The Best Ice Cream in Budapest

Summer is all about kicking back and relaxing! For some that may involve sipping on a refreshing cocktail with the sun shining on your hair but for others, summer is also about savoring some delicious ice cream, or “fagylalt” in Hungarian.

The city of Budapest is lucky enough to have numerous artisan ice cream parlors where you can taste some of the most mouthwatering gelatos or cool off with a delightful sorbet made from all fresh ingredients. Here’s our guide to the best ice cream Budapest has to offer this summer:

Gelato Rosa
Location: Szent István tér 3.
Hours: 10am until 10pm

Gelato Rosa is one of the most creatives gelaterias in Budapest and we are so lucky to have two of them within mere steps of the Aria. Each cone is a piece of heaven, shaped into the most beautiful rose. The delicious homemade gelato is made fresh each morning by the shop owner, Niki Szökör. Some of Niki’s most notable flavors are: lemon basil, white chocolate and jasmine, strawberry-elderberry, and chocolate chili. The best part is that they even have Lactose and gluten free options available to help with any dietary restrictions!

Gelateria Pomo D’oro
Location: Arany János utca 12
Hours: 11:30 am until 9pm

The Gelateria Pomo D’oro is located on one of Budapest’s most popular streets, Arany János Street, near Szabadság Square and is just a 5 minute walk from the Hungarian Parliment building. They offer light cakes and  deliciously creamy ice creams created by the gelato maestro, Davide. The parlor offers many classic flavours like hazelnut, panna cotta, vanilla, yoghurt and one of my favorites, the Giotto, which include toasted almonds and shredded coconut. For those who enjoy a bolder flavor, we recommend trying the salty Gorgonzola ice cream with caramelized pear.

Gerbeaud
Location: Vörösmarty tér 7-8″
Hours: 9am until 9pm

Gerbeaud has been up and running for over 150 years and offers amazing pastries and sweets. In the warmer months they also offer ice cream! As I was growing up in Budapest it was always a huge treat to visit Gerbeaud to get a scoop of Gerbeaud ice-cream. Gerbeaud has homemade cones and their ice cream is made fresh every day using only the best ingredients, like Valrhona cocoa, freshly brewed coffee, hazelnut pralines and Ceylon cinnamon. The historic confectionery decided to keep to a traditional menu this season. We recommend trying one of our two favorite Gerbeaud creations: The Strawnilla, a strawberry tart and strawberry macaron topped with vanilla and strawberry ice cream, or the Esterházy, which is made with their famous Esterházy cake topped with vanilla and walnut ice cream.

Daubner
Location: Szépvölgyi út 50
Hours: 9am until 7pm
Daubner  is another one of my favorites parlors. They are located on the Buda side of Budapest and you will often find queues stretching around the block. The ice cream is prepared fresh every day, using an old family recipe. My personal recommendations are the strawberry yoghurt and the chestnut-puree. After just one taste you’ll understand the reason locals flock to Daubners, despite its location outside the city center.

Fragola
Location: Nagymező u. 7
Hours: 11am until 8pm

Fragola opened their first artisanal ice cream shop just a block from the Budapest Opera House on Nagymező Street a few years ago, and have since become so popular that more locations have started popping up all over the city. The menu features delicious Italian style homemade ice cream with flavors ranging from classically smooth chocolate and pistachio to more exotic ones, including ginger or tihany cambert. They also offer amazing sorbets with between 60-70% fruit content!

If you are interested in trying these delicious ice creams please feel free to visit our concierge to help you map out the best route to visit them all! If you’re not in the mood for ice cream, but would still like to satisfy your sweet tooth, our pastry chef, Zsuzsanna, at Stradivari Restaurant makes the most delectable desserts in Budapest. My guilty pleasure is the Cheesecake with wild fruit, it is simply to die for! I promise you cannot go wrong with anything that Zsuzsanna creates.  The best part is you can enjoy it on the roof if you’d like to dine with a view! If you have any questions at all please feel free to email us.