A city rich in history and cultural diversity, Hungary's capital offers a variety of tantalizing culinary delights that reflect its heritage, from traditional 'mom and pop' cafes to restaurants with international influences. Here are some places to eat in Budapest:
From the hilly slopes and crenellations of the Fisherman's Bastion in Buda to the city's flat, bustling Pest district, Hungary's capital is a great city to explore. We have always wanted to come here to see the mighty Danube River that divides this beautiful historic place in two.
With its monumental architecture, complex history, bustling cosmopolitan city, and truly unique culture, Budapest is a city where everyone should visit with their highest travel expectations and be prepared to have them met.
But in terms of food we weren't sure what to expect.
But what we discovered was a city rich in culinary diversity and one that takes pride in what it serves on the plate and in the glass.
Each title has a Google Maps link showing the exact location of that place. 🙂
12 places to eat and drink in Budapest, Hungary
1. Freya – Croissant Story
The coffee is good at this neighborhood-style café in the heart of the funky District 2, but the croissants are just as good.
They also make a variety of filled pastries. Christina's pistachio and my ham and comté croissants were excellent. However, it can get quite crowded here so you might have to wait in line.
2. My Little Melbourne Coffee
This cute little cafe serving delicious coffee and pastries was close to our hotel in Madách Imre út and caught our coffee-starved eyes with the word 'Melbourne'. It's not up to the level of Victoria Coffee, but it's not bad.
At night, this street and the alleyways beyond are completely lit up.
3. Simple garden
One of the largest and best known of Budapest's famous 'ruin bars'. This huge, crumbling building has a great vibe and is surprisingly packed, even on a Monday night.
It's almost like a department store, with each small room having a bar offering different drinks and a different atmosphere. I'm not sure what the food is like here, but come here, have a few drinks and soak up the atmosphere.
4. Savoy Terrace at Buda Palace
Located outside the main entrance to Buda Palace, this is probably the best view of the bars on the Pest side of the city from across the water. Although it's a tourist bar, it's also a welcome rest stop if you've walked all the way to the top of the hill instead of using the nearby cable car rail. Just like us.
Great for enjoying a cheeky beer while taking in the view. It's actually a very cheeky $10 per pint, but it's still worth it.
5. Leo Rooftop
Also on the Buda side, near Budvári Palota, the rooftop bar above the Clark Hotel is really lovely. This cool little bar also has amazing views of the river and city and serves great drinks and food.
Reserve a table if possible. Otherwise you'll have to take your chances at the odd reception down the street.
6. TwentySix Budapest
This beautiful bar in District II serves great cocktails and great food. Located in a huge building, or rather, an atrium, Twentysix feels like an arboretum, with tables surrounded by plants and a triple-height ceiling made of glass panels.
7. Ildico’s Kitchen
If you're looking for an authentic Hungarian food experience, look no further than: sometimes restaurant. Typically a mom and pop cafe run by local seniors, the food is always plentiful and delicious and the prices are usually very affordable.
Ildikó Konyhája is located a block from the Danube on the Buda side and is absolutely beautiful. Christina's Creamy Chicken Stew and my Beef Stew were both excellent. Both are served with nokedli (squiggly gnocchi-like dumplings).
There is also Kaplinka, a traditional Hungarian drink, here. Powerful but delicious.
sadly, Ekhezde Restaurants are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Here is an interesting story about how and why they are dying.
8. Goofy's Millennium
Ristorante Millennium da Pippo, in the vibrant city suburb of Terézváros, showcases Hungary's cosmopolitan side. From the red and white gingham tablecloths to the prosciutto slicers, this place is almost Italian.
The food is excellent, offering authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, plump and sticky burrata and excellent vitello tonnato rarely seen outside of Italy.
9. Ghetto Goulash
Located in District II, this friendly yet upscale restaurant serves traditional Hungarian cuisine. EkhezdeKitchens want to show off real flare.
We shared a few dishes to get the most out of the menu. The half-bone roasted bone marrow entree, beef tartare, and goulash were delicious. Then comes the main beef tenderloin and veal paprika.
The professional service guiding us through the menu felt like overselling at first, but actually made for a better meal. This was our last dinner in Hungary. It was a fitting highlight to end with.
10. Mazel Tov
Twentysix Similar to Budapest but more down-to-earth, this cavernous restaurant is filled with greenery and has a high glass ceiling.
Serving beautifully crafted Mediterranean and fusion Middle Eastern cuisine, Mazel Tov is another excellent example of Budapest's extensive food vocabulary.
We shared a mezze selection (the hummus was great), a meat platter of sausages, patties, pita, and a pile of chargrilled chicken pieces. If you have a table reservation, skip the line and go right in. If you don't have a reservation, you may have to wait a little longer.
11. Retro Flaming
If you're really hungry and want a delicious and heart-warming snack, try traditional Hungarian lango.
The dish ticks many of the boxes for our guilty pleasure at the bustling Retro Lángos on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Way (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út), one of the main thoroughfares through the Pest side of Budapest, and is also a lángos specialist.
A cross between pizza, donuts, pancakes and okonomiaki, langos are flat, fluffy and crunchy disks of fried dough topped with your choice of toppings. These typically start with a sour cream base, and Retro Lángos offers everything from turkey, tomatoes, and mozzarella to spicy Mexican peppers.
The Hungarian Lango, which we both ordered, served with sour cream, grilled bacon bits, red onion and grated cheese, was not only powerful but incredibly satisfying.
12. Szechenyi thermal baths
Strictly speaking not a bar or restaurant, these magnificent thermal baths inside a neo-baroque palace built specifically to house the baths in 1909 are a must-visit while in Budapest. (Here is a full review of Szechenyi Thermal Baths home).
While you are here, you can purchase snacks and drinks from the cafeteria. But that's not why I included this place here.
One of the private bathing options here is the Thermal Beer Spa. Here you can relax in 36°C water infused with hops, yeast and malted grains. During the 45 minutes you soak in the wooden tub filled with beer, you can pour as much local lager as you like from the tap next to you!
Bonus food!
Kürtöskalács (you may also see them as kurtosh) or 'chimney cakes' are a popular pastry that can be found throughout Budapest, mainly in small food vans.
Crafted into a spiral shape, this delicious snack is actually a type of cake that is twisted into a spiral shape and cooked until crispy. It is called a chimney cake because when it is hot, steam pours out of the top like a chimney.
You can get a variety of coatings on the outside of Kürt?skalács, some filled with something like cream. I don't remember what I ate, but it was delicious and enjoyable.
Kürtöskalács is specific to the Hungarians of Transylvania (now Romania) and dates back to at least the 1600s.