Returning to Budapest – A Sip at Bar Elysian where Sustainability Meets Cocktail Artistry
You know about my love stories with bars — and how they tend to pull me back to places that leave a mark. When I heard that Máté Szabó, whom I first met at Hotsy Totsy Bar during my month-long stay in Budapest in 2023, had opened his own place as a visionary founder, I knew I had to return. Budapest is one of those cities that always calls me back because of its deep connection to my grandmother. This time, I came not just for the city itself, but for the people behind its bars. For the passion. For the stories poured into each glass. And most of all, to experience Bar Elysian and reconnect with Máté, a true wizard of hospitality.
When I arrived, Máté was there. We spent a long evening talking about bars and life — about what hospitality truly means, about creativity and care, and about how values shape not only a bar, but also a community. As I write these lines, the Elysian team is touring across Asia, sharing their philosophy and bringing a taste of Hungarian hospitality to the world. At Elysian Budapest, hospitality goes far beyond serving exquisite cocktails in a serene setting. It’s a philosophy grounded in values: seasonality, locality, sustainability, and zero-waste. Their credo captures it beautifully:
We believe that hospitality goes beyond offering exquisite cocktails and a welcoming ambiance. It’s about embracing values that nurture our environment and community… ensuring that our footprint on the planet is as light as the experience we offer is delightful.
Sustainability was never a Trend
At Elysian, sustainability isn’t a marketing slogan or a fashionable add-on — it’s a mindset that quietly shapes every decision behind the bar. Long before “zero-waste” became a modern virtue, our grandmothers were already living by it. Across the Mediterranean — and far beyond — kitchens were temples of resourcefulness. In rural Italy, Cucina Povera, the “kitchen of the poor,” turned thrift into art: wheat husks became chicken feed, meats were cured to last the winter, and biscotti were baked twice so they’d keep longer. In Greece they did the same — saving feta tubs as lunch boxes, swirling a little water into tomato jars to catch every last bit for soup, and steaming beet greens instead of throwing them away. And Hungary? The same wisdom runs deep there too. Hungarian nagymamák were sustainability experts long before anyone used the word. Nothing left their kitchens without a second purpose. Summer fruits became thick jams sealed in jars for winter; cabbage leaves were saved to wrap minced meat for töltött káposzta; pork fat was rendered and kept in enamel tins to flavour soups and stews for weeks to come. Leftover bread turned into sweet mákos guba, stale rolls became breadcrumbs, and every garden or market visit ended with something to pickle, preserve, or ferment. My own grandmother was like that too. She never wasted a thing. The clinking of glass jars in her cellar was the sound of security — the knowledge that care and patience could turn a short harvest into a long season of nourishment. Somewhere along the way, convenience dulled that wisdom. We swapped preservation for packaging, patience for speed, and care for comfort.
But the truth is, sustainability was never a trend. It was simply life done properly. What our grandmothers did out of necessity, this team now does with creativity and purpose.
Bars like Elysian are now reminding us of that truth — that what our grandmothers once did out of necessity, they now do with creativity and intention. Peels become syrups, coffee grounds transform into infusions, and leftover herbs are reborn as garnishes. What once was common sense has returned, elegantly reframed in the language of modern mixology.
Inside Elysian – Where Design Meets Conscious Drinking
Hidden in the lively heart of Budapest’s 7th District, Elysian is more than just a cocktail bar — it’s a manifesto for sustainable drinking. Tucked into the city’s historic centre, this quiet space feels worlds away from the buzz outside.
A long wooden bar anchors the room, softly illuminated by warm, golden light. Natural stone textures, smooth fabrics, and thoughtful lighting create an atmosphere of calm refinement. Time seems to slow here; even the sounds from the bar — the crack of ice, the gentle shake of a tin — feel deliberate. There’s precision in every movement, yet never a trace of stiffness. It’s professionalism with heart — that fine balance between art and hospitality. What immediately stands out is what’s not there: no shelves lined with branded bottles. Instead, rows of jars display the house-made ferments, syrups, and infusions that define Elysian’s approach. It’s a bar that hides the commercial and celebrates the crafted.
The bar, designed by Behind Bars Studio, blends warm wood with contemporary lighting and an open layout that invites connection. The cocktail stations — sleek Tayēr single stations — allow bartenders to work face-to-face with guests, removing the traditional counter barrier and turning each drink into a small performance. The space feels intimate yet modern — equally suited to a quiet date, an after-work conversation, or a memorable night exploring Budapest’s growing cocktail culture. Even the menu reflects this attention to detail: a minimalist wooden card with an NFC tag, reusable and perfectly aligned with the bar’s zero-waste philosophy. If you’re hungry, there’s also a thoughtful selection of small bites — local, seasonal, and perfectly in tune with the drinks.
The Drinks – Concept & Experience
At Elysian Budapest, every cocktail tells a story. The bar’s three guiding pillars — locality, seasonality, and sustainability — shape everything from sourcing to service. By working with Hungarian farmers and experimenting with in-house ferments, Elysian crafts cocktails that are as ethical as they are inventive. Locality here is more than a buzzword — it’s a promise. Every ingredient reflects the Hungarian landscape: its fruits, herbs, and seasonal shifts. Seasonality keeps the menu alive. The bar’s zero-waste philosophy extends this respect even further. Every element is repurposed — peels, seeds, and pulp become syrups, infusions, or garnishes. Surplus produce is fermented or preserved for future creations.
They use the ice offcuts from an ice company that are usually melted away and carve their ice cubes out of this to fit each drink perfectly — a small but telling detail of the care behind every serve. Collaboration with local producers lies at the heart of it all. By partnering with small-scale Hungarian farmers and artisans, Elysian reduces its carbon footprint and strengthens the local economy, offering guests a true taste of Budapest’s surroundings.
Each drink is an experience: complex but never complicated, beautiful yet grounded. The staff take time to share the story behind every cocktail — the ingredients, the techniques, and the inspiration — creating a genuine exchange that feels more like conversation than presentation.
House-fermented ingredients, kombucha infusions, and clever flavour pairings reveal the team’s quiet obsession with fermentation, preservation, and balance.
Drinks I Had
Elysian’s hyper-local cocktail philosophy isn’t just an idea — it’s something you can taste in every glass. Every ingredient, every flavour, every decision ties back to their values of locality, seasonality, and sustainability. Locality here is more than a principle — it’s a promise. All ingredients are sourced from Hungarian farmers and artisans, ensuring each cocktail expresses the terroir of Hungary: its fruits, herbs, and shifting seasons. The flavours you taste belong entirely to this place and nowhere else. Of course, I had to try as many as I could — I ended up spending two nights in a row at Elysian.
My first cocktail was the Cabbage and Chili, from the preserved section of the menu — naturally, I chose it because it featured my favourite spirit, mezcal. The mix of mezcal, tequila, kimchi, and a kimchi salt rim hit all the right notes: smoky, tangy, and unexpectedly balanced. It was a flavour memory that instantly took me back to my trip to South Korea — familiar yet reimagined through a Hungarian lens.
Then from the hyper-local section of the menu came the Nettle and Orange, made with Unicum Orange Bitter and Gemenc First Born Hungarian Whisky. Spirit-forward, slightly bitter, but wonderfully structured, this drink was bold and elegant — a nod to Hungary’s herbal traditions wrapped in modern finesse.
The Grape and Basil was the fresh contrast — a mix of Márton és Lányai Irsai Olivér Pálinka, basil, verjus, and a touch of sugar. Light, aromatic, and beautifully balanced, it felt like summer distilled into a glass — playful, green, and alive.
And then, a surprise: a Bloody Mary, the Elysian way. I’m usually not a fan of Bloody Marys, but theirs won me over immediately (well, it took a few convincing words from Máté). They keep the classic foundations but build the rest entirely in-house: vodka, tomato, fermented shiitake, fermented Hungarian “hegyes erős” pepper, and their own spice blend. It’s not just a morning-after drink — it’s a bold, characterful cocktail to be discovered in layers. Acidity, saltiness, earthy umami, and a spicy finish play together like a well-composed piece of music. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re into complex, unexpected, yet perfectly balanced flavours, this is your kind of drink.
At Elysian, every cocktail feels like a conversation — between the past and the present, between local ingredients and global ideas, and between guest and bartender. Each sip tells a story, and every visit leaves you curious for the next chapter.
Why Elysian Budapest Should Be on Your List
Whether you’re a cocktail connoisseur or simply in search of a night out with a difference, Elysian is a must-visit. Its blend of forward-thinking design, inventive drinks, and mindful philosophy makes it stand out even in Budapest’s vibrant bar scene. This is a place where sustainability feels natural, not forced — where flavour and ethics share the same glass. So next time you’re in Budapest, take a seat at the wooden bar, raise your glass, and toast to a more thoughtful, more sustainable future.
