The Living Room, Budapest

The Living Room is a café and lounge inside the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, conceived as a modern interpretation of Hungary’s traditional coffeehouse culture. Set within the hotel’s central atrium, it has sofas, high-backed armchairs, books and a fireplace. MKV Design reshaped the public areas in 2013, creating a quieter space beside the more theatrical lobby. The patisserie counter features coloured back-lit glass, while the aroma of warming pastries forms part of the café atmosphere.

Coffee, loose-leaf teas, Valrhona hot chocolate, cakes and light meals form the core of the menu. Afternoon tea introduces Hungarian flavours through finger sandwiches and desserts such as apple and curd strudel, Eszterházy cake and Hungarian cream buns. Breakfast options range from French-style and healthy menus to a Hungarian interpretation of a Full English breakfast.

The lounge is also used for Concertini, a series of 30-minute Saturday performances by young musicians, including students and graduates of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Nearby, the Promenade Gallery hosts changing exhibitions of modern Hungarian art. The lounge forms part of the hotel’s Gastronomic Quarter together with ÉS Bisztró, ÉS Deli, Nobu and Blue Fox The Bar.