49 Best Restaurants in Budapest, Hungary

Located in a former chemical factory, Lumen Café's greenery-filled industrial setting with glass-covered ceiling, towering chimney stack, and steel frames makes for one of the city's coolest cafés, and a must-stop in the 8th District. For breakfast with a local flavor, try the Bundás kenyér, the local version of French toast, or the Hungarian Breakfast, which comes with Hungarian smoked sausage, ham, and eggs. You'll also find local craft beers and good local wine, which might inspire you to linger a little longer for some of the creative programming. The performance space, a big room in the front decked out with secondhand furniture and an old wooden half-stage, hosts regular jazz concerts, talks, and events.

A short walk from the Gellért Baths, this self-proclaimed "dinky" coffeehouse is all stripped ceilings, huge plants, and globe lights, making a popular hangout with artsy locals and students. The regular lunch and dinner menu offers a good choice of soups, salads, and pastas—try the "extra Hungarian" sztrapacska (a kind of gnocchi with sheep's cheese)—and there are daily menus available, too. Come for a midmorning brunch and you'll find everything from breakfast burritos to French toast.

The young and dynamic energy in this hopping Vietnamese spot in Újlipótváros feels a million miles (or, at least, a few decades) away from some of the more traditional dining options in the area. The menu features a wide variety of pho as well as great desserts. Seating is at communal tables with backless wooden stools. Oriental Soup House has two locations, but the one on Balzac utca is a local favorite. Reserve ahead if you want to visit as it is always busy.

Have a taste of old-school Hungarian fast food and burgers at this charming little retro café that's been a staple here since 1964. The cute socialist-modern kiosk used to be an information center during the annual international expo held in the park. 

The friendly staff in this cozy tapas restaurant serve authentic dishes. Pata Negra is not cheap, particularly as you may find yourself ordering rather more than you had planned (it's that good), but it makes for a quality meal out. There's another branch in Pest.

The colorful Spanish tiles on the wall, the chunky legs of ibérico jámon, and a full wall stacked with rioja tip you off to the authenticity of this tapas bar, just off Ráday utca. Pata Negra was one of the first tapas places in Budapest and it now boasts three spots around town. You can’t go wrong with its appetizers from Spain and beyond. There are all the usual suspects—bacalao (salted codfish), squid in black ink, and imported Spanish goodies like marinated anchovies and chorizo. The street-facing view is to the busy thoroughfare of Kálvin tér, but the charm of this place is its calm, warm environment and slow, Iberian pace.

The facade of this upscale, family-run restaurant in leafy Buda is fashioned out of an old tram depot. The spacious restaurant includes a dining room to suit any season, including a söröző (beer cellar), a glass-enclosed room, a richly paneled dining room, and an outdoor terrace. There's a jungle gym and sandbox outside for kids, and that makes the terrace very popular in summer.

Krizia offers a truly authentic northern Italian experience, hidden on a Budapest side street. No pizzas here---think freshly made pastas, rich risottos, and finely grilled fish and meat. Opened in 1997 by a Lombardy native, it strives for elegant balance: simple yet delicious, decadent yet surprisingly affordable given the quality. Set down a softly lit, rustic basement with a dozen intimate tables, its discreet servers and refined wine list all add up to an experience you're hard pressed to find in most Italian cities, let alone outside the country.

Splendid food and picture-perfect views across the river are on offer at this gorgeously situated restaurant attached to the baths of the same name. You can make a day of it with a soak and a feast, or come to the restaurant on its own to enjoy the peerless panoramic vista from the fairy-lit terrace, often accompanied by music.

This romantic café, a canopy of vines hanging over the Art Deco facade and surrounded by trees, feels like a charming Parisian corner. A range of gourmet delicatessen counters display a tempting and impressive selection of specialty cheeses, meat, and fresh bread, also available for takeout. It's perfect for a traditional European cold plate breakfast, a light lunch, or an early dinner.

With the Italian Cultural Institute down the street, you can bet this spot knows how to make a good focaccia sandwich. The interiors are hipster-sparse and the menu humble, but like the best Italian dishes, simplicity often yields the best results. Here, it’s generous focaccias filled with quality Italian meats, cheeses, and veg—the vegetarian caprese is particularly good, as are the grilled varieties.

Hungary has no culinary tradition in hot-smoking meat, but BBQ restaurants have quickly won over the hearts and stomachs of Budapest diners. Smokey Monkies is a mini-chain of fantastically authentic American barbecue.

The closest you’ll get to a New York-style chophouse in Budapest. Stex oozes old world charm, from its dark wood furniture and soft table lighting to its pared-back menu of aged steaks, grilled fish, and red-sauce pastas. Contrary to what one might think, the name doesn’t refer to its cuts of meat, but to its founder: Alfred Stex, a Hungarian gambler who found success in the U.S. before the war brought him home. Be sure to sample the fresh, unpasteurized Dreher beer, served straight from their massive copper tanks.

Fresh, quick breakfasts and light lunches are offered in this cheery little street-side café, open 9 am to 4 pm. As the name suggests the menu is simple, but the ingredients are good, the food looks beautiful, and the service is great. There are plenty of vegetarian options, too. You'll find Szimply down a small, café-packed alleyway known as Röser udvar; it's between Semmelweis utca and Károly körút.

Tasty, traditional Buda grub—from beef goulash to pork schnitzel, perch fillet to duck thigh—is the order of the day at this popular restaurant. Expect hearty portions, good prices, and quick service. Save space for a classic Hungarian dessert, from pancakes stuffed with poppy seed to the chocolate-walnut sponge cake.

With its focus on goulash and rich meats, Budapest hasn't always been the most welcoming place for a vegan—but this gem is one of the places helping to change all that. A perfect, quick refueling restaurant with such good vegan and veggie burgers, hot dogs, and salads that even committed carnivores are tempted.

One of the city's loveliest breakfast and brunch places, Villa Bagatelle is set in a charming refurbished villa in the Buda Hills, replete with a terrace and winter garden. Entreés include Hungarian, German, and French specialties that range from simple egg dishes to the full Champagne breakfast, as well as a tasty seasonal lunch menu.