Budapest. The city of many wonders. One of the things it’s been known for is the delicious and hearty traditional cuisine. In recent years it has also become more popular for its fine dining. There are many particularly interesting fusion, local-meet-international, experimental, themed, Michelin-starred, and numerous other types of restaurants, with talented chefs creating wonderful dishes for the locals and visitors alike. These meals are not only pretty to look at, but are absolutely delicious. Let’s check out some of the places that serve these mouthwatering foods.
Onyx
Opened in 2007, in the very heart of the capital’s center, on Vörösmarty Square, Onyx has been guided by a simple, but vital philosophy: ‘tradition and innovation’. The chefs working in this restaurant pay special attention to researching and selecting only the freshest, regional ingredients, from carefully selected Hungarian producers, for their high-end creations. Their patrons enjoy both the traditional Hungarian dishes, as well as the modern ones, but all with an Onyx twist to it. Sitting in a luxurious atmosphere, in grand chairs, and underneath grand chandeliers, the visitors can choose among a number of exquisite dishes for their multiple-course meal, whether they’re in for some Hungarian food, or they feel like having some international food. For their hard work and excellence, Onyx has been awarded two Michelin stars.
Costes
Costes opened in the summer of 2008 and is the first restaurant in Budapest to get a Michelin star. Its minimalist design is much appreciated by its visitors, but the stylish interior is not the only thing people keep coming. The chefs’ enduring desire to always offer gourmet cuisine with only the best of ingredients is why people return to this restaurant. What the diners find here is tasty international dishes with Hungarian influences, while there are plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options as well. In 2015, another Costes restaurant, ‘Costes Downtown’, was opened, boasting a more relaxed atmosphere, while, interestingly, the meals here are prepared in an open kitchen. The new restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in less than a year.
Bock Bisztró
Inside a remarkable Corinthia hotel, you’ll find the first bistro in Budapest, and one of the locals’ favorites. Searching for traditional Hungarian cuisine, many travelers find their way to Bock Bisztró. The restaurant takes pride in its unique and matchless takes on popular, traditional, Hungarian dishes, thus creating their story for an extra rich flavor. The chefs do not shy from experimenting as well, aiming always to offer only fantastic gastronomy. If you feel adventurous, the team will likely have something interesting for you to try, such as ice cream with many unique tastes, including sausage, paprika, and even tobacco. There’s also live music to entertain the patrons, and the bistro is wheelchair accessible. Bock Bisztró has received a number of significant awards, as well as a Michelin star.
Fricska
“Fricska, or ‘Flick’ in Hungarian, ’cause we are saucy”, is the motto of this innovative, interesting, and popular restaurant, loved by both locals and visitors. It’s located in a cellar in the heart of Budapest’s lively Jewish Quarter. It’s boasting a relaxing but elegant atmosphere, appreciated by its regulars. Equally stylish are its mouthwatering dishes, as the chefs offer unique Hungarian Novelle Cuisine, with a splendid Italian and French twist. The menu actually changes every lunch and dinner, and that’s because the chefs make sure to pick the freshest ingredients from the local producers and markets daily, that way bringing the freshest food to the guests’ table. For an extra yummy factor, Fricska also makes their own pasta and bread, while they also always offer a selection of flavorful wines from small Hungarian wineries.
KönyvBár
There are many more restaurants in Hungary’s capital that deserve a shoutout. Still, for our final choice this time around, we present this friendly, welcoming, and clever book-themed restaurant in the Jewish Quarter. It is guided by the delicious combination of the owners’ two great passions: books and gastronomy. The restaurant imagines what flavors would a famous literary work produce, how it tastes, what characters eat, how a meal or a drink described in a book actually tastes, and much more. So they create a five-course menu based on a different literary work every week. For the book-lovers coming with friends who don’t particularly care for book-themed meals, KönyvBár also has an à la carte option. Worry not, both menus are flexible, and the guests can also have a vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, or a gluten-free option.
Budapest is the city of fascinating history and a culture to match. No matter what a person’s looking for, they’ll likely find it here. The city’s gastronomic scene is continually developing. In a city that welcomes influences from other countries, incorporating them into its traditions and experimenting with them, there is always something interesting to see, hear, and eat here.
