Hungary Restaurants

I really love this coffee house. Aside from the nice coffee and fabulous freshly made cakes of all types, the atmosphere was bustling and busy, with a very 'local' feel about it as opposed to being full of tourists only. This is a great place to come for breakfast or an afternoon snack. It is a very traditional place, with interesting decor and you really feel a little more immersed in the culture of Budapest. A real gem!

Gundel is a smart elegant restaurant, which makes a nice change from some other restaurants in Europe which are less formal. The food here is fantastic - many traditional Hungarian dishes but presented with a modern twist reminiscent of good modern European cuisine. This is somewhere to dress up for and make an evening of, as opposed to a quick bite to eat. It is expensive, but certainly worth it, not just for the food and service but for the art work that surrounds you.

Lunch while in Budapest

Dinner while in Budapest.

This is the first café that opened on List Ferenc ter, one of the city's most popular downtown locations. The square is extremely accessible and consequently gets pretty crowded as soon as the bars open. Make sure you keep a watchful eye on your belongings as professional pickpockets prowl the area. Incognito has a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for sipping your afternoon coffee or evening beer, while seated on comfortable second-hand chairs with friends. The walls are covered with framed album covers of Sly Stone, James Brown, Steely Dan and other heroes of the 1970s. The music policy is predominantly acid jazz - the waiters even wear t-shirts with this emblazoned on the front. Needless to say, in warmer weather the outside tables are extremely popular.

First opened in 1887, the Central soon became the haunt of writers, poets and journalists. There are now even Internet facilities. A non-smoking balcony offers fresh air. The tables are square blocks of marble with rather severe wooden chairs. Try the 'Maria Thereza' coffee, a lethal blend of Cointreau, espresso and whipped cream. Or a flodni, a divine Jewish pastry with layers of apple, walnuts and poppy seeds. A variety of salads, seafood, chicken and pasta dishes are also available.

Located on the sunny side of the square, this café and bar has more of a Mediterranean feel than those opposite. The interior (and mezzanine) is totally empty in summer as all the bamboo chairs and tables are taken outside and placed under a huge sun umbrella. The interior walls are done out in orange-red.

One of the biggest cafes on the square, Pesti features two floors and plenty of tables and seats. Downstairs you'll find a big, L-shaped bar. Check out the art installations showcased on the landing, arguably the best features of this opulently furnished place. Fine wines and beer are available at reasonable prices. The waitstaff is friendly and helpful. Pleasant background music is pumped out over the superb sound system, and occasionally there is also live piano music. The terrace is used in the summer.

Cactus Juice Pub opened several years ago during the craze for silly theme pubs, each with a more bizarre concept than the next. It provides the perfect populist antidote to the posing, arty cafés on Liszt Ferenc ter just across the road. Descend the metal studded stairs and you'll find yourself in a turn-of-the-century Wild West saloon. Everything has a contrived antique feel, you expect the seats to be dusty and the walls, doors and even menus are covered in designer stains. Delicious Hungarian style pancakes are topped with half a peach and come swimming in vanilla sauce. There is a good range of salads, sandwiches, chilli and steaks.

Several restaurants are located on boats docked on the Pest bank of the Danube, but Columbus was one of the first and is still one of the most interesting. If you can get a table on the deck, you will be able to enjoy one of the best views in town; the magnificent panorama of Castle Hill, the Liberation Monument and the bridges spanning the river. Try to get a seat facing the river rather than the touristy promenade. Inside, the theme is nautical, with lots of wood and brass fittings giving the impression of dining on a boat, even if this one never moves. The place is often packed. The smoked knuckle of pork is only for those with giant appetites. The chilli is hot and the giant burger is good value. You could also have five chicken wings covered in a fiery sauce and the fresh Greek salad is tasty and filling, especially when accompanied by a basket of bread which is useful to soak up the olive oil.

This newish bar tries to cram everything in at once: there's upscale dining with quality wines, a big screen to watch the football on and also nights of wild and crazy disco dancing. This place is a favourite for young Hungarians with cash to flash. Loud techno music and a bustling clientele mean this place is not for the faint-hearted. It is packed on football nights, which sometimes unfortunately coincide with disco Wednesdays. There is Caesar salad, cream of salmon soup, Tex-Mex ribs and fried carp to munch on. The best part is that hints on the menu suggest which wine would best accompany your chosen dish.

The For Sale Pub is located at the bridgehead on Szabadsag Bridge. There are plenty of tasty dishes on the extensive menu including steaks, pasta and some vegetarian dishes. Note that this country-style pub charges a ten percent service charge. On the ground floor, there is a bar counter decorated with old Colts and rifles and a few tables surrounded by wood furnishings. The upstairs dining area is larger and fairly quiet, with whirring fans on the ceiling.

This is one of Budapest's many cellar bars, taking its theme from the Prohibition era in America. One of the most popular nightspots in town, the joint jumps on weekends, guaranteeing a hot and sweaty time. Young locals and ex-pats just can't get enough of it. If you are successful in booking a table, you will find that the menu is American-influenced with Magyar tinges, featuring knuckles of pork, Caesar salad, and light snacks. Wine and soft drinks are quite expensive, while beer is cheap.

The street named after Pal Kiralyi is long, narrow and unexceptional. However, it is home to no less than seven places to eat and drink (at last count). This shrine to Janis Joplin has been here longer than most and still remains a popular place for a night out in the ever-changing Budapest nightlife scene. Although the decor is supposed to have an American theme, the place feels more like a trendy English pub, with plenty of space to sit and sup a beer and congenial service at the bar. On the way downstairs you will spot a mannequin of the famous Southern Comfort-swilling singer, but don't let that frighten you away. Live music entertains the folks in the cellar where the decor has an incongruous sailing theme with canoes suspended from the ceiling and other paraphernalia. Menu items are chalked up on the blackboard in Hungarian and English. Chicken breast, chilli beans, steak and sandwiches can all be washed down with a selection of draught beers.

Located in the middle of a pedestrian zone, Anna is a perfect spot for lounging around and watching people stroll along Vaci utca. The usual selection of coffee (HUF 290-430) as well as cakes, salads, pastries and sandwiches (up to HUF 700) are available from early morning until midnight. The café is decked out with a bar counter, display fridge and several tables even though the place itself is not terribly big. The spacious terrace is obviously its main attraction in summer.