Go!!!
I always tell my friends that a trip to Budapest is not complete without dining at the oldest confectionary in Budapest, Ruszwurm. Conveniently located in the Buda side of Budapest, you can plan a visit to Ruszwurm in conjunction with your trip to Fisherman’s Bastion, perhaps as a rest stop in between Fisherman’s Bastion and Buda Castle National Gallery.
Perhaps of its status as Budapest’s oldest confectionary shop, a never ending queue persists even during the icy cold days of winter. I was ready for a long wait but was surprised at how quickly I got my table for two even though the cafe was really tiny, as you would expect of the oldest cafe in a historical site like Budapest. I’m guessing it’d take much longer is you’re in a big group of more than six. If you can’t bear to wait in the cold during winter, they allow takeaways as well so either way you can still try their cakes.
They have a huge range of confectionary and if you’re here for the first time, it can get quite intimidating because everyone’s so busy, the menu has no pictures and you will feel the need to rush through your order. Don’t! Take your time, read the descriptions of the cakes, and do ask the staff to explain to you if you’re unsure. They’re super friendly. I had no idea at all what to order and the staff recommended some cakes to me.
Also known as Dorbos Torta, the six layer spongecake with chocolate buttercream in between is topped with a hardened caramel layer. Apparently it was created during a time where cooling techniques were limited, so preserving the shelf life of the cake was a priority. The hardened caramel on top works as a barrier, preventing the spongecake and buttercream from drying out too quickly.
The highlight of this traditional pastry is exactly what its name suggests, cream. It’s essentially a generous serving of vanilla pastry cream held by two layers of puff pastry and dusted with powdered sugar. I thought I would be sick of the cream by the third mouthful but instead, I found myself wanting more and more. The cream itself was quite light and airy and it surprisingly wasn’t as sweet like normal whipped cream.
I wished I had more days in Budapest because there are a handful of other traditional Hungarian cakes Ruszwurm has to offer. Till next time, then!
1014 Budapest, Szentháromság street 7
Summer: daily 10am to 7pm
Winter: daily 10am to 6pm
Visit Ruszwurm’s website here
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