Must-see restaurants in Hungary

  • Borkonyha

    Budapest

    Chef Ákos Sárközi's approach to Hungarian cuisine at this Michelin-starred restaurant is contemporary, and the menu changes every week or two. Go for the…

  • Krak'n Town Steampunk Saloon

    Budapest

    Like something out of a Jules Verne novel, Krak’n Town Steampunk Saloon certainly lives up to its name, with giant hot-air balloons, brass accents and a…

  • Pierrot

    Castle District

    This stylish, long-established restaurant, housed in what was a bakery in the Middle Ages, specialises in dishes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, revamped…

  • Pesti Disznó Bisztró

    Budapest

    Punters would be forgiven for thinking that the 'Pest Pig' was all about pork. In fact, of the 10 or so main courses more than half are beef, poultry,…

  • Kispiac

    Budapest

    This small retro-style restaurant – an absolute favourite – serves seriously Hungarian things like stuffed csülök (pig's trotter – and way better than it…

  • ESCA Studio

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    One of the best new modern Hungarian bistros, this place offers both excellent cooking and superb value. With internationally trained chef/owner Gábor…

  • Barack & Szilva

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    This is the kind of perfectly formed restaurant that every neighbourhood wishes it could claim. Run by a friendly husband-and-wife team, the 'Peach & Plum…

  • Impostor

    Budapest

    Now in a new, more central location, elegant Impostor serves hybrid dishes that echo the owners’ passion for Asia and Latin America. Though there are more…

  • Gettó Gulyás

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    This new spot is just about the best place to try pörkölt – what we call goulash (it's paprikás when you add sour cream) – with everything from chicken,…

  • Macok Bistro & Wine Bar

    Eger

    With its inventive menu and excellent wine cellar, this stylish eatery at the foot of the castle has been named among the top dozen restaurants in Hungary…

  • Csalogány 26

    Castle District

    The decor is spartan at this intimate restaurant, which turns out creative and superb food. Try the roasted lamb with butter squash lecsó (a kind of…

  • 1552

    Eger

    With a name like this, the stunning new 1552 has just got to be up in the castle. The upscale menu, created by Budapest-trained chef Matyás Hegyi, offers…

  • Mák Bisztró

    Budapest

    The award-winning 'Poppy' offers inventive international dishes that lean in the direction of Hungary from a chalkboard menu that changes daily. Casual…

  • La Bodeguita del Medio

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    Anchor tenant of the Fészek Club, meeting place of artists and intellectuals since 1901, La Bodeguita del Medio is a Cuban restaurant with such favourites…

  • Dobrumba

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    This affable new restaurant in the heart of Party Town is a veritable geography lesson and a smorgasbord of tastes – from the Middle East and the…

  • Ikon

    Debrecen

    One of the best restaurants in town, Ikon commands a prominent position on the main square, but with its trimmed-down decor and classily clad wait staff,…

  • Hortobágyi Csárda

    Great Plain

    This is Hungary’s most celebrated roadside inn, built at the end of the 18th century. Sit back and admire the Hortobágy kitsch taking up every place on…

  • Tiszavirág Restaurant

    Szeged

    The restaurant at the Tiszavirág Hotel serves beautifully presented international and modernised Hungarian dishes, such as guinea fowl with Jerusalem…

  • Baraka

    Budapest

    If you only eat in one fine-dining establishment while in Budapest, make it Baraka. You're ushered into the monochrome dining room, where chef André…

  • Múzeum

    Budapest

    This very suave restaurant is the place to come if you like to dine in old-world style with a piano softly tinkling in the background. It’s still going…

  • Babka

    Budapest

    Babka has fast become the go-to dining option in Újlipótváros for its excellent dishes, friendly service and hip crowd. It calls itself 'Mediterranean',…

  • Tepsi Gastropub

    Kecskemét

    Our favourite new place to eat in the centre, Tepsi has pushed the Kecskemét dining scene into the 21st century with its simple, clean decor and a menu…

  • Bistro Sparhelt

    Lake Balaton & Southern Transdanubia

    Head inland from the lake to the town hall for a rare gastronomic treat. Chef Balázs Elek presides over a sleek, minimalist restaurant with a succinct…

  • Rosenstein

    Budapest

    A top-notch and cosy Hungarian restaurant in an unlikely location, with Jewish tastes and super service. Family-run – the owner is also the chef – it has…

  • Leo Budapest

    Castle District

    There are rooftop bar-restaurants and then there's His Highness Leo, who will put you in the lap of the gods in the warmer months on the 8th floor of the…

  • Kőleves

    Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter

    Always buzzy and lots of fun, the 'Stone Soup' attracts a young crowd with its Jewish-inspired (but not kosher) menu, lively decor, great service and…

  • Malata

    Szeged

    This great new hipster hang-out is part ruin garden, part pub/cafe and counts upwards of a dozen craft beers on tap. The food is mostly gourmet burgers…

  • Rudas Bistro

    Budapest

    We love, love, love this place with its turquoise interior and stunning views of the Danube and bridges. It sits above the Rudas Baths Wellness Centre …

  • Wall decoration at Firkasz Restaurant.

    Firkász

    Budapest

    Originally set up by former journalists, retro-style restaurant ‘Hack’ has been one of our favourite Hungarian 'nostalgia' eateries for years, thanks to…

  • Borssó Bistro

    Budapest

    Cosy, classy and welcoming corner restaurant set over two levels, with dark-wood furniture and romantic candlelight come evening. There's clear attention…

  • Bagolyvár

    Budapest

    With reworked Hungarian classics that make it a winner, the ‘Owl’s Castle’ attracts the Budapest cognoscenti, who leave its sister restaurant, Gundel,…

  • Sushi Sei

    Óbuda & Buda Hills

    This stylish restaurant is one of the best spots in Budapest for a wide spectrum of authentic Japanese cuisine. Apart from beautifully presented nigiri,…

  • Erhardt Restaurant

    Sopron

    An excellent restaurant where the pleasant garden terrace, a wooden-beamed ceiling and paintings of rural scenes complement imaginative dishes such as…

  • Nem Kacsa

    Lake Balaton & Southern Transdanubia

    The gourmet stylings of chef Lajos Takács stand out against the town's largely mediocre offerings. The kitchen delivers beautifully crafted dishes…

  • Blöff Bisztró

    Pécs

    This (mostly) Balkan bad boy has quickly acquired a solid following in town. It may be to do with its super-central location, but really the main draw is…

  • Zsolnay Restaurant

    Pécs

    The star of the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, this stylish restaurant with crisp white linen is a worthy contender for Pécs' top dining spot. Creative dishes?…

  • Refektórium

    Sopron

    Some 4km southwest of Sopron, this one-time convent is home to one of Sopron's finest restaurants and is worth the trip for a meal alone. Eating in the…

  • Mjam

    Szentendre

    These guys bill themselves as a Caribbean restaurant, but while there are Caribbean-ish elements to what they do, we think that they're far more…

  • Koriander

    Esztergom

    Outwardly unprepossessing, inside Koriander blows you away with some of the most daring dishes you're likely to taste in Hungary. So prepare yourself for…

  • Monk's Bistrot

    Budapest

    With its vaguely industrial decor, an open kitchen and hip serving staff, this ambitious restaurant specialises in bold pairings of ingredients that…

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