15 Best Restaurants in Budapest, Hungary

"Auntie Nancsi" has built a loyal following by serving up straightforward, homestyle Hungarian dishes in the rustic surroundings of a converted 17th century farmhouse. Chains of paprika and garlic dangle from the low wooden ceiling above tables set with red-and-white gingham tablecloths. Big tables of local families can be found here on summer weekends enjoying well-prepared Hungarian food. Sunday chicken soup and catfish paprika are well-loved by regulars. Try the popular túrógombóc (sweet cheese dumpling) dessert; it's the biggest and best in town. There is a garden dining area open during warmer months, when reservations are essential.

You don't need to visit every café in the world to decide that New York Café, often referred to as "the most beautiful café in the world," definitely deserves its title, or at least ranks very high on that list. Located within the luxe Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel and built in Italian Renaissance-style, the interiors feature marble columns, stuccoed angels, and sparkling chandeliers dangling from high ceilings adorned by spectacular frescoes. It's one of the oldest cafés in Budapest, dating back 125 years, and was once a meeting place for struggling artists. The prices have shot up considerably since, but it's still worth visiting to soak up the old-world splendor. During the day, drop in for cake and coffee to appreciate the rich history and decor. Evening visitors might prefer cocktails at the hotel's Poet Bar, overlooking the main café, or a haute cuisine dinner at White Salon---the recently reopened restaurant on the café's upper level---which serves sublime contemporary takes on classic Hungarian cuisine, including Mangalica pork chop and flat-iron steak stew.

Rosenstein is where Hollywood stars dine when they visit Budapest, and it's probably the best place to experience Hungarian cuisine—if you can get a table. The family-run restaurant offers an extensive menu, from classic dishes including goulash and paprikash, to more Jewish-tinged favorites such as cholent and matzo ball soup. Don't let its rundown neighborhood location fool you: inside, it's bow-tied waiters, white tablecloths, and fine wines, but the prices are affordable given the quality. 

This trendy café in the heart of Liszt Ferenc tér is popular for coffee in the afternoon and cocktails in the evening. There's a good range of dining options, from warm sandwiches to Hungarian dishes, and a plentiful array of cakes and boutique teas. The mascarpone cheesecake is a killer. Café Vian has sister locations in Gozsdu Udvar and near Szent István Bazilika.

Stone walls and floors, Mediterranean white and blue paint, and a lively terrace will transport you to Santorini. While a little pricey, this authentic restaurant offers high-quality Greek food and service, as well as a welcome palate break from typical Hungarian fare (so welcome, in fact, that there's often a queue outside). If you're not sure what to order, try the two-person Dionysos plate, which comes with a little of everything, including chargrilled pork tenderloins, ribs, gyros, tzatziki, pilaf, and fresh vegetables. There are also plenty of good fish, seafood, and vegetarian options. Save space for some fabulous Greek ice cream desserts.

An aura of calm permeates this excellent, long-standing Japanese restaurant in the affluent Rószadomb district of Upper Buda. Sushi and sashimi are expertly prepared, as are other Japanese specialties such as teriyaki tenderloin with sesame. There's even a separate dining room where you can eat at low tables, in traditional Japanese style. Comfortable club chairs and big windows make you feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Pest. 

The wicker chairs and café tables of this elegant brasserie, on a quiet and leafy square tucked behind Váci utca, are reminiscent of a scene out of a French movie; the summer terrace is about the prettiest location for lunch in Budapest. At other times of year, visitors can still enjoy seasonal Hungarian favorites like sült libacomb (crispy goose leg) in winter and asparagus soup in the spring, in the Parisian bistro-style interior.

This pricey but laid-back, sepia-toned neighborhood tavern is on a hard-to-find street near the Óbuda end of the Árpád Bridge. Practically all the food here arrives in huge servings, which was just the way that Hungarian writer Gyula Krúdy (to whom the restaurant is dedicated) liked it when he was a regular customer. Dishes like the hot pot with marrowbone and toast, or lecsó (a stew with a base of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and paprika) are great comfort food on a cool day.

Kispiac Bisztró is a tiny gem of a restaurant (its name means "little market") that specializes in huge portions of fresh roasted meat, sourced straight from nearby market halls. Delicious Mangalica pork chop, wild boar ribs, or the famed grilled duck is the way to go, along with a plate of homemade pickles. Eating here is a bit like being invited home for dinner by the local butcher. There's a lovely street-side terrace in the warmer months, and during winter no more than a couple dozen diners can fit inside at once, so reservations are a must.

The decor at this high quality Inner Town restaurant is said to be inspired by the Piarist monastery that once stood here, but with its hip industrial lighting, plushly upholstered furnishings, and sleek open kitchen, it takes quite the imagination to picture monks dining here. Instead, you're likely to find a mix of hip locals and food-loving tourists tucking into the bistro's modern takes on age-old Hungarian dishes; think rabbit tenderloin with potato dumplings, duck breast with kohlrabi pottage, and catfish fillet with clams.

This kitsch, rustic Hungarian restaurant, with its wooden chairs and tables and village theme, offers a cozy place to have dinner after a long day of walking or bathing at Városliget. It's great value for money: the portions are as truly Hungarian-sized as the courses are authentic. The beefsteak with pepper sauce and almond-crusted trout fillet are evergreens and if you’re lucky they’ll have their roasted wild boar goulash on the chef’s menu that day. Try the classic peasant túrógombóc (sweet cottage cheese balls) for dessert.

Set inside the seemingly historic Főőrség (Guard House), though it was actually only built in 2020, this is a pleasant and convenient stop for a coffee or a light lunch while exploring the Királyi Palota (Royal Palace).

Real Italian pizzas from a brick oven attract a hungry business crowd during the week. Weekends see just as many people indulging in pastas like ravioli with Gorgonzola and walnut sauce or the "priest strangler"—homemade pasta in tomato ragout flambéed with Parmesan. Rustic tables fenced in by wrought iron, exposed bricks, and hanging plants all give the place a Tuscan patio feel. There's a pizza bar next door, an upscale osteria across the street, plus a popular gelato shop, all from the same owners.

Visiting Italians tell us this popular trattoria feels pretty authentic, with its bustling waiters, rustic interior, and wooden tables filled with families on Sunday. An antipasti bar in front overflows with marinated artichokes, white-bean salad, and other classic Tuscan treats, and there's a well-worn brick pizza oven in back. The extensive menu boasts some of the best fish in town, including several sea bass options. The little understood mozzarella ventigli pasta with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh oregano (homemade cheese-filled ravioli with garlicky tomatoes and lots of oregano) is a dish to die for.

This elegant café and restaurant has a delightful lakeside view of the Vajdahunyad Castle and great service. Just next door to the ice-skating rink and boathouse, its wall-to-wall windows assure views for its patrons and the lovely waitstaff are tolerant of weary ice-skaters gutsy enough to come in just for a forralt bor (mulled wine) and a moment of peace in a warm, romantic setting. In summer, the lakeside terrace provides even better views.