An Insider’s Guide To Király Utca

Budapest’s buzzing design centre, Király Utca is a hotbed of creative talent and shopping potential

From furniture and interiors to art and fashion, Budapest’s design industry is flourishing. In the same way that British tailors made a home in London’s Savile Row, Hungarian designers have been flocking to Király Utca, transforming the mile-long street into a buzzing centre of creative talent. From quirky galleries like acb Galéria and multi-purpose concept boutiques such as GoaHome, to the unmissable weekly bazaar at Gozsdu Court, here’s where to spend your time in this dynamic neighbourhood

GoaHome

A common theme on trendy Király Utca, GoaHome is both an interiors store and a coffee shop. Specialising in eccentric interior décor and furniture with Oriental, Tuscan and Provencal influences, the boutique is the go-to place for standout pieces for your home. Whether you’re looking for large furnishings such as tables and chairs or smaller items like lights, textiles and Hungarian antiques, there’s an array of stylish items to choose from. Making the experience appropriately domestic, the smell of freshly baked goods and coffee wafts over from the vintage-style GoaMama Coffee café while shoppers pick their purchases.

Printa

A concept boutique just off Király Utca, Printa is at once a design shop, a gallery, a printing studio and a coffee house. Whether you’re browsing for quirky souvenirs, need a caffeinated pick-me-up, or wish to order a customised print, this store has it all. Always on-trend, the brand is environmentally conscious, and in the shop section visitors can explore Printa’s collections of eco-friendly clothing, as well as artworks and prints. Visitors with a creative streak can also sign up for silkscreen printing workshops and create artworks of their own. If this all sounds too hipster for you, the smell of freshly brewed coffee should be enough to tempt you inside.

Acb Galéria

Since opening in 2003, acb Galéria has become one of the best places to explore Hungarian avant-garde and contemporary art. As testament to the city’s burgeoning art scene, in spring the gallery completed an expansion and now has three spaces, enabling it to showcase a trio of exhibitions simultaneously. As well as hosting shows by local and international individuals and groups, experts at the pioneering gallery’s ResearchLab work to discover and publish Hungarian neo-avant-garde and post-avant-garde works, filling a long-awaited gap in the market. If you’re interested in art, acb Galéria should be your first stop.

Inda Gallery

Another art hub worth adding to your list is Inda Gallery, a contemporary art specialist which exhibits, sells and promotes the multi-medium work of established Hungarian and international artists, as well as young talent from across the continent. If you’re an art enthusiast, you may know the gallery from its appearances at art fairs around the world. Visit the space on Király Utca to explore the latest exhibitions.

Gozsdu Court

One of the highlights of Király Utca is Gozsdu Court (Gozsdu Udvar). Set in the old Jewish District, Gozsdu Court is a meeting place for young creatives and culinary connoisseurs. A host of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops line the buzzing court, which is particularly famous for its Sunday bazaar, Gouba. Held throughout the warmer months, the market is the place to go to browse unique souvenirs, Hungarian antiques and vintage curios that can’t be found anywhere else.