We have selected 15 of the best restaurants in Budapest, which we have listed under five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. These restaurants are divided into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over HUF8,000)
$$$ (HUF4,000 to HUF8,000)
$$ (HUF2,000 to HUF4,000)
$ (under HUF2,000)
The prices quoted above are for an average three-course meal and for half a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent per person; they do not include tax or tip.
GourmetArany KaviárSituated on a quiet
street below Buda Castle, Budapest’s leading Russian restaurant has a lovely ambience and superb service (courteous and attentive), yet it is most definitely the food that steals the show here. Although referred to as a Russian restaurant, the fare at
Arany Kaviár is not exclusively Russian; the menu incorporates the gastronomic traditions of all the nations that were once part of the Old Russian Empire.
Ostrom útca 19
Tel: (01) 201 6737.
Website:
www.aranykaviar.hu Price: $$$$
FaustoFausto is considered by many as Budapest’s finest Italian restaurant. The setting here is elegant, with antique furniture and large round tables covered in crisp white linen, and the food first class. The menu includes a variety of soups and traditional Italian starters, followed by primi and secondi piatti of meat or fish, and the fresh seafood is truly excellent.
Dohány útca 5
Tel: (01) 269 6806.
Website:
www.fausto.hu Price: $$$$
GundelThis is the city’s fanciest and most famous restaurant, a real institution in the capital, and one of the few restaurants in town with an international reputation. Traditional dishes with an innovative twist are wonderfully complemented by an extensive wine list. The historical surroundings are a feast for the eyes too.
XIV Allatkerti útca 2
Tel: (01) 468 4040.
Website:
www.gundel.hu Price: $$$$
BusinessBombay PalaceThe Budapest branch of this international chain does not disappoint. Although it used to attract a mainly Brit and American clientele, locals are now coming in greater numbers. Fine traditional Indian food, Amstel beer on tap and impeccable, friendly service make this upscale restaurant a reliable choice.
VI Andrassy útca 44
Tel: (01) 332 8363.
Website:
www.bombay-palace.com Price: $$$
RemizRemiz is a popular restaurant serving generous helpings of hearty Hungarian food. Locals and tourists alike eat here (the menu is available in six languages), and with several dining rooms and a wonderful outdoor terrace, Remiz is just as suitable for a long Sunday lunch with the family, as it is for a business dinner with clients.
Budakeszi útca 5
Tel: (01) 275 1396.
Website:
www.remiz.hu Price: $$-$$$
Robinson RestaurantSituated on an island on the edge of City Park,
Robinson Restaurant enjoys an exotic location, a welcome escape from the buzz of nearby Andrassy Street. The restaurant itself is spacious, with a lakeside patio and a rooftop terrace that are very popular in summer and there are plenty more seats in the downstairs dining room – the huge windows boast views of Vajdahunyad Castle in the distance.
XIV Városligeti tó 1146 (City Park Lake)
Tel: (01) 422 0222.
Website:
www.robinsonrestaurant.hu Price: $$$
TrendyArticsokaOne of Budapest’s more recent arrivals,
Articsoka (meaning ’artichoke’) is a swanky affair located just a few minutes walk away from Parliament in downtown Budapest. Extended opening hours (the restaurant is open from noon until midnight) mean that it has both breakfast and lunch menus.
VI Zichy Jeno útca 17
Tel: (01) 302 7757.
Website:
www.articsoka.hu Price: $$-$$$
Buena VistaA trendy haunt in the rejuvenated area around Liszt Ferenc Square,
Buena Vista is a café/brasserie which not only boasts a large open terrace where customers can eat in the shade in summer, but also a likeable bright and airy dining area split over three floors inside. The food, of Mediterranean inspiration, is good, and covers the gamut, from light salads, soups and sandwiches, to fish and meat dishes.
VI Liszt Ferenc tér 4-5
Tel: (01) 344 6303.
Website:
www.buena-vista.hu Price: $$
Spoon Café and LoungeSpoon is special: the restaurant, which opened in 2003 and is docked across from the Buda Castle, is a replica of a big white cruise ship. The breathtaking view of Budapest that can be seen from anywhere on the ship, especially in the evening, adds to the enchantment.
V Vigadó tér 3 (in front of Hotel Continental)
Kikötõ (állóhajó)
Tel: (01) 411 0933.
Website:
www.spooncafe.hu Price: $$$
BudgetCafé KorThe ever popular
Cafe Kor first opened several years ago as a miniscule bar but has since occupied more spacious premises, complete with a terrace, near the Basilica. The interior here has a relaxed and cosy café-like atmosphere, and the light, airy bistro is very popular with young expats, students, and Hungarian yuppies seeking lighter fare.
V Sas útca 17
Tel: (01) 311 0053.
Price: $-$$
GerbeaudThis landmark Budapest café-confectionery is a must-see. The interior is gorgeous, done up in turn-of-the-20th-century Austro-Hungarian opulence, complete with rich plaster work, magnificent chandeliers, marble tables, lavish fine wood panelling, and brocade wall coverings. Among other decorative items is the piano that was intended for use on board the
Titanic.
V Võrõsmarty tér 7
Tel: (01) 429 9000.
Website:
www.gerbeaud.hu Price: $
Personal RecommendationsMarquis de SaladeWhat started as a little wooden salad bar has over the years evolved into a spacious ground-floor eatery and cellar accommodating up to 100 guests. The food at
Marquis de Salade, however, is as popular as ever. Georgian and Azerbaijani dishes are a specialty here, although the menu features dishes from around the world.
VI Hajós útca 43
Tel: (01) 302 4086.
Price range: $
KepiroTucked away in a side street a short walk from Kalvin tér metro station, this is a little gem of a restaurant, and one of our favorites. Indeed
Kepiro, which was voted best of Budapest in the international cuisine category by
Budapest Week magazine in 2003, and received a Michelin recommendation in 2004, is fast becoming a compulsory stop for serious gourmets in the Hungarian capital.
V Képiró útca 3
Tel: (01) 266 0430.
Website:
www.kepirorestaurant.com Price: $$$
Kisbuda GyöngyeLocated in Obuda,
Kisbuda Gyöngye is well worth seeking out. The restaurant, which offers an elegant setting full of old world charm, is perfect for a romantic dinner, as the room, with its antique furniture and its beautiful hand-painted ceiling, has a warm and intimate atmosphere. The menu features both traditional Hungarian dishes and more international offerings.
Kenyeres útca 34
Tel: (01) 368 6402.
Website:
www.remiz.hu Price: $$$
Marxim’sThis tongue in cheek pizza place in Buda makes for a peculiar experience. The communist theme is what makes the restaurant special – booths are separated by barbed wire, there are replicas of communist posters on the walls and even a uniform-clad mannequin. And although it is the unique atmosphere people come for, the food is pretty good too, making this a winner for those wanting something a bit different.
II Kisrókus útca 23
Tel: (01) 316 0231.
Price: $
Nightlife:New clubs and discos are constantly sprouting up all over Budapest and there is no district especially renowned for its nightlife. The bars offer something for everybody (from sleazy sex bars to calm cafés) and there is plenty of space to experiment. Many bars are open until dawn, although most close at around 0400. Borozos are cheap wine cellars, where it is rare to see women, especially unaccompanied. Sorozos are beer houses that will also serve good and moderately priced food. The minimum drinking age is 18 years.
Probably the best sources of nightlife listings are
Budapest Week (website:
www.budapestweek.com) or
The Budapest Sun (website:
www.budapestsun.com).
Where Budapest is a monthly guide in English, available free at most hotels.
Bars: The
Crazy Café, VI Jókai útca 30, stocks over 20 draught and 100 bottled beers and is popular with the young set.
Café Mediterran, VI Liszt Ferenc tér, is open until 0200 and has a friendly atmosphere and attractive terrace that is packed in summer.
Portside, VII Dohány útca 7, is popular with a young crowd at the weekend, with an excellent menu, pool tables and dancing, while
Negro, II Szent Istvar tér, is the place for cocktails.
Szimpla Kert, Kazinczy 14 (website:
www.szimpla.hu), is a fun and funky squat-style venue with a great beer garden in the warmer months.
Casinos: Budapest has over a dozen casinos, mostly located in the luxury hotels along the Dunakorzó. These include the
Las Vegas Casino, Hyatt Regency Hotel, V Roosevelt tér 2 (website:
www.lasvegascasino.hu),
Casino Budapest Hilton, I Hess András tér 1-3,
Casino Budapest Gresham, Gresham Palace, V Roosevelt tér 5, and the grand Várkert Casino, 1 Ybl Miklós tér 9 (website:
www.varkert.com). In all casinos, photo ID must be presented for registration on the first visit and the minimum age is 18.
Clubs: Franklin Trocadero Café, V Szent István körút 15, plays good Latin music, while retro is provided in the cellar-club
Nincs Pardon, VIII Almássy tér 2.
Fat Mo’s, V Nyáry Pál útca 11, is always busy and the dancefloor is usually filled, during and after the live jazz concerts.
Piaf, VI Nagymezo útca 25, has a piano bar upstairs and a lively bar with a dancefloor in the basement.
The Old Man’s Music Pub, VII Akácfa útca 13, although crowded, is one of the city’s most fun night-time hotspots, with live music from 2100 to 2300.
Angyal Bar, VII Szövetség útca 33, is
the gay club in Budapest, specializing in good old-fashioned high-NRG dance remixes.
Barge A38 is a trendy floating club venue currently a favorite of the local cognoscenti.
Live Music: Mexican music is played at
Latin Kocsma, V Havas útca 2. Mellow jazz is featured at
Club Seven, VII Afácfa útca 7, a classy café, bar and music club, and at
Incognito, VI Liszt Ferenc tér 3. Dance houses (
táncház) feature Magyar folk music from isolated areas such as the Transylvanian region of Romania.
Kalamajka DH (Belvárosi Ifjusági Muvelodesi Haz), V Molnár útca 9, was started by Béla Habmos (the founder of the dance house movement in the 1970s) and is open Saturday 2000-0100. International stars perform at
Népstadion, the main sport stadium, XIV Istvánmezei útca 1-3.
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