Budapest Restaurants and Eating out

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Photo: Vivien FarkasBudapest restaurant

Hungarian food can be very spicy if hot paprika is used
Local salami and goose liver is top quality
Hungarian wines are excellent and better value than imported wines
Goulash is a hearty soup, not a stew
Dumplings are served with many dishes

Eating Out

Budapest has a wide selection of restaurants, generally of a high standard. Many serve traditional Hungarian food although there are also many Italian, Asian and branded fast food restaurants.

In fact there are more than 1,000 restaurants and eateries within Budapest city limits and they range from exclusive fine dining to fast food burger bars and pizza takeaways. Most restaurants display prices at the entrance.

Hungarian cuisine

Paprika is the dominant flavour of Hungary, which has a cuisine like no other in Europe. Chicken, beef, veal, pork and game are flavoured with paprika in famous dishes such as goulash, which is a soup rather than a stew, and pörkölt, which is a stew.

Cooking in kettles is a legacy of the nomadic Magyars who settled what is now Hungary. Neighbouring cuisines, such as Austrian and Serbian have had an influence, as has Jewish cooking.

Hungarian salami is amongst the best in the world while goose liver is a prized delicacy. Sausages, such as Gyulaer, Csabaer and Debrecziner, are of fine quality. Pasta, dumplings and noodles are all popular.

Fish is largely fresh water varieties such as pike-perch, carp, trout, eel and zander (called fogas), a large fish caught in Lake Balaton. It is often coated with flour and paprika and pan-fried.

Whipped chestnut is a favourite dessert while pastries are ever popular.

Hungarian wines are of high quality and reds and whites are available from all over Hungary. Tokay is Hungary's most famous wine. It's normally sweet - although there are dry versions - and is widely available in restaurants.

Spirits include apricot brandy (Barackpalinka), cherry schnapps (kirsch) and plum brandy. The famous Unicum is a black spirit peculiar to Hungary which is, to put it politely, an acquired taste!

Hungarian paprika

There's many types of Paprika - 'sweet' means 'not hot'; 'rose paprika' is lively and spicy while 'hot' is very hot. Smoked paprika can also be found. Paprika is a great gift to bring back from Budapest.

Budapest restaurants

Fatal - despite its name, people queue to get in this vaulted cellar. Food is served on wooden boards (they're called fatál in Hungarian) and the portions are hearty. It's in the popular Vaci utca in Pest.

Cyrano - The prices are reasonable at this well-known restaurant at Kristof ter in the centre of Pest. The decor is Gaudiesque.

Pest Buda - a very pleasant, atmospheric restaurant - often with piano music - in the Castle district of Buda near to the Hilton hotel at Fortuna utca 3. The prices are reasonable for such a location and the food excellent.

Horvath Gosser - this has been a favourite of the famous football legend Ferenc Puskas. Good food at reasonable prices. In Buda at Krisztina ter 3.

Klassz - near the Opera House, this is a popular good-value spot but you might have to queue as they don't take reservations. There's a real buzz and excellent Hungarian cuisine.

Muzeum - next to the Magyar Nemzeti Musem on Muzeum krt in Pest, try this for a stylish candle-lit dinner.

Rézkakas - if you are looking for good food with gypsy music in very pleasant surroundings, this could be just the place. It's at Veres Pálné u. 3. on Pest, not far from the Elizabeth bridge.

Gundel - one of the most famous restaurants in Budapest. Founded by Johann Gundel, who trained at the famous Sacher hotel in Vienna, the restaurant Gundel is an institution famed for dishes that were developed here.

The summer garden and the music will make this an experience to remember - as might the prices! In Pest at Allatkerti ut 2.

Bagolyvar - an annexe to the Gundel and more affordable. Traditional cooking and a beautiful dining room.

Alabardos - the name means 'Beefeater' but it's a million miles in style from the British pub chain. The food is delicious with dishes such as grilled foie gras, poultry and game. It's expensive and can be found at Orsaghaz utca 2 in Buda.