everything.

    Lena M

  • Authentic Japanese Teas

    A crafted drink menu features authentic unsweetened matcha and hojicha that stand apart from standard pre-mixed powders.

    their matcha and hojicha is delicious and taste like real matcha unlike a lot of the other cafes using pre-made sweet powder packs

    Shivang Agal

  • Specialty Foam Coffees

    Distinctive specialty coffee offerings such as einspanner and rich butter foam coffee provide unique taste profiles.

    Even their coffee game is so different and amazing, like einspanner and butter foam coffee are so excellent.

    Aditi Saha

Signature fusion brunch favorites

  • Mentaiko udon

    The mentaiko udon was delicious.

    AY

  • Tornado omurice

    My other friend had the tornado omurice with was perfectly cooked!

    Lena M

  • Eggs Benedict garden

    Egg Benedict garden with smoked salmon, was incredibly flavourful, delectable and a quite filling dish it was!

    Aditi Saha

  • Budapest bruschetta

    Budapest bruschetta is something super light, refreshing and delish brunch option.

    Aditi Saha

Other favorites

Specialty sweets and house-crafted beverages

  • Escape from Forest

    the unique concept of serving this matcha icecream and Hokkaido pancakes dish with a hammer is really cute and Insta-worthy. Tastes very fresh and yummy. Must try.

    Aditi Saha

  • Dutch baby

    Dutch baby was my next favourite, I still remember the mouthwatering flavours of this dish, so beautiful and such fantastic ingredients

    Aditi Saha

  • Matcha and hojicha

    their matcha and hojicha is delicious and taste like real matcha unlike a lot of the other cafes using pre-made sweet powder packs

    Shivang Agal

  • Butter foam coffee

    einspanner and butter foam coffee are so excellent. Must try.

    Aditi Saha

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there long waits on weekends?

Expect long queues on weekends; reviewers recommend arriving early to avoid extended waits, although service remains prompt once you are seated.

What types of food are popular to order?

The menu highlights Japanese and Asian fusion brunch dishes, with favourites including mentaiko udon, tornado omurice, Dutch baby pancakes, and green tea or Hokkaido pancakes.

How are the portion sizes?

Reviewers note that portions can be on the smaller side and dishes like the udon are rich and creamy, making them great to share across a group.

Are there weekend or holiday surcharges?

A 10% weekend surcharge and a 15% public holiday surcharge apply to orders.

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