Don’t Be a Spritzer-Sipping Barbarian: An Insider’s Guide to Fröccs in Budapest

Published: September 2, 2025  |  Updated: September 2, 2025

Alright, listen up. You’ve landed in my chaotic, glorious city. You’ve ticked off Parliament, you’ve steamed yourself into a raisin at a thermal bath… and now you’re thirsty.

Someone — probably from a country where they consider boiled potatoes “a spice adventure” — told you to order a wine spritzer.

❌ Big mistake. Huge.

Ordering a “spritzer” in Budapest is like asking for pineapple pizza in Naples. Technically allowed, but socially unforgivable.

Here, we don’t drink spritzers. We drink fröccs.

And fröccs is not just a drink. It’s:

• 🍷 A cultural cornerstone – Hungarians practically invented social hydration.
• 🌞 A survival tactic – It keeps you alive on sweltering July afternoons.
• 🎭 A social lubricant – Fuel for long debates in smoky ruin pubs about politics, football, and whether Szeged or Baja owns the “real” halászlé (Fishermans soup).
• 🔊 A soundtrack – That pssssshhhhh of soda water blasting into crisp white wine is Hungary’s unofficial summer anthem.

It’s not optional, it’s not “just a spritzer.” It’s the lifeblood of Budapest from May through September.

So take this as your intervention. I’ve already made the mistakes so you don’t have to. Welcome to the Fröccs-olution.

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🌍 How to Say “Fröccs” (Wine Spritzer) Around the World

Language	Phonetic	Note
🇬🇧English	froetch	Closest is “stretch” with an ö. Just say “fro-etch.”
🇩🇪German	frötsch	German speakers already nail the ö sound.
🇫🇷French	freutch	Like “French,” but shorter r and with ö.
🇮🇹Italian	fro-etch	Italians drop the ö, so it leans “fro-etch.”
🇪🇸Spanish	fróch	Ö is tricky; often sounds like “fro-ch.”
🇳🇱Dutch	frutsj	Very close to Hungarian, thanks to Dutch vowels.
🇵🇱Polish	frucz	Comes out like “frooch.”

What the Fröccs is a Fröccs? A (Slightly) Drunk History Lesson

To truly appreciate fröccs, you’ve got to time-travel back to October 5, 1842.

📍 Location: The vineyard estate of writer András Fáy in Fót.
🎭 Cast: Hungary’s literary Avengers — the great poet Mihály Vörösmarty, and a monk-turned-physicist named Ányos Jedlik (yes, the guy who also invented the dynamo).

Jedlik, apparently bored of inventing actual science, unveiled his new party trick: a siphon that blasted soda water at industrial strength. He aimed it at a glass of wine, pulled the trigger, and — fizz! — the world’s first spritzer was born.

Cue the collective gasp.

But Vörösmarty was unimpressed. “Spritzer?” he scoffed. “That’s far too German.” In true poetic form, he baptized the drink with a new name: fröccs, capturing the pssshhht of soda water hitting wine. He even wrote a celebratory poem, Fóti dal (The Song of Fót), and just like that, Hungary had its national summer drink and a literary endorsement.

👉 The lesson? In Hungary, even day-drinking comes with poetry, science, and a subtle middle finger to German vocabulary.

The Three Cardinal Rules of Fröccs (Break These and You’re Banished)

1. Thou Shalt Use Szikvíz (Soda Water).
   Not mineral water. Not sparkling water. Szikvíz only. As writer Sándor Márai once said: mineral water “ruins the wine’s character.” Soda water? It makes it sing.
2. Thou Shalt Not Use Bad Wine.
   No, soda water cannot save that €2 bottle of horror you bought in a panic. Bad wine + bubbles = bad fizzy wine. Start with something crisp and decent.
3. Thou Shalt Serve It Cold.
   Wine: chilled. Soda: chilled. The result: icy-cold salvation on a scorching Budapest afternoon. Anything warmer and you’re basically committing cultural vandalism.

⚔️ Consider this your initiation. If you can recite the history and swear by the rules, you’re ready to order fröccs without embarrassing yourself.

The Fröccs Lexicon: How to Order Without Looking Like a Complete Pofa

In Hungary, there isn’t “a” fröccs—there are dozens. The wine-to-soda ratios are a language of their own: part self-expression, part social commentary, generously seasoned with self-deprecating humor. Ordering a házmester instead of a hosszúlépés says a lot about your mood, your plans for the night, and your general state of being. To navigate this delicious minefield, you need a cheat sheet. Memorize it. Live by it. It’s your passport to local bar credibility.

🍷 The Fröccs Lexicon

How to order without looking like a complete pofa. Each ratio is a personality test in disguise.

Kisfröccs [kish-frerch]

1:1 (Wine:Soda)

The “Quick Whistle”. “I’m just having one.”
Narrator: They were not just having one.

Nagyfröccs [nody-frerch]

2:1

The “Big Spritz”. The default, standard-issue fröccs for a proper evening out.

Hosszúlépés [ho-sue-lay-peysh]

1:2

The “Long Step”. Pacing yourself on a scorching August afternoon when you still need to be functional.

Házmester [haaz-mesh-terr]

3:2

The “Janitor”. Perfect balance. Serious about the evening, but not yet reckless.

Viceházmester [vit-seh-haaz-mesh-terr]

2:3

The “Vice-Janitor”. Basically sparkling water with a wine cameo. Respectable choice for a work lunch.

Sportfröccs [shport-frerch]

1:4

The “Sports Spritz”. Extreme rehydration only. Or punishment for losing a bet.

Puskás Fröccs [poosh-kash-frerch]

6:3

The “Football Legend”. Honors Hungary’s 6-3 victory over England in 1953. Best served with unsolicited football history lectures.

Krúdy Fröccs [krew-dee-frerch]

9:1

The “Literary Legend”. Named after writer Gyula Krúdy, who said water should only “make the wine laugh.” Best for communing with ghosts (and regretting life choices).

The Ultimate Budapest Fröccs Crawl: A Local’s Highly Opinionated Guide

Now that you’re armed with the theory, it’s time for the practical exam. Here’s stop #1 on your road from wide-eyed tourist to seasoned local.

🍷 The Icon, The Legend, The Tourist Magnet: Szimpla Kert

Atmosphere & Vibe
Let’s get this one out of the way: Szimpla is the undisputed king, the originator, the granddaddy of all ruin bars. A surreal, sprawling labyrinth of decaying rooms filled with flea market furniture, bizarre art, graffiti, and, yes, a literal Trabant car you can drink in. It’s a must-see acid trip of a bar you experience once in your life… just don’t expect to be alone.

The Fröccs Experience
It’s… fine. Nobody comes here for a curated wine tasting. The fröccs is just the fuel for the spectacle.

The Damage
You’re paying for the fame. A nagyfröccs will set you back 1,500–2,000 HUF (~$4.00–$5.40 USD). A beer? Pretty much the same.

Getting There
📍 Kazinczy utca 14, District VII — in the Jewish Quarter. Easy 10-min walk from Deák Ferenc tér metro hub.

Insider Tip
If you actually want to see the place (and not just the back of someone’s sweaty head), go daytime or weekday before 7 PM. Bonus wholesome hack: the Sunday Farmer’s Market in the courtyard.

The Unvarnished Truth
Overpriced fröccs, toilets that could scar you for life, but… you can’t skip it.

🍴 What’s Nearby

• Food: Karaván street food court (lángos to burgers) right next door. For something fancier, Mazel Tov serves modern Israeli cuisine in a “ruin garden.”
• Sweets: Fröhlich Cukrászda — old-school Jewish pastries (try the flódni).
• Sights: The Great Synagogue on Dohány Street (Europe’s largest) and the Kazinczy Street Orthodox Synagogue are a few steps away.

🌿 The Grown-Up Ruin Bar: Kőleves Kert

Atmosphere & Vibe
If Szimpla is a chaotic rave, Kőleves Kert (“Stone Soup Garden”) is a chill backyard barbecue with friends you just haven’t met yet. A spacious gravel garden filled with hammocks, mismatched chairs, and shady trees — this is where locals and savvy travelers go when they want to actually hear each other talk.

The Fröccs Experience
A clear upgrade. Because it’s tied to the Kőleves Vendéglő restaurant, the wine list actually matters here. Expect well-made fröccs from solid Hungarian wineries instead of generic house plonk.

The Damage
Reasonable. A 1 dl glass of house white starts around 890 HUF (~$2.40 USD), which puts a nagyfröccs in the 1,800–2,000 HUF (~$4.85–$5.40) range. Your wallet will survive.

Getting There
📍 Kazinczy utca 41 — basically a two-minute stumble from Szimpla.

Insider Tip
The garden runs on a separate bar-food menu (burgers, simple bites). If you want a full sit-down meal, head next door to the restaurant itself. Pro move: fröccs in the garden, then migrate to the Vendéglő for their legendary cholent.

🍴 What’s Nearby

• Food: Kőleves Vendéglő — modern Hungarian & Jewish dishes, hearty portions, and yes, cholent that could bring a rabbi to tears.
• Sweets: Goamama Café — tiny but mighty spot with killer coffee and cakes.
• Sights: Still in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, but only a 10-min stroll to Andrássy Avenue and the Hungarian State Opera House.

🍷 The Time Capsule Borozó: Grinzingi Borozó

Atmosphere & Vibe
Welcome to the past. Grinzingi is a no-frills, old-school Hungarian borozó (wine tavern). Rustic wood everywhere, regulars who look like they’ve been welded to their stools since the 70s, and absolutely zero pretension. Loud, authentic, and a rare window into a Budapest that’s disappearing fast.

The Fröccs Experience
This is fröccs stripped to its raw essence. Forget wine lists — here it’s white or red from the tap, blasted with soda water from a gun so powerful it could double as paint stripper. And it’s glorious.

A True Story
I once brought a London friend here — the type who usually sips cocktails under Edison bulbs. The bartender, an oak-carved veteran, slammed down two glasses, filled them two-thirds with house white, and unleashed the soda cannon like Thor’s hammer. My friend just stared. One sip later, he nodded silently. He understood.

The Damage
Ridiculously cheap: 700–900 HUF (~$1.90–$2.45 USD) for a nagyfröccs. You can drink like a king for the price of a tourist’s bottled water.

Getting There
📍 Veres Pálné utca 10, District V. Just off the tourist-clogged Váci utca, hidden in plain sight.

Insider Tip
Don’t be put off by the gruff exterior. Order simply: “Két nagyfröccsöt, kérek” (two big fröccs, please). Stick to drinks; if they have it, grab a classic zsíros kenyér (bread with lard and onion). Avoid anything more ambitious from the kitchen.

🍴 What’s Nearby

• Food: Central Market Hall (Nagycsarnok) — five minutes away, Hungary’s cathedral of food.
• Sweets: Gerbeaud Cukrászda on Vörösmarty tér — 10 minutes, old-world grandeur on a plate.
• Sights: A stroll along the Danube Promenade for flawless views of Gellért Hill and Buda Castle.

🍇 The Connoisseur’s Corner: Kadarka Bár

Atmosphere & Vibe
This is where you go when you want to drink a great fröccs. Kadarka is a serious but unstuffy wine bar — cozy, buzzing, and beloved by locals and wine nerds. Think passionate sommeliers, not grumpy borozó uncles.

The Fröccs Experience
Superb. With 100+ Hungarian wines by the glass, your fröccs isn’t just a refresher — it’s a tasting experience. Experiment with a crisp volcanic Somlói Juhfark or a floral Irsai Olivér. Here, fröccs graduates from “thirst quencher” to “liquid art form.”

The Damage
Quality has its price. A 1.5 dl pour runs 1,500–3,000 HUF, meaning a nagyfröccs lands in the 3,000–4,000 HUF (~$8.10–$10.80) range. Worth it.

Getting There
📍 Király utca 42, District VII. On the more refined side of this famously wild street.

Insider Tip
Talk to the staff — they’re walking wine encyclopedias. Order a fröccs with the bar’s namesake Kadarka grape, Hungary’s spicy, elegant answer to Pinot Noir. And yes, reservations are very smart here.

🍴 What’s Nearby

• Food: Kadarka’s cheese plates and small bistro dishes pair beautifully with your wine. For a full meal, head to Menza on Liszt Ferenc tér — retro vibes, classic Hungarian dishes with a twist.
• Sweets: Wander down Andrássy Avenue to Művész Kávéház for classic coffee house elegance.
• Sights: Steps from lively Liszt Ferenc tér, and a short walk to the House of Terror Museum or the Hungarian State Opera House.

🍾 The Modern Hotspot: DiVino Gozsdu

Atmosphere & Vibe
Right in the beating neon heart of Gozsdu Udvar, DiVino is trendy, sleek, and perpetually packed. Think: Instagram lighting, loud chatter, and a see-and-be-seen crowd gearing up for a long night. This is where fröccs goes full modern wine-bar chic.

The Fröccs Experience
Excellent. DiVino pours only wines from the Junibor association of young Hungarian winemakers, meaning your fröccs is built on some of the freshest, most innovative bottles in the country. With 120+ labels on rotation, experimentation is half the fun.

The Damage
Standard for Gozsdu: a 1.5 dl glass runs 1,600–2,500 HUF (~$4.30–$6.75 USD). A proper nagyfröccs will land at about 3,500 HUF (~$9.45 USD). You’re paying for both quality and location.

Getting There
📍 Király utca 13, inside the main Gozsdu Udvar passage (District VII). If you’re in the Jewish Quarter, you’ll basically fall into it.

Insider Tip
Thursdays = live music, weekends = full-blown party. If the Gozsdu circus is too much, retreat to their calmer sister bar by St. Stephen’s Basilica.

🍴 What’s Nearby

• Food: You’re inside a food court. Try Spíler Original for gourmet burgers, or wander — tacos, pizza, dumplings, it’s all here.
• Sweets: Blue Bird Café & Bar — a cozy nook in Gozsdu for coffee and cake.
• Sights: The whole Jewish Quarter is at your feet. Deák Ferenc tér transport hub is 5 minutes away; St. Stephen’s Basilica is a 10-minute stroll.

🍷 The Ultimate Budapest Fröccs Crawl (5 Stops)

1️⃣ Szimpla Kert

The ruin bar motherlode. Loud, chaotic, unmissable. Fröccs is a prop, not the main act.

Official Site Google Maps

2️⃣ Kőleves Kert

Laid-back garden with hammocks & solid wine. Locals’ choice when they want to talk, not shout.

Facebook Google Maps

3️⃣ Grinzingi Borozó

Time capsule tavern. House wine, soda gun, and prices that feel like the 70s never ended.

Website Google Maps

4️⃣ Kadarka Bár

For serious wine lovers. 100+ wines by the glass, fröccs elevated to tasting-level art.

Website Google Maps

5️⃣ DiVino Gozsdu

Trendy, packed, and buzzing. Fresh wines from Hungary’s rising stars. The party launchpad.

Website Google Maps

Fröccs FAQs: Answering Your Burning Spritzer Questions

A few final points of order before I release you into the wild.

Can you make fröccs with red wine?

You can. It’s called vörös fröccs, but it’s much less common—especially in summer. If you must, use a light, dry red like Kadarka or Kékfrankos. But honestly, stick to white (fehér) or rosé (rozé).

What’s the best type of wine for fröccs?

Anything crisp, dry, and aromatic. Olaszrizling is the classic, reliable workhorse. Irsai Olivér and Cserszegi Fűszeres are wonderfully fragrant choices. Any dry rosé will also do the trick.

Is it a sin to add ice to my fröccs?

Yes. A mortal sin. A crime against refreshment. Proper fröccs is made with chilled wine and chilled soda water. Ice dilutes it unevenly and marks you as a hopeless tourist. You have been warned.

What about those fröccs with syrup?

That’s a macifröccs (teddy-bear spritzer), usually raspberry syrup. It’s a thing—mostly for people who don’t actually like the taste of wine. Purists will judge you silently.

Can I make real fröccs at home?

According to Sándor Márai, no—“The authentic recipe of the fröccs is only known by the professional barman.” But with a SodaStream set to high and a very cold bottle of Olaszrizling, you can get dangerously close.

Pro tip: chill the wine and the soda separately; pour gently to keep the bubbles fierce.

Conclusion: Go Forth and Fröccs

And there you have it. You’re no longer just a tourist with a soda gun—you’re officially fluent in Budapest’s summer soundtrack. That glass in your hand? It’s not just wine and bubbles. It’s tradition, wordplay, and a splash of Hungarian soul.

So get out there. Don’t flinch. If the menu looks intimidating, flash the cheat sheet. Order a házmester like you own the place. Clink glasses, wait for that glorious hiss of carbonation, and sip with the quiet smugness of someone who gets it.

Egészségedre—cheers to your new life as a fröccs insider.