Budapest Restaurants

 

No matter if you want to eat Asian like Sushi or Wok dishes, you prefer Italian food or German. For every taste there is a restaurant. Some restaurants are absolute world class in terms of the food, service or interior. Budapest offers a lot of places to eat. All kinds of nationalities are serving food from all over the world.
Contrary to widespread belief, Hungarian cooking isn't all gulyás (goulash) and heavily spiced paprika dishes, just in the same way as Italian isn't all pasta and Indian hot spices. Hungarian dishes have a distinctive, unmistakable character of their own, often rich with sour cream, onions, eggs, butter and wine. An abundance of good local produce, meat and fish make for dishes such as Halászlé (Fish soup), Sült libamájszelet (pan-fried goose liver), Almával töltött fácán (pheasant stuffed with apples), Szarvastokány erdei gombával (venison stew with wild mushrooms) and Fogasszelet bakonyi módra (fillet of pike-perch Bakony style).
Restaurateurs in Budapest are also realizing (not before time) that tourists and locals alike are becoming ever more demanding in their search for good food. The traditional fondness for cooking with lard seems in decline, chefs now show restraint by not going thermo-nuclear on meat, and waiter service is improving.
By law, restaurants must clearly list prices on their menus. If they don't go elsewhere. Check the bill carefully too as overcharging in Budapest is not uncommon.

Apor Péter u. 1, Bus 16 Clark ádám tér
Decent enough Taverna with all the usual Greek offerings, plus some more adventurous ones such as shark steak and goat. Bouzouki music some evenings. Terrace in the summer.

Podmaniczky utca 18., Metro: M3 Nyugati pu.

Web site: www.zorbastaverna.hu

A popular downtown taverna that offers a good range of poultry, lamb, pork and sea food dishes. Stick to the range of domestic wines on offer though as Retsina and Domestica, affectionately known as Domestos in the UK. are both more expensive and of inferior quality to their Hungarian counterparts.

Országház utca 2, Metro: M2 Moszkva tér then Várbusz to Castle Hill

Web site: www.alabardos.hu

Transylvanian specialties abound at this 400 year old gothic restaurant. The largely meat oriented menu is well balanced, although a meal for two doesn't come cheap thanks to the restaurant's fine reputation and Castle Hill location. The outdoor terrace is particularly nice during the summer.

Kossuth Lajos tér 18, Metro: M2 Kossuth tér

Web site: www.biarritz.hu
Just a stone's throw away from the Hungarian Parliament, Biarritz is, at the moment, one of the nicest restaurants in Pest. Intimate candlelit surroundings, coupled with some adventurous Hungarian cooking make for a great evening out. Starters such as Surumi fish with shrimp sticks, followed by more recognizable, well-prepared Hungarian main courses are very good. Perhaps, a table too many squeezed in, but a fave nonetheless.

Ferenciek tere 7-8, Metro: M3 Ferenciek tere
Web site: www.karpatia.hu
Restaurant Kárpátia Budapest is located at Ferenciek tere, in the middle of the tourist heart of Budapest. That’s what Restaurant Karpatia is like. Folk musicians playing traditional songs singing "salamis, gulyas, paprikas" so every stereotype is served here. If you want music, nice decoration and Hungarian ambience Restaurant Karpatia is a good address but don't expect the food to be world class and bring a full wallet. 5 persons more than 200€ is definitely expensive for Hungary and specially for the quality of the food.

Kenyeres u. 34, Tram 17 from Margit híd

Web site: www.remiz.hu

Charming restaurant in Óbuda which roughly translated means 'small pearl of Buda'. Elegant setting, with a warm atmosphere and turn of the 20th century feel. Well cooked traditional Hungarian specialties with a decent piano/violin duo to round things off nicely.

Õrdögárok utca 80, Tram 56, Bus 56

Web site: www.nancsineni.hu
Set in the leafy suburb of Huvösvölgy, the name of this restaurant literally means Auntie Náncsi. A favorite with the locals, what you get is decent Hungarian home cooking at affordable prices. Although the live accordion music is a bit twee, dishes such as the intriguing Kamermayer's delight (turkey breast in garlic milk, coated in ground walnuts) are a must.

Október 6. u. 5., Metro: M1 Bajcsy Zs. Út

Web site: www.nosztalgiaetterem.hu

With decor inspired by the many Viennese style cafes and restaurants that sprung up in Budapest at the turn of the 20th century, Nosztalgia offers a first rate ambience and fine quality fare, albeit at a cost. So, what you get is Hungarian cuisine in elegant surroundings with prices, for Budapest at least, that are comparable with The Gundel.

Andrássy út 44, Metro: M1 Opera

Web site: www.bombay-palace.com
The Bombay's two large dining rooms, with chandeliers and marble flooring, are suitably impressive for a restaurant just a short walk away from the Opera. An all too tempting pickle tray, a decent chicken pakora starter and delicately spiced beef rogan josh made up our meal. Finishing with a refreshing lemon sorbét we were suitably impressed. Amstel on tap helped fire fight those hotter moments during the meal, while impeccable and friendly service rounded off an excellent evening.

Liszt Ferenc tér 4-5, Metro: M1 Oktogon

Web site: www.buena-vista.hu
Located in the lively nightspot of Liszt Ferenc Square, Buena Vista is a café/brasserie which boasts a modern dining room and large open terrace. Service, which has always been a bit ropey, is provided by young, chiseled jaw types who, it has to be said, look the part, but fail to deliver a competent level of service. Having made our reservation by phone, the restaurant's maitre d' initially had trouble finding our details, before hurriedly showing us to a table that had still to be set for dinner. Moreover, the white furnishings in this part of the restaurant were heavily soiled, immediately spoiling the ambience of what is, supposedly, an upmarket dining experience.

Váci u. 20, Metro: M2 Vörösmarty tér
Located in the downtown Taverna hotel, the Gambrinus is an award winning restaurant considered to be among the top ten in the country. With modern interpretations of classic Hungarian and International dishes the restaurant setting is formal, although music from the excellent gypsy trio helped lighten the atmosphere considerably.
Starters of goose liver risotto with wild mushrooms and wild boar pancakes in cream sauce, were both well executed and full of flavor. Main courses consisted of borjúfilé (veal steak) with pear and grillezett szarvasérm (wild deer).

Podmaniczky u. Metro: M3 Nyugati pu.,
Web site: www.sirlancelot.hu
Medieval theme restaurant which clearly doesn't take itself too seriously. Food and drink are served by 'buxom wenches' who actively encourage customers to get plastered. Entertaining, especially if you plan on going with a small group.

Állakérti út 2, Metro: M1 Hõsök tere
Web site: www.gundel.hu

Restaurant Gundel Budapest is the most famous restaurant of Budapest. If Hungary is hosting a president or head of a nation the dinner is usually at Gundel. People like Vladimir Putin come to Gundel to have a dinner like in a fairy tail. Besides the fact that the big guns go to Gundel the restaurant is not better or worse than others. The prices are high and the kitchen is very good but there is nothing special in the restaurant itself. But if you want to have a candle light dinner or a romantic evening I think Gundel in Budapest is the right place.

Dohány u. 5, Metro: M2 Astoria

Web site: www.fausto.hu
Although the kitsch Venetian decor isn't to everyone's liking, Fausto's is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in town. Expensive but unpretentious, it's frequented by the type of people 'who live to eat', rather than 'eat to live'. With fresh pasta and daily specials to rave about, we like this place a lot.

Szent István körút 20, Metro: M3 Nyugati pu.

Web site: www.okayitalia.hu
Although the early 90s saw it set the pace for good, inexpensive pasta and pizza in Budapest, nowadays with a larger number of Italian restaurants around, it doesn't quite deliver.

Belgrád rakpárt 13, Metro: M3 Ferenciek Tere, Tram 2, 47 or 49

Web site: www.toscana.hu

Trattoria Toscana in Budapest is a fabulous restaurant at the Danube side on Pest side next to the excellent Greek restaurant Taverna Dyonisos. On the menu Trattoria Toscana offers a variety of specialties from the Toscana. As a starter for example the tomato soup is very good but also the salads and little snacks like Bruscetta.
The main dishes are normal Italian dishes like pasta and pizza but also excellent steaks, duck or wonderful fish. For dessert typical Italian sweets like Tiramisu or ice cream are served as well as the traditional espresso witch is actually very good.

Petofi tér 3, Metro: M3 Ferenciek Tere
Restaurant Ocean Bar & Grill Budapest is situated in the center of Budapest. Specialized on Seafood Ocean Bar and Grill offers a big variety of good fish dishes. The food is very tasty and average priced. Next to the restaurant it is the "Ocean deli shop" where you can buy all types of Seafood for home cooking.

Só utca 3, Metro: M3 Kálvin tér, Tram 47, 49
Heavy on Buddhist relics, high on quality cuisine, Chan-Chan is Budapest's only Thai restaurant. Although vegetarians may struggle with a menu comprising of mainly meat and fish dishes, it's reputation as a fine restaurant is reinforced by hearty soups and well spiced entrees.
Although you can't go wrong with staple dishes such as chilli beef with basil, Hungarian cross-over dishes such as grilled boar's leg in Thai sauce and fried duck with honey are particularly inspired. Service is a strong point.

Cukor utca 3, Metro: M3 Ferenciek Tere
Web site: www.vegetarium.hu
Vegetarium in Budapest is a 100% vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Budapest. Besides vegetarian food Vegetarium also offers vegan food. The used ingredients are very fresh and high quality. To entertain you while waiting for your food Vegetarium offers logical and board games so there is no way to get bored. The menu offers nice starters such as finger food, soups, small salads or pancakes. As main dishes Vegetarium has big and tasty salads, pasta, burrito, tofu and good pizza.

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