Restaurants in Budapest
Feast on hearty helpings of gulyás (goulash, or stew) and goose liver in the traditional dining-rooms of the Jewish Quarter. Modern eateries like Pest's Gundel and Buda's Vadrózsa put contemporary freshness into heavy Magyar dishes, while Callas leads in fusion cooking. Between meals, order coffee and cake at a grand café. It is usual to tip 10%, but check service hasn't already been added.
Gundel
Paintings and pancakes
Paintings by Hungarian masters adorn the walls at this elite Budapest dining
institution, set next to Pest's City Park. Gundel serves refined Hungarian
dishes, washed down with Hungarian wines, including Gundel's own from Eger
and Tokaj grapes. Desserts include the Hungarian palacsinta, a stuffed
pancake, served with chocolate sauce and flambéed.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-4pm & 6.30pm-12am
Address
2, Állatkerti út, Budapest 1146
Telephone
+36 (1) 468 4040
Vadrózsa
Old world luxury
The Vadrózsa, or Wild Rose, is housed in an elegant Baroque villa in Buda's
Rószadom area. Plush dining is on offer under the crystal chandeliers, or
out in the lush gardens. The produce on the Hungarian menu, including
melt-in-the-mouth goose liver, is presented to the smart diners on chilled
trays to aid decision-making.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-3pm & 7pm-12am
Address
15, Pentelei Molnár utca, Budapest 1025
Telephone
+36 (1) 326 5817
Alabárdos
Gothic for gourmets
Alabárdos creates gourmet versions of Hungarian classics. Dishes like
juniper-seasoned wild pig stew, and truffle and thyme pasta pull in
Budapest's smart foodies. Set in the Castle District on the foundations of a
15th-century palace, the dining room has arched walls and heavy furniture.
There's also a Gothic-styled terrace and garden tables in summer.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 7pm-11pm; Sat 12pm-4pm & 7pm-11pm
Address
2, Országház utca, Budapest 1014
Telephone
+36 (1) 356 0851
Baraka
Fusion food and glamour
In the Bauhaus-influenced Andrássy Hotel on the boulevard of the same name,
Baraka's fusion food has won fans in Budapest. The compact menu features
creations such as caramelised Belgian endive with fresh peaches, and
blue-cheese and sweetcorn bisque. The dining room is sleek, with
chandeliers, black tables, and fashionable Pest diners.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-3pm & 6pm-11pm
Address
111, Andrássy út, Budapest 1063
Gresham Kávéház
Dining on the Danube
The interior of Gresham Kávéház, inside Budapest's Four Seasons Hotel, is
modelled on a sumptuous fin-de-siècle coffeehouse. The
frequently-rotating menu includes innovative meat and fish dishes - such as
chicken paprika and galuska noodles - as well as daily specials. A table by
the window provides spectacular views of Budapest's Chain Bridge.
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Opening Hours
Sun-Wed 12pm-10pm; Thu-Sat 12pm-10.30pm
Address
5-6, Roosevelt tér, Budapest 1051
Telephone
+36 (1) 268 6000
Callas
Grand venue for breakfast
With its high arches, chandeliers and view of the Pest Opera House, Callas is
a grand affair. It served as a ticket office, but these days attracts
fashionable Budapesters for everything from hearty breakfasts to cocktails.
Try dishes like Wienerschnitzel with green pea risotto, or the house
goulash.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-12am
Address
20, Andrássy út, Budapest 1061
Telephone
+36 (1) 354 09 54
Dunapark étterem és kávéház
Neighbourhood favourite
A favourite with Budapesters since 1938, Dunapark étterem és kávéház
overlooks District XIII's Szent István park and the Danube. The impressive
Art Nouveau dining room serves the fashionable set with coffee and wicked
cakes, or Hungarian lunches and dinners.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 8am-12am; Sat 10am-12am; Sun 10am-10pm
Address
38, Pozsonyi utca, Budapest 1137
Telephone
+36 (1) 786 1009
Klassz
Bistro with homely menu
A choice of 130 wines, served on Pest's elegant Andrássy utca, make Klassz
popular among Budapest's business fraternity. Lamb knuckle, foie gras and
native mangalica pork are fixtures on the menu. The bistro
dining-room is decorated with homely floral wallpaper; there is a wine shop
at the back.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 11.30am-11pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm
Address
41, Andrássy utca, Budapest 1061
Soul Café
Traditional Hungarian
Intimate and welcoming on the inside, but bursting forth during the summer
onto pavements outside and opposite, Budapest's central Soul Café serves
traditional Hungarian and international dishes. From delicious soups and
roasted cheeses to mouth-watering puddings such as ginger pears with lemon
sorbet, your taste buds are in for a treat.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-1am
Address
11-13, Ráday utca, Budapest IX
Telephone
+36 (1) 217 6986
Tom-George
Trendy Italian restaurant
Trendy Tom-George, close to St Stephen's Basilica in District V, attracts the
in-crowd. A makeover in 2009 turned it into one of Budapest's hottest
Italian restaurants, serving salads, fresh pasta and meat dishes. The
dining-room has also been renovated, with a new-look exposed-brickwork
interior. Some come just to be seen sipping cocktails at the bar.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12pm-11.30pm; Sat & Sun 12pm-12am
Address
8, Október 6 utca, Budapest 1054
Telephone
+36 (1) 266 3525
Ko Leves
Good Jewish eating
Ko Leves means 'stone soup', but the menu here is far more delicious and
features duck à l'orange and Jewish dishes. A young crowd comes here to chat
and line their stomachs before heading off to one of District VII's many
bars. The shabby-but-chic dining room is romantically candlelit at
night.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
26, Dob utca, Budapest 1075
Telephone
+36 (1) 322 1011
Csalagány 26
Lunch with business people
Csalagány 26 in District XI is nothing special to look at. But, the Buda
business crowd keeps coming back to this bistro for the creative local
Magyar dishes on the bargain lunchtime menu. Groups of friends meet for the
pricier dinner here, washed down with good Hungarian wines.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 12pm-3pm & 7pm-10pm
Address
26, Csalogány utca, Budapest 1015
Menza
Kitsch canteen
Menza, which means canteen, is a kitsch recreation of the basic restaurants
of socialist Hungary. Set on fashionable Liszt Ferenc tér in District VI,
old favourites like Jókai bableves (bean soup), stuffed cabbage, and
veal paprika with dumplings are on the menu. The trendy crowd eats here,
unafraid of the hefty dishes.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-12am
Address
2, Liszt Ferenc tér, Budapest 1061
Telephone
+36 (1) 413 1482
Gerloczy Kávéház
Homemade pastries
This grand Parisian-style café has big windows that look out onto a hidden
square in District V. Tables are set outside in summer. Gerloczy Kávéház
serves delicious homemade croissants and pastries to cake-loving
Budapesters, and visitors. The lunch and á la carte menus make it an all day
venue.
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Opening Hours
Daily 7am-11pm
Address
1, Gerlóczy utca, Budapest 1052
Telephone
+36 (1) 501 4000
Kádár Étkezde
Food from regimes past
Photos of yesteryear's celebrities adorn the walls of this dingy Jewish
Quarter lunch-only venue. It shares its name, Kádár Étkezde, with Hungary's
long-time former socialist leader. The food is also old-fashioned. Hungry
Budapesters cram in to order the trademark goose leg with potatoes and
cabbage. Remember what you've had and pay on the way out.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 11.30am-3.30pm
Address
9, Klauzál tér, Budapest 1072
Telephone
+36 (1) 321 3622
Transport
Tram 4 or 6 tram to Dohány utca
