Must-see restaurants in Budapest

Owned and operated by a southern Italian, Da Mario can't put a foot wrong in our book. While the cold platters, soups, and meat and fish mains all look…

This upbeat, modern Hungarian restaurant, with its white linen tablecloths and antique-looking cupboards, has links to the Gere family of wine fame. Count…

We (and the rest of the world) love this thimble-sized place, not just for its hearty, imaginative soups but also for its equally good grilled baguettes:…

If there is better pizza in Budapest, we don't know where to find it. Owned and operated by Italians Paolo and Enrico, Pizzica serves the real McCoy, with…

With a tradition dating back to 1894 and past guests including royalty and presidents, Gundel is one of Budapest's fanciest and most famous restaurants…

A short walk from the southeastern corner of City Park, this minimalist, pretty authentic restaurant serves dishes from across China with an emphasis on…

Hidden in a little courtyard off the Little Rig Road, Szimply Food is a tiny brunch and breakfast venue that combines modern design with healthy crafted…

Self-consciously rustic, Kéhli has some of the best traditional Hungarian food in town. One of Hungary’s best-loved writers, the novelist Gyula Krúdy …

A fin-de-sièclepalace dating from 1877, the ‘Carpathia’ serves almost-modern Hungarian and Transylvanian specialities in both a palatial restaurant in the…

What used to be a traditional cafe near the entrance to the Alagút (the tunnel under Castle Hill), established the year WWI broke out, is now a stylish…

Located within leafy City Park, informal yet stylish Robinson is the place to secure a table on the lakeside terrace on a warm summer’s evening. Starters…

This attractive cafe-restaurant includes a theatre where klezmer (Jewish folk music) concerts are staged at 7pm on Fridays (4900Ft concert only, 12,000Ft…

This place with a less-than-inspiring name ('21 Hungarian Restaurant') has some wonderfully innovative modern takes on traditional Hungarian dishes such…

A regular haunt of staff from the French Institute across the road (who should know la cuisine française), the Pavillon is housed in a wonderful old…

An Israeli restaurant with an enormous courtyard that comes into its own in the warmer months, 'Good Luck' serves lots of grilled meats like merguez…

The menu inside this vaulted bistro is that of an ambitious coffee house that's turned its hand to imaginative international cuisine – you can find…

A long-time favourite with students from the nearby university since it opened almost three decades ago, this family-owned operation just down the road…

This stylish restaurant on one of Budapest’s more lively squares takes its name from the Hungarian for a school canteen – something it is anything but. It…

This charming rustic self-service cafe set in a historic barn and garden offers tempting breakfasts (750Ft to 1590Ft), cakes and ice cream. Midday two-…

This new-wave cafe does excellent speciality coffee, most notably its namesake flat white. Beyond its coffee and tea collection, you'll find breakfast…