The Revival of the Glittering World of Revue
The glittering world of revue has returned to the stage of Matild Café & Cabaret this autumn. Three evenings a week – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night – the early 20th century Pest nightlife is revived with live performances featuring Hungarian and international entertainers, never-before-seen night shows and a three-course dinner.
"We already knew when we renovated the palace and chose the name that we would present the most glamorous, yet most elegant night performances in Budapest," says Selim Ölmez, general manager of Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest.
The Enchanting World of Budapest’s Coffeehouses
Café culture in Budapest is now in its second golden era. Many of the capital’s coffeehouses, some having traditions that date back to the Dual Monarchy before World War I, have been restored to their former splendour and are once again awaiting guests. Naturally, there are also establishments following a more modern path, adding a twist to classical elegance and surprising coffee lovers with more than just excellent coffee.
One of Budapest’s Most Famous Cafés Restored to Its Original Glory
The renowned New York Café has been the favoured place of Hungarian intellectuals throughout the years. Built in Italian Renaissance style, marbled columns rise to meet ceiling frescoes and crystal chandeliers.
At the turn of the century, the café was popular among writers and editors, with the most influential newspapers edited there, upstairs in the gallery. After World War II, the once famous café fell into disrepair, and it served as a sporting goods shop. Although the café reopened in 1954 under the name of Hungária, it wasn’t until 2006 that the New York Café was restored to its original splendour. Classic dishes like beef goulash, fishermen’s soup, chicken leg paprikash-style, Wiener schnitzel, and grilled foie gras are served along with famous desserts such as Dobos, Sacher, and Eszterházy cake.
The Culinary Highlights of Hungary
Exploring the delicacies of Hungary is undoubtedly a culinary adventure on which it is well worth embarking. From modern interpretations of Hungarian flavours to international specialities, the entire country is bustling with excellent restaurants for gourmets from all walks of life. In the past decades, the range of culinary options in the Hungary has grown so diverse that simply picking a restaurant to dine at has become quite the challenge in itself. Fine Restaurants has curated an exceptional selection just for you to browse through, filled with restaurants representing varied and unique gastronomic styles, with the expectation that every one of our readers will be able to find something that suits their taste.
A Bite of Mediterranean Flair
The variety of Mediterranean restaurants well represents the diversity of Budapest’s culinary scene. Walking around downtown, one has long been able to stumble into an excellent Italian establishment with authentic dishes, but it is now almost equally easy to find tapas bars for a few flavourful bites. The selection does not stop here, however; there are also several high-class places serving excellent Arabian dishes, and a Portuguese restaurant in the capital is a proud owner of a Michelin star, as seen in a later section of this book. So, dear reader, if you are craving a bite of sunshine, feel free to browse from our selection of Budapest’s best Mediterranean establishments.
Drinks to Die For
A night out in one of Budapest’s bars offers more than just excellent cocktails. In recent years, the bar scene in the Hungarian capital has reached a remarkable new level in terms of exciting mixes, delicious bar foods, and breathtaking views. Many of today’s cocktail places are located atop some of the city’s tallest and most iconic buildings, offering guests a chance to marvel at the beauties of “The Pearl of the Danube” while sipping on a concoction crafted with the utmost care by one of Hungary’s master bartenders.
Starting Your Day the Right Way
Starting your day with a proper, elegant breakfast instead of just a quick bite with the morning coffee can help elevate a good morning into a great one. Thankfully, Budapest offers a wide selection of options to choose from to satisfy your cravings. Ranging from exquisite artisan pastries to international classics like eggs benedict, these places serve dishes that ensure you get up on the right side of the bed.
CEOs’ Picks
While food is always a subjective topic to discuss, it is certainly interesting to hear the opinion of people well-versed in the fine-dining scene. If you are looking for some exciting recommendations, look no further, as Fine Restaurants has consulted with some of the country’s most prominent expat and domestic company leaders to discover their favourite restaurants, breakfast spots, bars and more.
The Best Spots for a Business Lunch
Sometimes, the success of a business deal depends on starting on the right foot. Picking the optimal spot for a business lunch can be quite a challenge, but it can also be rewarding. Thankfully, the Hungarian capital has an impressive variety of fine-dining restaurants offering excellent business lunch options. We are confident you will find a place in this section to suit all your needs, whether you are looking for a place to have a quick lunch with a single client or a venue to accommodate a larger group.
Sunday is Brunchday
There are few things better than preparing to start the week on a high note. Sunday brunches offer an excellent opportunity for people looking to fill up with optimism ahead of Monday’s return to work. After all, nothing tops a superb selection of Sunday meals accompanied by an aromatic coffee, some fresh orange juice, or even a beer. While sleeping in over the weekend might sound attractive, Budapest’s brunch places offer motivation aplenty to get out of bed and turn a regular lazy Sunday into a stylishly relaxing one.
A Gastro-journey Around Hungary
Leaving Budapest behind, it is now relatively easy to find excellent restaurants of the highest standards, offering regional specialities and local wine out in what Hungarian call the "vidék". A restaurant visit can become the highlight of a weekend trip in the countryside, offering stunningly different scenery to Budapest’s metropolitan milieu. Whether one desires to have a light meal after swimming in Lake Balaton, or a place to warm up while sipping a full-bodied wine on a cold winter’s day in the mountains, Fine Restaurants offers a solution for all culinary tastes and needs.
HU ISSN 2060-940X
Restaurant Index
0,75 Bistro, Budapest 107, 143
21 Hungarian Kitchen, Budapest 143
360 Bar, Budapest 89
42 Retaurant&Bar, Esztergom 143
A La Maison Restaurant, Budapest 119, 143
Alessio, Budapest 44
Andrássy Kúria & Spa, Tarcal 30, 143
Anyukám Mondta Restaurant, Encs 143
Arany Kaviár Restaurant, Budapest 144
Araz Restaurant, Budapest 144
Arz Lebanese Restaurant, Budapest 47, 144
Baalbek, Budapest 42, 144
Babel Budapest Restaurant,Budapest 66, 144
Biarritz Restaurant & Cafe, Budapest 144
Bistro Sparhelt, Balatonfüred 144
Black Swan, Budapest 87
Blue Fox The Bar, Budapest 86
Bobo Restaurant at Haris Park, Budapest 32, 145
Bock Bisztró Balaton, Vonyarcvashegy 145
Bombay Budapest, Budapest 104, 145
Bori Mami, Gyöngyös 145
Borkonyha Restaurant, Budapest 62, 145
Brasserie&Atrium Restaurant, Budapest 124, 145
Byblos Budapest, Budapest 52
Caviar&Bull Restaurant, Budapest 146
Centrál Grand Café & Bar, Budapest 16, 146
Château Visz, Somogytúr 136, 146
Clarisse Restaurant, Tura 27, 146
Costes Downtown, Budapest 56, 146
Costes Izakaya, Budapest 36, 147
Costes, Budapest 146
Cyrano Restaurant, Budapest 147
Déryné, Budapest 147
Dionysos, Budapest 48
DNB Budapest, Budapest 106, 114, 147
Első Mádi Borház,Mád 147
Émilé Ház, Budapest 39, 147
Erhardt Restaurant,Pension, Bakery, Sopron 141, 148
ÉS Bisztró, Budapest 120, 148
ESCA., Budapest 148
Essencia Restaurant, Budapest 56, 148
Fausto's Ristorante, Budapest 26, 148
FELIX Kitchen&Bar, Budapest 37, 148
FUJI Japanese Restaurant, Budapest 149
Gerbeaud Café, Budapest 21, 149
Gundel Restaurant, Budapest 149
Gusto 13 Bistro&Delicate, Veszprém 137, 149
Hableány, Badacsonytomaj 135, 149
Halászbástya Restaurant, Budapest 108, 149
High Note SkyBar, Budapest 80
Hoppá! Bistro, Budapest 149
Hot Stone Steakhouse, Budapest 150
Hotsy Totsy, Budapest 82
Ikon Restaurant, Debrecen 150
Ipanema Brazilian Grill, Budapest 150
Jamie's Italian Restaurant, Budapest 150
Jardinette Kertvendéglő, Budapest 150
Káli Art Inn, Köveskál 150
Két Szerecsen, Budapest 93
Kistücsök Restaurant, Balatonszemes 151
Kollázs Brasserie & Bar, Budapest 116, 151
La Coppola Budapest, Budapest 151
La Fabbrica Italian Restaurant, Budapest 151
La Pampa Steakhouse, Budapest 151
LAMAREDA Restaurant & Bistro, Győr 151
LÁNG Bistro & Grill at Hilton, Budapest 121, 152
Larus Restaurant, Budapest 152
Laurel Budapest, Budapest 23, 152
LEO Rooftop Bar, Budapest 88
Liz and Chain Sky Lounge, Budapest 78
Macok Bistro, Eger 139, 152
MÁK, Budapest 91, 152
Malom és Kacsa Bistro, Tata 134, 152
Mandragóra Restaurant, Budapest 154
Mandula Restaurant & Wine Bar, Villány 138, 154
Matild Café & Cabaret, Budapest 14
Mazi, Budapest 53
Mi a Kő, Köveskál 132, 154
Mon Petit Dessert Boutique, Budapest 18
Múzsa, Budapest 76
N28 Wine and Kitchen, Budapest 49
Neked Főztem Gastro Pub, Zánka 131, 154
New York Café, Budapest 15, 154
Nobu Budapest, Budapest 35, 154
ONYX Restaurant, Budapest 68
Ottimo, Budapest 155
Pajta, Őriszentpéter 155
Párisi Passage Café & Brasserie, Budapest 17, 155
Pasztell Restaurant, Budapest 155
Pata Negra Asador Tapas&Steak, Budapest 43
Petrus Restaurant, Budapest 155
Platán Gourmet & Manor, Tata 133, 155
Prato, Budapest 45
Prime Steak & Wine, Budapest 156
QUÍ Restaurant & Bar, Budapest 156
RévCsárda, Érsekcsanád 130, 156
Rókusfalvy Fogadó, Etyek 156
Rosenstein Restaurant, Budapest 156
Rosinante, Szigetmonostor 156
Royal Guard Café, Budapest 20
Rumour by Rácz Jenő, Budapest 70, 157
Salt Budapest, Budapest 58, 157
Sauska 48, Villány 140, 157
Solid Wine Bar, Budapest 85
Sophisto, Budapest 81
Spago by Wolfgang Puck, Budapest 25, 157
Spicy Fish Budapest Budapest, Budapest 157
St. Andrea Restaurant, Budapest 109, 157
Stand 25 Bistro, Budapest 158
Stand Restaurant, Budapest 65, 158
Stika, Budapest 92
Szent Donát Borkúria, Csopak 158
Tapassio, Budapest 50
Textúra, Budapest 36, 158
The Duchess , Budapest 84
Tiszavirág Café, Szeged 159
Tokio Japanese Restaurant, Budapest 159
Tom George Osteria Budapest, Budapest 159
Trattoria Pomo D'Oro, Budapest 160
Twentysix Budapest, Budapest 46
Uncensored Restaurant, Budapest 160
VAJ, Budapest 91
Végállomás, Miskolc 160
Viator Apátsági Restaurant, Pannonhalma 160
Villa Bagatelle Bakery, Bistro, Salon, Budapest 160
Wang Mester Chinese Restaurant, Budapest 161
Yama, Budapest 161
Yamato, Budapest 161
Zincenco Kitchen, Budapest 161
Fine Restaurants
2022’s Top 100 Recommendations
As it has become our tradition over the years, Fine Restaurants offers a carefully selected list of the 100 most excellent restaurants across the country, in alphabetical order. Please feel free to take a look at our selection, where we provide you with all the necessary information, such as the address, contact details, and price range for making a choice and booking a table.
