Kocsis Irma: A tour of our Locals. (A very quick one) - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1993)

“Kis Pilsen” (Pilseni Sörbár)

Little Pilsener (Pilsener Beer-Bar)

V. Irányi utca 25

A tiny pub with the imprints of red-hot coins on the plastic table-tops, reversed doves, numbers, arms. Too small for tables, call them elbow-rests, with bar-stools to sit on. They have even stopped serving Pilsener beer, you get Kőbányai instead. Yet another glass-fronted place. Leaning on the counter behind the window you can see the life of Irányi utca and watch clients coming from the costumes-for-hire place opposite, as they leave with embroidered peasant costumes, dusty top hats or papier-maché armour under their arms. I was once a client there myself. I sorted through all the animal costumes they had, pondered over the polar bear for a while, but finally decided upon the brown bear, though it did not make me look frightening at all, but turned me into an enormous, dejected-looking teddy-bear. A little girl wrote out the bill standing on a stool at a counter that came up to her shoulders.

The important man in the Kis Pilseni is István. Some people call him Csonti, but that is a familiarity not permitted to everyone; he would take it as an impertinence.

Grinzingi Borozó Grinzing Wine-Tavern

V. Veres Pálné utca 10

A very acceptable, good value place, in good repair, with an arched vault over the counter. They serve frankfurters and straight, simple food.

Belgrád Borozó (Izsáki)

Belgrade Wine-Tavern

V. Belgrád rakpart 18

Famous in the neighbourhood. When the weather’s fine, the customers sit on a bench opposite the entrance, with the typical dachshunds that you always see waiting for ever in pub doorways, tied up somehow. It is a sunny place, easily accessible with a pleasant walk

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