The success of the New York Művész Páholy lies, on the one hand, in the fact that the organisers put their heart and soul into organising their events every month, driven by a commitment to culture. The audience is always presented with a topical message, ensuring that each evening has a clear character and atmosphere, conveying the diversity and values of knowledge, culture and the arts to the audience in a down-to-earth and direct manner. This directness is one of the defining features of the programmes. An event of this scale could not take place if the management of the Café, or its managing director, Csaba Szabó, did not take the event to heart. However, the enthusiasm remains undiminished. Just like that of the hostess, Anna Juhász, who presents the programmes with authenticity, not only through her knowledge and preparation, but because literature runs through her veins: she herself is the daughter of a contemporary poetic giant. Nor can we overlook the now entirely unusual approach to guest communication. One of the driving forces behind the event, Diana Józsa, the marketing manager, personally coordinates and responds to participants’ registrations and enquiries. This form of communication plays a major role in fostering a friendly, direct rapport, and this is clearly reflected in the guests’ reactions. The enthusiastic team at the New York Művész Páholy, working alongside Anna, is thus able to create a highly guest-centred and successful series of literary events.

Upholstered seating, a mahogany bar, a plush carpet and – a touch of dim lighting. The Nyugat Bar is ideal not only for a coffee, but also for business meetings, cosy get-togethers with friends or a romantic escape. If you want to keep a low profile but still enjoy a good dinner or a leisurely coffee in a public place, the Nyugat Bar – which is celebrating its centenary this year – is the best choice. The Nyugat Bar can be accessed from both the New York Café and the hotel lobby. A few steps up the stairs and we find ourselves in a space that is enclosed yet open, furnished with curtains, upholstery, cosy lighting and comfortable furniture. The more understated glamour is not synonymous with a lack of luxury; it simply allows us to settle in more comfortably whilst enjoying a cocktail. The Nyugat Bar welcomes guests from 6 pm and remains open until midnight. Its menu features the selection from the New York Café, and the level of comfort is every bit as good as what you’d expect at the café itself. Those who pop in mainly enjoy a relaxed coffee break and the diverse range of flavours on offer in the cocktail selection. András Csombok, the barman at Nyugat Bar, ensures this. András is a master of drinks, flavours, mixes and shakes; whatever he prepares, the guest need only describe the flavour that comes to mind and what they fancy. The understated piano music is provided by Attila Nádasdy, the bar’s resident pianist. This master of „cocktail piano” fulfils any request, from Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B flat minor through Chinese pieces to Sinatra and Sting.

The name of the Nyugat Bar

The venue, established as part of the New York Café, originally became famous in Pest’s exclusive nightlife scene as the Mahogany Bar, but it was a true melting pot for the artistic, musical, bohemian and aristocratic worlds. The Café entered Hungarian cultural history in the 1900s through the literary and artistic circles and café editorial teams that formed here. It was also here that the famous ‘Nyugatos’ met, those who wrote for the magazine *Nyugat*. The magazine was a defining publication of 20th-century Hungarian literature. In homage to them, the current operator has named this well-deservedly famous venue the Nyugat Bar.

The Rebirth of the Nyugat Bar

The New York Café suffered greatly during both the First and Second World Wars. In the 1950s, a sports shop was even opened here; fortunately, this only tarnished the reputation of this historic building and institution for a short time. In 1954, it reopened as the Hungária Café, although it was no longer possible to restore its former splendour within those historic walls. The operation of the Café, the Salon Restaurant and the Nyugat Bar was taken over by the Hungarian company Eventrend Holding. For the group’s owners, there was no question that cultural, literary and musical programmes needed to be organised, as the New York Café was once synonymous with Hungarian artistic life. The New York Café, which celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2014, has held the title of „The World’s Most Beautiful Café” since 2011, and is also one of the leading creative hubs of modern Budapest’s hospitality scene.