Category Archives: In Budapest

Favorite Restaurants in Budapest

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We get asked all the time for restaurant recommendations, so here are a few of our favorite places to eat Hungarian food in Budapest. The dining scene in Budapest continues to evolve for the better. Higher quality restaurants run by creative and highly-skilled chefs and owners are (thankfully) becoming more prevalent. Still, it’s well worth taking the time to strategize about where you’ll eat to avoid wasting time and money on a dud. Reservations aren’t always needed (but are recommended), and for the most part Hungarians are pretty casual when dining out.

While there may be less and less Hungarians dining out at the more expensive restaurants, if you’re coming to Hungary with foreign currency in your pocket you’ll find prices to be very moderate for the quality, portions, and dining experience that you get.

Of course there are many more good restaurants than we’ve listed here, but this should get you started! Jó étvágyat!

For much more on where and what to eat and drink in Budapest, check out my books: Food Wine Budapest (Little Bookroom) and The Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to Hungary (Park Kiadó).

—Carolyn

LUNCH PLACES / ´ETKEZDES
Don’t leave Budapest without lunching at an étkezde. Only open for lunch, these simple places serve very simple, inexpensive Hungarian food. The menus tend to change daily, and the better ones are as close to homestyle cooking as you will get in a restaurant. You can expect to pay less than 2,000 HUF for a meal at most étkezdes. Most only accept cash and don’t offer alcohol or coffee. And, don’t be surprised if you feel rushed…they need to turn those tables! Read about more of our favorite étkezdes.

Kádár Étkezde
VII. Klauzal tér 9
+36-1-321-3622

This place is an institution in the Jewish Quarter, and is one of the few étkezdes which is on the tourist track (though the many locals who dine here regularly don’t seem to notice). If you can brave the sometimes extensive lines, come on Saturday to try the excellent sólet (cholent) which has been cooked for so long that the beans are almost caramelized. Otherwise, the stuffed peppers served in slightly sweet tomato sauce are one of my favorite standbys.

Roma Ételbar 
I. Csalogány utca 20
+36-1-201-4545
www.controll.hu/roma

Though you wouldn’t know it if you’re not a local, this place attracts many low-key Hungarian celebrities who live in the neighborhood. But it counts among its regulars even more office workers and construction workers who come for the generous portions of standard Hungarian dishes. Inside, the small dining room is dark and stuffy, but when the weather is warm the place more than doubles in size by adding tables on the sidewalk. Carnivores will love the Cigánypecsenye, a slab or pork topped with a chunk of roasted bacon and lots of garlic.

Belvárosi Disznótoros
V. Károlyi Mihály utca 17

This is not an étkezde, but a modern take on a butcher shop. In Hungary butcher shops are not just places to buy meat, but places to have a quick stand-up lunch. This place serves the sausages, roasted meats, and pickled vegetables that are typical of a “pig-killing platter,” as the name implies. While you’re here, pick up some of the lovely Mangalica sausages.

TRADITIONAL

Fülemüle 
VIII. Kőfaragó utca 5
+36-1-266-7947
www.fulemule.hu

This restaurant near Blaha Lujza tér serves Hungarian food with a Jewish twist. Testament to its popularity, the walls hold many pictures of local politicians, artists, and celebrities who love the place, as well as the extended family of the proprietor. While you’ll find many typical Hungarian dishes here, it’s worth sampling one of the Jewish dishes such as the house-smoked beef brisket or the sólet (cholent) topped with, perhaps, a roasted goose leg or a piece of goose liver. Owner András Singer is usually around and loves to chat about food with customers.

Centrál Kávéház 
V. Károlyi Mihály utca 9
+36-1-266-2110
www.centralkavehaz.hu

Many of the city’s famous old coffee houses have lost their charming, laid-back atmosphere, but not the Centrál. This 19th century coffee house (and former literary haunt) was beautifully and authentically restored about a decade ago and was recently slightly modernized. Take a peek upstairs to see the room where famous writers and editors put together their publications. The menu offers good, slightly updated Hungarian fare (the duck breast and chicken paprikás are both excellent). There is a bargain-priced weekday lunch special (2 courses for 1,200 HUF and 3 courses for 1,590 HUF), though the dishes are simpler than those found on the main menu. This is not the place to skip dessert!

Café Kör
V. Sas utca 17
+36-1-311-0053
www.cafekor.com

Many Budapest restaurants now like to call themselves bistros, but Café Kör has long perfected the genre. The place is cozy, with a long list of daily specials scrawled on the wall, as well as a menu of longstanding favorites. The menu here is more-or-less traditional Hungarian (though not quite as heavy as super traditional homemade Hungarian food). A good place to start is with the steak tartare or a cold plate of cured meats.  For dessert, try a Hungarian classic like Mákos guba (poppyseed bread pudding) or Chestnut puree. The restaurant is centrally located near the Basilica. Reservations are essential, and credit cards are not accepted. Omelets and other simple dishes are available for breakfast from 10am.

Bagolyvár
XIV. Állatkerti út 2
+36-1-468-3110
www.bagolyvar.com

Located in City Park, just next to the Zoo and across from the Széchenyi bath house, this restaurant is part of the Gundel empire. But whatever Gundel is (over-priced, stuffy, elegant), Bagolyvár is the opposite. While many say this place is simply a cheaper version of Gundel, the two restaurants each have their own kitchens and serve very different styles of food. “Owl’s Castle” is run exclusively by women—from the head chef to the cleaners—and the food is ultra-traditional. Don’t let the old-school dining room scare you away (the dark wood and bright orange tablecloths are a tad outdated), because if you’re after classic Hungarian food, you’ll find it here. The patio out back is actually the border of the zoo, so don’t be surprised if you hear the sounds of animals squawking as you eat.

MODERN

Borkonyha
V. Sas utca 3
+36-1-266-0835
www.borkonyha.hu

Located near the Basilica, this restaurant opened about a year ago and quickly became one of Budapest’s top restaurants (and a personal favorite). The menu changes frequently, with daily specials written on the board inside, and the focus is on fresh, seasonal ingredients simply prepared. The menu offers a wonderful combination of well-known Hungarian dishes (prepared in a contemporary way), as well as more creative dishes prepared with wholly-Hungarian ingredients. Don’t miss the signature foie gras appetizer, which is seared with thin layers of strudel dough on top, making it perfectly crispy on the outside. The name translates as “Wine Kitchen,” and as it implies, wine is taken very seriously. The waiters know their wine well, so just ask if you need help picking a glass or a bottle.

Pesti Disznó
VI. Nagymező utca 19
+36-1-951-4061

This newish restaurant is manned by Tamás Bereznay, a chef who has written several cookbooks and cooked for the president. Located on the so-called “Hungarian Broadway” (not far from the Opera), the idea here is Hungarian food served on small plates. You’ll find mini portions of Hungarian classics (such as an excellent cold goose liver with red onion marmalade and chicken paprikás), as well as some more imaginative recipes using Hungarian ingredients. The tasting menu offers five courses each paired with a different wine and is a great value at 6,990 HUF. With its open kitchen and funky music, this place is lively and is one of the few options for good late-night eating (it’s open until 1am). During the warm weather there are many tables set up outside, but since the inside is quite small, reservation are recommended.

Klassz
VI. Andrássy út 41
www.klasszetterem.hu

Connected with the Bortársaság chain of wine shops, this cozy restaurant near the Opera House is busily decorated with different patterns of floral wallpaper. The menu is brief and changes frequently. It offers dishes that are not quite Hungarian, though there are usually a few Hungarian dishes on the menu if that’s what you are looking for. The equally brief wine list consists of smartly-selected primarily Hungarian wines. Try a glass of the Gellavilla Olaszrizling (made by one of the owners of the wine shop) for a perfect aperitif. If you find something you like, head to the back of the restaurant where there is a small shop selling many of the wines. The two-course lunch special is a bargain at 890 HUF, though the dishes are much simpler than those found on the main menu. Klassz does not take reservations so you may have to wait for awhile on a busy night.

Olimpia Vendéglő
VII. Alpár utca 5
+36-1- 321-2805
www.alparutca.hu

No, you did not accidentally wander into a Greek restaurant. Olimpia just happened to keep the name, and most of the décor, from the restaurant that previously occupied this space. If you don’t like surprises, go somewhere else. Rather than writing a list of daily specials on a chalkboard, at Olimpia they write a list of ingredients that the chef will be working with that day. The only decision you make is how many courses you’d like (four courses are 5,700 HUF and seven courses are 8,300 HUF). Then, just sip a glass of wine and wait and see what shows up on your plate. For me, I don’t mind the tradeoff of one or two off courses for the surprise factor. Excellent service is a major part of the package here.

Bock Bisztró
VII. Erzsébet körút 43-49
+36-1-321-0340
www.bockbisztro.hu

Though Bock Bisztró is connected to the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, it is not your typical hotel restaurant. It is named for one of the great winemakers in Villány, József Bock, but chef Lajos Bíró is really the brains behind the place. Of course, there’s an extensive wine list here (and not just wines made by Bock). With your first glass of wine, a good place to start on the menu is with a few borkorcsolyák (“wine snacks”) for the table. Though the menu sounds pretty straightforward, the Hungarian dishes on the menu will surprise you with their inventive presentation and contemporary style. Breakfast is served between 8am and 11am, and advance reservations are essential.

Csalogány 26
I. Csalogány utca 26
+36-1- 201-7892
www.csalogany26.hu

Named for its address, the atmosphere here is a bit cool, and the location is a tad isolated (between Batthyány tér and Szell Kálmán tér) keep this place in mind for a slow, and memorable, dinner. In addition to the regular menu, you can choose from a four course (8,000 HUF) or an 8 course (12,000 HUF) menu (add wine pairings for a few more thousand HUF). While the menu is not Hungarian, many of the ingredients are local staples. A television screen in the dining room stays focused on the busy kitchen stovetops, so you can see how your meal is progressing behind the scenes.

IN THE STARS
If collecting Michelin-starred restaurants is your thing, Budapest now has two one-stared ones:

Costes 
IX. Ráday utca 4
+36 1 219 0696
www.costes.hu

Closed during lunch.

Onyx 
V. Vörösmarty tér 7-8
+36 1 429 9023
www.onyxrestaurant.hu

Onyx offers a  special less-expensive lunch menu (as do many Budapest restaurants).

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Király utca, Still a Work In Progress

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Király utca has come full-circle. Once a lively shopping street, after World War Two stucco crumbled from the elegant buildings and shops were nationalized. Over the past few years, galleries and design shops have slowly begun to make their way back to “King Street,” and some of the city’s coolest open-air drinking spots are within steps. In 2005 the street got a much-needed renovation. But the construction was shoddy, the sidewalks are falling apart, and some of the new buildings are hideous. The plan was to make Király utca a walking street, but it didn’t really turn out that way. Nevertheless, the designers and artists keep coming and Király utca is on its way to being the place in Budapest to shop for designer home furnishings. New places are constantly opening—surely a good omen—but it remains a work-in-progress.

Király utca begins near Deák Ferenc tér and forms the edge of the Jewish quarter. Andrassy út is two blocks west and theatre-lined Nagymező utca and café-filled Liszt Ferenc tér intersect. VAM Design Center (Király utca 26) is the street’s largest gallery, occupying an entire building with a café in the covered courtyard surrounded by artwork hanging on exposed brick walls. The four-year-old Inda Gallery (Király utca 34) hosts a dozen exhibitions annually and represents 14 artists. G13 Art Gallery (Király utca 13) is located in Gozsdu udvar—a complex of seven buildings linked by six courtyards that was restored in 2008. Sirály (Király utca 50), a star of the neighborhood’s alternative cultural scene, has a bar, a café and performance/exhibition space on three levels. The edgy Boulevard & Brezsnyev Gallery (Király utca 39-46) specializes in young, unknown artists.

Müller Mónika (Király utca 36) was the first designer to arrive on Király utca. Her shop stocks her own designs, crafted by local mill workers, artists, and restorers. KARE (Király utca 43-45) is the Budapest outlet of the German home-furnishing brand, and is already rallying the street’s businesses and planning art exhibitions. On its opening-day, owner Ágnes Déri held a festival showcasing the street’s design shops, and hopes to make it a regular event (the next one is coming up on June 19th). “Király utca used to be one of Budapest’s most famous shopping streets and trade centers,” said Déri, “and I really believe this will become the single famous furniture and design street in Budapest.” Goa Home (Király utca 19­21) has several storefronts brimming with pieces from around the world. Arioso (Király utca 9) stocks international houseware, stunning flowers, and French food products by La Petite Francaise. Be sure to check out the small green courtyard café. Látomás (Király utca 39) sells one-off fashions designed by a longtime Budapest expat.

At night, the neighborhood fills with drinkers heading to the kerts—which spring up in empty, grungy buildings—for cheap beer and wine. Graffiti-covered Kuplung (Király utca 46) is located on the site of a former motorcycle repair. Café Bobek (Kazinczy utca 51), named for a Communist-era cartoon character, has tables in a green yard. Kőleves Kert (Kazinczy utca 35) serves food from its own restaurant, and the outdoor bar has swings for barstools and other playground-like effects. Around the corner, Mumus (Dob utca 18) is two levels, with a piano bar and barstools made of stacked beer boxes. Take a walk on Király utca for some of Budapest’s hippest venues, from high-concept design shops to retro bars. The best part: the feeling that lots more is yet to come.

–Carolyn

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The Amazing 8th

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Like most people who have lived in a place for a long time (in my case nearly ten years), doing the touristy things can often get overlooked. Things like daily life can really get in the way. I seem to have done most of my sightseeing in Budapest on my first extended visit to the city, before I even moved here. And I seem to fill in the blanks whenever I have guests visiting. But the best thing about writing (for me) is that it keeps me out there, constantly exploring the city and the country, especially the non-touristy parts. Not being one for doing guided tours—I usually prefer to explore on my own—I was intrigued when I heard about Beyond Budapest, a small company which does specialized walking tours of Budapest’s 8th district.

I’ve long-loved the 8th district, and now, it seems everybody does. What was once the city’s most dangerous neighborhood now holds boutique hotels, stylish bars and cafes, and a bunch of art galleries. The tour ended in the apartment of a Roma couple, where we were told to ask whatever questions we wanted. Beyond Budapest also does tours introducing the neighborhood’s contemporary art scene. Read what I wrote about the district in this article.

–Carolyn

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All Saint’s Day {Mindenszentek Napja}

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Although there are an increasing number of costume parties and events for children, Hungarians don’t really celebrate Halloween. And Halloween just isn’t Halloween without the trick-or-treating. Hungarians do celebrate All Saint’s Day, which is a way for them to honor their deceased loved ones. On November 1st, and the days leading up to it, they go to the cemeteries where their relatives are buried, clean the area surrounding the graves, plant flowers, and light candles. Some families will travel to several cemeteries around the country, if necessary, to be sure that the graves of their relatives are tended to.

Last night we went to Kerepesi Cemetery—a beautiful cemetery where many of the most famous Hungarians are buried—where there were swarms of people, crossing guards to direct the pedestrians, and many vendors selling flowers and candles. Gábor noted that he hated this day when as a child his parents piled the whole family into the car, hauled them to Budapest to visit the cemetery, and then on to Jászberény for another cemetery. Once they arrived at the family graves, they took out their shovels and rakes, tended the graves, and always noted how the deceased “deserved to have lived better lives.” I can see how it wouldn’t be too much for for a child, but with the burning candles, full moon, and vases of flowers everywhere, it was a gorgeous sight.

See more photos on our flickr page.

–Carolyn

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On Menus, Spelling, and Translation

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In an entertaining article in the Washington Post last week by Jane Black she discussed how much spelling and grammar mistakes on restaurant menus bother her. Here’s her fantasy:

I enter a restaurant, order and sweetly ask the waiter if I can “hold on to the menu” during dinner. Then, using a distinctive purple pen, I discreetly copy-edit the descriptions of the dishes.

Caesar, not “caeser.” Shiitake, not “shitake.” Riesling, not “reisling” (though I’d quietly applaud restaurants that spell it wrong as long as the misspelling was consistent.)

Black will be in trouble if she ever comes to Budapest, where the menu mistakes would be way too many to correct with her purple pen. Spelling mistakes on menus is something that has long bothered me also, although in Hungary I excuse the spelling mistakes because the people writing the menus are Hungarian speakers, not native English speakers. (Black excuses ethnic restaurants from her rant as well). In Hungary it’s the often hilarious menu translations which stand out more than the excusable spelling mistakes. One of the most memorable that I have come across was the “chicken make you slobber” at a Chinese restaurant. I assume that the menu writer meant to say something along the lines of “mouthwatering chicken.” And then there is carp, that common Hungarian fish, which I have seen countless times spelled as “crap.” True, many people think that it is, but it’s not a very appealing description.

I generally find these translation mistakes to be entertaining rather than annoying (after all, if I had to translate a menu to Hungarian it wouldn’t be a pretty sight). But I do wonder why it is that so many restaurants here can print their menus (which at traditional places can be very long and often laminated, which is surely expensive) without having someone who speaks English at least read it over. But I guess that is just the copy editor in me.

On the other hand, it does really get to me when menu writers translate “pörkölt” (a typical Hungarian stew) as “goulash” into English. This happens constantly, and it just perpetuates the wrongly-held notion outside of Hungary that goulash (gulyás) is a stew. In Hungary it’s not a stew, but a soup. These menu writers who purposely mis-translate it just add to the confusion. I cannot tell you how many times that I have had discussions with waiters to try to get to the bottom of whether or not the dish listed was actually a soup or a stew. I once ordered a gulyás and received a pörkölt only to have the waiter insist to me that it was goulash. Even the fact that I ordered in Hungarian could not convince him that I knew the difference and that what I wanted was actually the soup, and not the stew. Do restaurateurs think that foreigners cannot understand the difference between the two? Now I have taken to either only using the Hungarian menu, or comparing the English menu to the Hungarian before I order. Maybe Hungary should do what the Chinese government has done and make an official list of suggested translations, even if it is just for these to two oft confused dishes.

–Carolyn

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Mangalica Madness

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Since I’ve been living in Budapest I’ve been eating more pork than I ever have before in my life. And the pork here is great. It’s definitely the meat of choice, and meat from the Mangalica pig–a heritage breed that nearly died out during the Communist-era–is the choicest kind of pork. We happened to be in Városliget (City Park) this weekend when a Mangalica festival was happening. See what I wrote about it on Chew.hu.

–Carolyn

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Markets as Museums

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The New York Times travel section last weekend was devoted to food related travel, and there was a nice piece by Mimi Sheraton about her visits to some of the world’s greatest markets and their cultural importance. I’ve always counted visiting markets as one of the highlights of traveling to new places, even more so than museums. Exploring a country’s food and shopping style gives you a fascinating peek into new cultures. I even love exploring grocery stores in new countries–with their funny packaging, languages I don’t understand, produce I might not often see, and products which I’m not sure what do do with or how to eat. Although when I’m traveling it’s always frustrating to see something that looks so good (or unusual) and all I want to do is take it home and cook it, but can’t because I’m staying in a hotel.

Sheraton writes:

“IT is a given that no serious traveler would forgo visits to museums, cathedrals, castles, monuments and legendary streets. Yet food markets deserve equally high billing on a must-see list. For as inspiring as the more standard sights can be, they do not rival the ebullience of modern-day markets and their colorful links to the economy, customs and even dialects of a city. In a world ever more homogenized, food markets afford visitors one of the few opportunities to glimpse locals going about one of their essential daily chores.”

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve always loved markets and trips to Eastern Market, my neighborhood market in DC, were part of my weekend routine while I was growing up. Eastern Market is a true neighborhood market where people will go just to see who they’ll run into, even if they don’t plan to buy anything.

Budapest’s markets, on the other hand, are more straightforward places where serious shoppers stock their baskets and bags with little need to socialize. I was happy to see that Sheraton mentioned Budapest’s Central Market Hall in her article. I always love shopping there, but it feels tame in comparison to some of Budapest’s less central markets like the Bosnyák tér Market and the Lehel téri Market.If you’re visiting Budapest the Central Market Hall should be the first market you visit, but you’ll get so much more of the “living theater” that Sheraton writes about by checking out the city’s more neighborhood-oriented markets.

“Attending this living theater, one can assess the local economy by noting the quality and variety of foods available and compare prices to our own. One can observe how locals treat one another.”

–Carolyn

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