5 informal gourmet restaurants in Budapest

This is a favourite among the businessmen and diplomats who work at the nearby National Bank and the US Embassy, and thus the scene of ‘power lunches’ at noon. The restaurant feels like a 100-year-old institution, but don’t be fooled, it’s not. The menu features international food with a Hungarian twist.

This design bistro-style restaurant stands out from the other restaurants in the area of the Chain bridge, thanks to the food that’s served and the clientele it attracts: busy businessmen, well-to-do couples and bigger groups enjoying the six-course degustation menu. It is worth listening to the great sommelier.

In a somewhat glitzy hotel on Grand Boulevard, you’ll find this bistro/wine shop, run by maverick chef Lajos Bíró. He loves to fill the chalkboards with special offers and he loves experimenting and shocking regulars. He’s a dedicated advocate of informal dinners.

A highly popular, easy-going bistro, almost opposite the Opera House, with a limited menu featuring Hungarian and Mediterranean dishes. The place is famous for its ever-changing, imaginative soups, served from copper casseroles. The kitchen is upstairs – the chef looks down on the guests through a large window – and there’s a large wine shop in the back. No reservations.

Strudel is known as a Central European dessert, but there also are non-sweet varieties. Here you can taste several of them. Inside you can see a chef preparing the incredibly thin dough that is so typical of strudel. There is a cafe part and a restaurant part, both designed with great care. Even the toilets have a specific look, with authentic toiletry items from the good old days on display.