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

Vasúti Kocsi Söröző Railway Carriage Ale-House

XIV. Városligeti körút 11

At the rear of the Városliget (City Park), by the buildings of the Museum of Transport stands a railway carriage. Before it, forming part of the landscape, one or two small tables. There is beer on tap, and I often find myself sitting there alone while the barmaid carries on a passionate telephone conversation in a low voice at the other end of the carriage. It is a quiet, peaceful place. 1 usually combine the beer with a little walk in the park. There is a small enclosed park within the Városliget, specifically for blind people. The gates are always locked. I have never seen anyone in it.

Pólyák Borozó (Olympia Büfé Borozó) Pólyák Wine-Bar (Olympia Snack- and Wine-Bar)

VII. Dob utca 69

A few years ago, its distinguishing feature was that there were no tables, just “feeders”, in other words, split-level counters. Those sitting on the benches kept their wine- and-soda on the lower level, those standing up used the upper level. There were old, smoke-browned photographs of Imre Pólyák, wrestling champion, on the walls, and there was a fifteen-centimetre wrestler painted on the pane of glass beside the entrance. All these are in the past, but there are tables.

Hársfa Pince Linden Cellar

VII. Hársfa utca 61

A stone’s throw from the Pólyák. A wrought-iron staircase leads into its depths, with the banisters running down the centre. Earlier, oil paintings of huge barrels of wine decorated the walls; today, these have disappeared, only the painting behind the bar counter remains. The atmosphere is chilly, the place rather depressing, but it does serve the purpose.

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