Did you know that the milk bars of Budapest date back to 100 years?

Eating on the street and visiting fast-food restaurants and bars are not the inventions of the United States and the American culture since many examples were found in the archaeological remains of the Roman Empire. Exactly 100 years ago, Budapest also had some of these places where Hungarian residents loved to eat and spend time. 

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Magyarországom reported that the milk bar (“tejivó” in Hungarian) is no new invention. Its history in Budapest dates back to the early 20th century. Such shops used to sell beverages made with milk, soft drinks, and pastry. Some Hungarians still recall the exceptional atmosphere of these establishments and the splendid feeling of sipping a steaming cup of coffee while eating a delicious croissant.

Photo: Fortepan/Budapest Főváros Levéltára

At the beginning of the 20th century, Budapest started to become well-known in Europe, getting closer and closer to the title of one of the main metropolises on the continent. Therefore, the leadership of the city decided that the Hungarian capital needed more modern establishments to deal with citizen’s need for food and drinks. 

The main part of this project was milk, as almost every citizen in Budapest consumed many litres of this drink, which was also the number one export product brought to Budapest from farmers in the countryside. After establishing a certain central association which dealt with supplying Budapest with milk, the first milk bars also appeared in the city, first on Margaret Island, in the Budapest Zoo, and in the City Park. During the Soviet regime, the number of these bars rapidly increased.

Photo: Fortepan/Bauer Sándor

Photo: Fortepan/Bauer Sándor

What were these milk bars like a hundred years ago? Imagine a nice and cosy bar with a good atmosphere, mostly selling products which contain milk, but of course, other foods and drinks were available as well. The guests of these bars were the simple society of Budapest, mostly workers and families with children. The prices were low, and you could eat and drink enough without paying a fortune. 

What could you choose? Different kinds of coffees, simple bakery products, cakes, soft drinks, lemonades, sandwiches, etc. Everyone enjoyed these dishes while having a good time with friends or family members in a nice and cosy bar. To sum up, going to the milk bars of Budapest was the fanciest thing someone could do back in the day. 

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Source: www.magyarorszagom.hu