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Get a taste for Hungary’s gastro-scene,
a must-have read for fans of business,
casual and fine dining.
The Budapest Business Journal, which turns 25-years-old this year, has always paid special attention to gastronomy. Our annual Fine Restaurants publication, which features a list of Hungary’s top 100 restaurants, is one form of this attention. Each year we intend to give the widest possible picture of the local gastronomy scene, and we are glad to see that there is so much to show every year. There are new openings by the day, the quality is on the rise and “old school” establishments are developing just as much.
We hope you will enjoy reading this publication just as much as we enjoyed compiling it. We also trust you will find this year’s edition of Fine Restaurants a useful guide on your journey exploring the best restaurants in and outside Budapest.
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BUSINESS LUNCH
When making a good impression on the visiting regional top-dog at your company is key, a business lunch at one of Budapest’s best restaurants is surely the perfect choice.
The places we’re looking at now are a select few that can be trusted to serve the finest food in a chic and outstanding environment with perfect service, although one doesn’t have to be a businessperson to enjoy such an experience, of course.
A business lunch at one of these high-end restaurants is also a great way to grab a taste of fine dining at a very affordable price, even if it’s a Michelin-star venue. The atmosphere, the hospitality and the quality will make even a daytime visit a unique experience.
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STREET FOOD
For the first-time visitor, Budapest must be a dream destination for street food, although this hasn’t always been the case.
Long-time expats and locals remember the time when street food equalled low-quality kebab, thick-dough pizza with a thin layer of tomato ketchup, and the local version of hamburgers was a mom-and-pop meatloaf in a two-day old bun with pickled cucumber and sauerkraut.
Times have changed, thank God, with a colourful variety of high-quality street food available from pastrami through breaded cheese sandwiches, bagels, soup-in-boxes and the inevitable pizza and hamburger, only now made from fresh ingredients and with care for the customer.
Eating on the go in Budapest has never been so tasty or inventive.
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YOUNG TALENTS
Budapest’s gastronomy has very much moved to the front burner. The best indicators of this are a handful of young talented chefs who are carrying on the old traditions but applying modern high-end techniques at the same time.
All are former contestants of highly-esteemed competitions, and now work in some of the top restaurants in the capital; Ákos Horváth at Márga, Ádám Garai at Olimpia, János Mizsei at Mák Bistro and Kevin Szabó at Stand 25 all had renowned teachers and top chefs to learn from.
Their reputations are already strong enough for any gourmet to want to make a reservation and give their dishes a try.
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SPOILT BY GASTRO PRODUCTS
Budapest locals and visitors are spoiled in another, less straightforward way in Hungary when we think of gastronomy, besides all those sprouting new eateries.
The ongoing food revolution, that’s now become more or less a cliché, has boosted innovation and the pioneer spirit. Many have quit careers and left earlier lives behind to start a food- or drink-based enterprise.
Our selection here will help you find your kind of indulgence: a new shop with forest mushrooms has opened in Budapest’s landmark market Nagycsarnok; the famous wine region of Tokaj is now home to an innovative distillery; Syrian chocolatier Ghraoui is setting up shop in Budapest to escape the unfolding tragedy in its homeland; and Pannonhalma’s Benedictine Abbey – most famous for its library and its wines – is now widening its product range to include mineral water.
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THE CULINARY CHALLENGE
Keeping your finger on the pulse of Budapest’s gastronomical life has never required more attention than now. With the standard of new openings constantly rising, those who like trying new places are faced with a dilemma as to where to go first.
It is worth leaping on the opportunity to try new venues soon after opening, since if they are destined to become popular in the very near future, booking a table – wherever necessary – may become a feat. So, tasting meals at the places we have listed here should take place sometime soon.
Do take your quest seriously, and do not hesitate to eat for your own sake!
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GETTING OUT OF BUDAPEST
Every once in a while, even the most committed Budapest gourmet patriot decides to leave the city and have a taste of the countryside.
In Hungary, the opportunities to do so in style and at a high standard – in foodie terms – are gradually widening, and not only in the larger secondary cities such as Debrecen or Pécs, but also in minor towns.
A visit to Lake Balaton or travelling through more remote areas of the country can yield very surprising and very pleasant results, and at lower prices for the same quality you get in the capital.
Don’t underestimate the demand for such places though: You will most likely need to book to secure your table for a lunch or dinner.
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