There is a voyeuristic thrill in watching the beauty of everyday chaos from the detached elevation of a royal box. Below me, New York Café is waking up.
The line of tourists stretches onto Budapest’s Erzsébet körút, a snake of selfie sticks and guidebooks waiting to enter this belle époque landmark. Inside, the air buzzes with silver on porcelain and the collective gasp of a hundred visitors seeing the painted ceiling for the first time. But I’m not down there. I am one flight up, seated on White Salon’s private mezzanine, elevated just enough to observe without being absorbed.
Knowing it Exists is the Luxury
By night, White Salon showcases the restaurant’s approach to traditional Hungarian dishes, reimagining them with modern technique. But this morning, I am here for something different: the Signature Sunrise Breakfast, an experience that goes beyond your typical buffet. As I butter a slice of warm sourdough, I catch the eye of a tourist below pointing his camera up at my table, clearly trying to work out how one ends up seated up here. The answer is simple: you can book it, but you have to know it exists.
By Day, By Night, By Márk
White Salon remains tucked away, overshadowed by New York Café’s fame below. The discretion is maintained by a team who understands that true luxury is the absence of intrusion. Today, that guardian is Márk Farcas. To call Márk a waiter would be a disservice; he is the balcony’s major-domo and a walking encyclopaedia on the entire property.
Márk moves with the fluid grace of a conductor, orchestrating the flow without ever seeming to rush. By evening, this space transforms – white and gold walls, soaring columns, sparkling chandeliers, live piano accompanying seven-course tasting menus. But the morning shift belongs to him, a quieter elegance. When he returns to the table, he doesn’t just serve breakfast; he narrates the history of the plasterwork above us, pointing out details invisible from the ground floor.
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Patience, Practice and Local Tradition
Then there is the breakfast itself. In a city known for its heavy mornings, the Signature Sunrise menu takes a thoughtful, artisanal approach, grounded in flour and fermentation. It favours Central European baking over the generic pastry spread, treating bread as tradition rather than afterthought.
The bread basket arrives warm, smelling of yeast and patience. The star is the farmer’s bread, a robust sourdough blend of 80% white and 20% rye and whole wheat, with that perfect shattering crust and chewy, tangy interior that demands nothing more than a scrape of butter. The richest flavour comes from the six-seed sourdough, a dense, nutty loaf that undergoes a 24-hour preparation process.
The pastry selection is equally rigorous, sidestepping international standards to focus on Central European specificity. Beyond the flawless butter croissant, the eye is drawn to the “snails” – classic Hungarian csiga. The cocoa snail is dark and rich, while the walnut one offers a sweet, earthy crunch. The kanelbulle, a knot of cardamom and cinnamon, pairs beautifully with the strong coffee.
The cheeses are plated with the reverence usually reserved for fine jewellery. The Alpine, aged between 30 and 90 days, possesses a sharp, nutty finish. The gomolya offers a bright, milky counterpoint. But the highlight is the Bükki cheese with thyme, the mountain cow milk providing a creamy, floral base that carries the herb’s fragrance perfectly.
Pressing Pause Above the Hustle
As the morning light hits the crystal chandeliers at eye level (a view only available from this elevation), the noise below swells, but up here, it remains a hum. This is the true value of White Salon. Beyond the exclusivity of the space or the precision of the food, the real privilege is pressing pause in the middle of a landmark. You are in the heart of the history, but thanks to Márk and the balcony, you are untouched by the hustle.
White Salon Restaurant at Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel, Hungary
Open daily from 12pm - 11pm
Reserve your table here
@anantarabudapest
All photos captured with thanks to Tarek Hijazi
