Budapest Restaurants
Budapest Restuarants and culinary delights.
It used to be quiet difficult to get a good meal in Budapest without doing some serious
research pre your visit to ensure success. Fortunately most major cuisines are now represented in Budapest and the cuisine is improving greatly. There are still places that serve up stodgy, unattractive dishes which could induce corinary attacks, but thankfully big improvements are being made in Budapest. Contrary to widespread belief, Hungarian cooking isn't all about goulash and heavily spiced paprika dishes, just in the same way as Italian isn't all pasta or Indian vindaloo dishes. 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). Vegetarians fair less well though with a Hungarian diet that's traditionally meat heavy. Although vegetarian restaurants do exist here, they're largely sombre affairs which compare unfavourably to those in London or Paris. Most traditional restaurants will offer fried mushrooms (rántott gomba), Trappista sajt (Trappist cheese in breadcrumbs) or egg dishes, but that's about all. Surprisingly, you'll stand a better chance of success with hotel food, albeit at extra cost.
Thankfully most menus are printed in both English and German although these interpretations are quiet literal. 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 particularly if you are a tourist in Budapest.
Typical Hungarian Restaurants & bars in Budapest worth the visit:
Magyar cuisine is rich, meaty and cheap. At the upper end of the scale, Gundel (XIV. ÿllatkerti út 2, 468 4040, www.gundel.hu) is a culinary legend restored to glory by famed restaurateur George Lang. Also in City Park you have Robinsons restaurant sitting on the lake.
Café Kör (V. Sas utca 17, 311 0053) offers light, bistro-style Hungarian cookery.
For classic Hungarian, try Károlyi Étterem Kavéhaz (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 328 0240). The Gresham Hotel’s Pava (V. Roosevelt tér 5-6, 268 5100) offers gourmet Italian cuisine in an elegant setting. Another great Hungarian restaurant with loads of atmosphere is Nador Boretterem set in a basement but with a band that plays Chello, violin and more. Truly worth the treat.. Nador Utca 30.
Budapest Photo of Nador Boretterem
Coffee-house culture is big in Budapest; good choices are Müvész (VI. Andrássy út 29, 352 1337) and Centrál Kavéház (V. Károly Mihály utca 9, 235 0599) for gooey cakes and cappuccino amid 19th-century grandeur. Another Great Budapest Coffee house is the newly renovated Cafe Lukacs on Andrassay Utca 29.
Budapest Photo Lukacs Cafe Andrassay Utca
Bars around Liszt Ferenc tér and along Ráday utca, where Jaffa (IX. Ráday utca 39, 219 5285) is a standout.
Nearby, the bohemian Csiga (VIII. Vásár utca 2, 210 0885) offers dining and drinking in a lively, arty milieu. Katapult (VII. Dohány utca 1, 266 7226) is a fun bar that stays open late.
Other bars and restaurants worth visiting
Szoda : Funky café-bar where the windows are lined with soda bottles - hence the name… Discover Szoda Café Mediterran.
Discover Café : Another hip spot on Liszt Ferenc Tér, opposite the cool, jazz-inflected regulars of Incognito… Discover Café Mediterran A38
Discover A38 on the Danube. Tired of drinking and dancing on dry land? Why not set cruise the waters of the Danube on this magnificent ship-cum-nightclub.
Articsóka : A cool and stylish restaurant and bar that's the hottest place in town - classy food and costly drink attracting most of Budapest's.
Cafe K'or : This is a place that is always busy and a very popular place for locals. It also manages to have the best breakfast in town. Located on SAS Utca and right across from our Basilica Apartment.
GOA Cocktail bar and restaurant : This is an excellent restaurant offering a great selection of Asian fusion food. Their cocktails are pretty good also particularly their Mojitos. Goa is located on Andrassay street close to the Budapest Opera.
Photo of Goa Cocktail bar and restaurant.
The Golden Lamb : This place is a must but not necessarily for the food. They have a mad fiddler who plays throughout the meal and is quiet a unique experience. This restaurant is located on Harmincad utca 4, Budapest (Hungary), +36 317-2703