Places that make district 8 worth visiting - Best ruinpubs and alternative bars in Budapest - ruinpubs.com
Usually we pick the places offering better and better food and drinks from Budapest’s seventh district, the famous “Party District”. Let’s admit there’s plenty to choose from. But sometimes it’s worth to have a look around in other areas of the Hungarian capital, life doesn’t stop outside of the seventh district. Nor yet, there are exciting places for example in the eights district. Let’s have a look at them. 
 
The eights district, AKA Józsefváros was once a buzzing scene of cultural life, with loads to see. There’s the National Museum, the Szabó Ervin Library, the National Cemetery, Orczy Park, and so on. Some areas of the district happened to be depraved for a while, and got a really bad reputation. However in the last few years the council tries to rehabilitate these areas. And the outcome is, of course, unique and creative places popped up on those streets where we can have nice drink, a good coffee or have a great night out. 
 
Let’s start with Cintányéros in Bókay Street, that’s the real romance of Józsefváros. Cintányéros is a wine tavern. Not a wine bar, not a posh winery place, but a proper wine tavern offering fine Hungarian wines from all over the country, fantastic countryside style dishes, great selection of pálinka, without any unnecessary fancy stuff. Even if you’re looking for a good coffee, or the reason is a night out for eating and drinking ‘till late with great live music, Cintányéros is a perfect choice. 
 
 
We already mentioned Kék Ló Pub earlier, and we have a good reason to recommend them again. We popped in many times when it was in Kazinczy Street, and they preserved the well known and loved atmosphere in their new place in Víg Street. The only art pub in Budapest, or as they call themselves; the only clothes-pub. It’s ruckus home feeling is very cosy, the bluish-purplish and golden colours give it a mystical oriental taste, good music at all times, and the gallery is so intimate, you cannot resist to sit in. Besides Virág Tóth’s designer clothes worth to have a look at their pálinka list, it’s a strong selection of them. 
 
 
Probably the best known and the oldest of all is Auróra in this area. Its forebear was the cultic Sirály, led by Marom Egyesület until 2013 (they organize the Bánkitó and Negyed6Negyed7 festivals too), then they had to move to Auróra street - this how the name comes from. Auróra became one of the places with the widest scale of musical and cultural events, and they also home civil organizations and social projects. Workshops, conferences, gigs, exhibitions and of course a good bar and quality food waits for us. Whichever day of the year you pick, even just for a coffee or a place to work on jour project or have a big night out, you are at the perfect place. 
 
 
Last but not least there’s Otthonka in Szentkirályi Street. A freshly opened place, a new colour on the palette of ruin pubs, because it’s much more than that. As you step into Otthonka and take a look around, you’ll feel like in your Granny’s living room or dining room on the countryside. Classy retro furniture, tapestry blessings on the walls, fat pots, credenza, glazy old fashioned cooking pots, porcelain nick-nackery, red spotted teacups and used tables and chairs. Of course they offer traditional puritan dishes, and they prepare them well, such as lecsó (vegetable dish), paprikás krumpli (potato stew) or túrógombóc (cottage cheese dumpling), like in our childhood.