Vintage Neon on Budapest’s Quieter Side

Buda has always had fewer neon signs than Pest, as its largely residential neighbourhoods never really called for bright commercial advertising. Still, a handful have survived here and there, and I have gathered some of them below, arranged by district.

District II

Photo: István Prusinszki 

Perhaps the best known of them all is Bambi Eszpresszó, whose sign still serves its original purpose, while the café itself remains a perfect slice of retro Budapest. If you happen to be on Frankel Leó Street, a toasted sandwich here is practically mandatory. Sadly, Pajtás Restaurant only made it to 2017, despite having preserved an unmistakably socialist-era atmosphere ever since it opened in 1969.

The Autoexport Moszkva sign on Bem rakpart is still in place, while the Wernesgrüner sign, which once advertised a pub, disappeared a few years ago, although it was definitely still there in 2016. The pub itself, however, is still operating, now under the name Bem Söröző és Étterem.

A walk along Margit körút reveals the remaining box letters of Bem Cinema, though only in incomplete form. Rózsadomb Presszó, meanwhile, has opted for string lights as an alternative to reproducing its neon tubes. The Bonbon sign is easy to miss and now stands without any shop attached to it. The neon on the building of Átrium Theatre has also survived, although the original name only returned in 1990. The building, which has seen better days, was originally designed by Lajos Kozma and has undergone several reconstructions over the years. In the 1950s, when the cinema was renamed Május 1. (“May 1”), that name also appeared as a vertical neon sign.

Photos: Fortepan

District XI

Somewhat surprisingly, this district is home to several neon signs that are still working today. On Bartók Béla út, Szeged Vendéglő is still going strong, and just a few steps away on Budafoki út, Libella also remains in place – a particularly distinctive piece with its vertical layout and doubled letters.

Back on Bartók Béla út, the Lakberendezés sign is also vertical, though no longer functional, while Aranyhomok has disappeared altogether.

A little further on, at 10 Bocskai út, a Budapesti Állami Férfi-női Fodrászat (“Budapest State Men’s and Women’s Hair Salon”) sign is tucked away almost unnoticed. But the real star of Bocskai út is the Pingvin pub, whose beautifully lit neon still draws people in. A detailed article by WeLoveBudapest notes that the sign was relit in 1995 and had to be recreated, which slightly altered the figure: instead of holding cocktail glasses, the bird now holds a beer mug. According to local legend, the choice of a penguin as the pub’s symbol refers to the black cassocks of clergy, echoing the attire of the Cistercian monks whose order is still present in the neighbourhood today.

Photo: Pingvin Pub, István Prusinszki

District XII

Déli Railway Station was once one of the focal points of Buda’s neon landscape. Sadly, the huge Ne szemeteljen! (“Do not litter!”) sign was taken down in 2018 and moved to FKF Zrt.’s depot in District XV, while the Biztonság (“Safety”) and Biztosítás (“Insurance”) signs are still hanging on.

The Órások (“Clockmakers”) shop, in business since 1950, has two signs of its own, and a little further along you can still spot the letters of Állatorvosi Rendelő (‘Veterinary Clinic”), though by now without their glass tubes.

The good news is that the sign of Jókai Klub still remains at 5 Hollósy út, and the club itself is still in operation. The neon of Ezüstponty Vendéglő (“Silver Carp Restaurant”) also continues to serve its purpose, marking a true old-school restaurant with a wonderfully atmospheric garden.

Near Királyhágó tér, you can stop for a coffee at Tik Tak Eszpresszó and admire the neon of a place that has been in operation since 1948.

Photos: 444, Neonvadászat, István Prusinszki, Peter Zsoldos

District XXII – Budafok

Unfortunately the sign of Budacolor Kft. has disappeared, but Budafoki Borkatakomba neon is still shining.

This post was based on the map created by the Neonvadászat blog, as well as Vendel Pavlics’s 2025 update, and I would like to thank him here for his help.