Fine Restaruants 2022

6300 Ft • 18EUR

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The Revival of the Glittering World of Revue The glittering world of revue has returned to the stage of Matild Café & Cabaret this autumn. Three evenings a week – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night – the early 20th century Pest nightlife is revived with live performances featuring Hungarian and international entertainers, never-before-seen night shows and a three-course dinner.

"We already knew when we renovated the palace and chose the name that we would present the most glamorous, yet most elegant night performances in Budapest," says Selim Ölmez, general manager of Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Budapest.

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The Enchanting World of Budapest’s Coffeehouses Café culture in Budapest is now in its second golden era. Many of the capital’s coffeehouses, some having traditions that date back to the Dual Monarchy before World War I, have been restored to their former splendour and are once again awaiting guests. Naturally, there are also establishments following a more modern path, adding a twist to classical elegance and surprising coffee lovers with more than just excellent coffee.

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One of Budapest’s Most Famous Cafés Restored to Its Original Glory The renowned New York Café has been the favoured place of Hungarian intellectuals throughout the years. Built in Italian Renaissance style, marbled columns rise to meet ceiling frescoes and crystal chandeliers.

At the turn of the century, the café was popular among writers and editors, with the most influential newspapers edited there, upstairs in the gallery. After World War II, the once famous café fell into disrepair, and it served as a sporting goods shop. Although the café reopened in 1954 under the name of Hungária, it wasn’t until 2006 that the New York Café was restored to its original splendour. Classic dishes like beef goulash, fishermen’s soup, chicken leg paprikash-style, Wiener schnitzel, and grilled foie gras are served along with famous desserts such as Dobos, Sacher, and Eszterházy cake.

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The Culinary Highlights of Hungary Exploring the delicacies of Hungary is undoubtedly a culinary adventure on which it is well worth embarking. From modern interpretations of Hungarian flavours to international specialities, the entire country is bustling with excellent restaurants for gourmets from all walks of life. In the past decades, the range of culinary options in the Hungary has grown so diverse that simply picking a restaurant to dine at has become quite the challenge in itself. Fine Restaurants has curated an exceptional selection just for you to browse through, filled with restaurants representing varied and unique gastronomic styles, with the expectation that every one of our readers will be able to find something that suits their taste.

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A Bite of Mediterranean Flair The variety of Mediterranean restaurants well represents the diversity of Budapest’s culinary scene. Walking around downtown, one has long been able to stumble into an excellent Italian establishment with authentic dishes, but it is now almost equally easy to find tapas bars for a few flavourful bites. The selection does not stop here, however; there are also several high-class places serving excellent Arabian dishes, and a Portuguese restaurant in the capital is a proud owner of a Michelin star, as seen in a later section of this book. So, dear reader, if you are craving a bite of sunshine, feel free to browse from our selection of Budapest’s best Mediterranean establishments.

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Drinks to Die For A night out in one of Budapest’s bars offers more than just excellent cocktails. In recent years, the bar scene in the Hungarian capital has reached a remarkable new level in terms of exciting mixes, delicious bar foods, and breathtaking views. Many of today’s cocktail places are located atop some of the city’s tallest and most iconic buildings, offering guests a chance to marvel at the beauties of “The Pearl of the Danube” while sipping on a concoction crafted with the utmost care by one of Hungary’s master bartenders.

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Starting Your Day the Right Way Starting your day with a proper, elegant breakfast instead of just a quick bite with the morning coffee can help elevate a good morning into a great one. Thankfully, Budapest offers a wide selection of options to choose from to satisfy your cravings. Ranging from exquisite artisan pastries to international classics like eggs benedict, these places serve dishes that ensure you get up on the right side of the bed.

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CEOs’ Picks While food is always a subjective topic to discuss, it is certainly interesting to hear the opinion of people well-versed in the fine-dining scene. If you are looking for some exciting recommendations, look no further, as Fine Restaurants has consulted with some of the country’s most prominent expat and domestic company leaders to discover their favourite restaurants, breakfast spots, bars and more.

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The Best Spots for a Business Lunch Sometimes, the success of a business deal depends on starting on the right foot. Picking the optimal spot for a business lunch can be quite a challenge, but it can also be rewarding. Thankfully, the Hungarian capital has an impressive variety of fine-dining restaurants offering excellent business lunch options. We are confident you will find a place in this section to suit all your needs, whether you are looking for a place to have a quick lunch with a single client or a venue to accommodate a larger group.

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Sunday is Brunchday There are few things better than preparing to start the week on a high note. Sunday brunches offer an excellent opportunity for people looking to fill up with optimism ahead of Monday’s return to work. After all, nothing tops a superb selection of Sunday meals accompanied by an aromatic coffee, some fresh orange juice, or even a beer. While sleeping in over the weekend might sound attractive, Budapest’s brunch places offer motivation aplenty to get out of bed and turn a regular lazy Sunday into a stylishly relaxing one.

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A Gastro-journey Around Hungary Leaving Budapest behind, it is now relatively easy to find excellent restaurants of the highest standards, offering regional specialities and local wine out in what Hungarian call the "vidék". A restaurant visit can become the highlight of a weekend trip in the countryside, offering stunningly different scenery to Budapest’s metropolitan milieu. Whether one desires to have a light meal after swimming in Lake Balaton, or a place to warm up while sipping a full-bodied wine on a cold winter’s day in the mountains, Fine Restaurants offers a solution for all culinary tastes and needs.

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Contents The Revival of the Glittering World of Revue 6 The Enchanting World of Budapest’s Coffeehouses 10 Evoking the Belle Epoque Coffeehouse Spirit 14 Most Famous Cafés Restored to Its Original Glory 15 Channelling Budapest’s Golden Age With Great Flavours 16 An Effortless, Relaxed Experience in an Enchanting Environment 17 A New, Heart-warming Dessert Boutique 18 A Cup of History in the Buda Castle 20 A Legendary Café Offering Classic Tastes of Hungarian Confectionery 21 The Culinary Highlights of Hungary 22 Creative Cuisine, Casual Elegance, and an Open Kitchen 23 The Inimitable Specialties of an International Culinary Star 24 Classic Italian Dishes, Enriched With a Contemporary Style 26 Clarisse – A Magical Culinary Journey 28 Bobajka – Sprinkled With Tradition 30 An Exclusive Meeting Point in the Heart of Buda 33 New-style Japanese Cuisine in an Elegant Setting 34 An Encounter Between Quality Ingredients, Arts, Maths, and Physics on a Plate 35 Classic Favourites and Exotic Ingredients 36 Far Eastern Delicacies With a Twist 38 Three Floors of Exciting Flavours 39 A Bite of Mediterranean Flair 40 Reviving Traditional Lebanese Flavours 42 Hungary’s First Asador Restaurant With an Authentic Ambience 43 Homemade Pasta and Pizza in a Homely Atmosphere 44 Genuine Italian Specialties in Hűvösvölgy 45 An Urban Oasis in Downtown Budapest 46 Stepping Into the World of Lebanese Delights 47 The Spirit of a Small Greek Town on the Banks of the Danube 48 A Taste of Spain and Exquisite Wines 49 Delicious Tapas for Memorable Evenings Spent With Friends 50 The Marriage of Eastern and Mediterranean Flavours 52 An Authentic Greek Bistro in a Contemporary Atmosphere 53 A Star-studded Selection 54 Childhood Tastes of Portugal and Hungary 56 Fresh, Natural Specialties Built on the Foundations of Traditional Hungarian Cuisine 58 High Standards and Impeccable Contemporary European Cuisine 60 The Freshest Ingredients and Cooking Inspired by Transylvanian Gastronomy 62 The Best of Hungarian Cuisine, Without Compromises 64 Elevating the Cuisine of the Dual Monarchy to a New Level 66 A Place Where Art and Science Meet Gastronomy 68 An Intimate Dining Experience With a Unique Concept 70 Drinks to Die For 72 Unique Cocktails With a Breathtaking View 73 Evoking Budapest's Golden Age in an Art Nouveau Bar 76 Touch the Sky at Liz and Chain Sky Lounge 78 A Spectacular View and Beautifully Created Signature Cocktails 80

A Truly Sophisticated Champagne Bar in Budapest 81 A Sip of 1920s New York in Downtown Budapest 82 A Secret Rooftop Rendezvous 84 Spectacular Views and Excellent Wines 85 Artfully Crafted Cocktails in a Unique Ambiance 86 A Journey Back in Time and Taste 87 Admire the City From Above With Cocktail in Hand 88 A Full Panoramic View All Year Round 89 Starting Your Day the Right Way 90 Special Attention to Small Details and Exciting Homemade Pastries 91 “Respect Breakfast” 92 An Ageless Meeting Point for Any Time of Day 93 All-day Breakfast in the Buda Hills 94 CEOs’ Picks 96 Duncan Graham, chairman, British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary 97 Alessandro Farina, owner, ITL Group 98 Dr. Róbert Keszte head of country, Hungary, Continental Group 99 Tímea Pesti, CEO, LeasePlan Hungary 100 István Szászi, CEO, Bosch Group Hungary 101 The Best Spots for a Business Lunch 102 Farm-to-table Haute Cuisine 106 A Huge Wine Selection and Bistro-style Cuisine 107 Striking the Perfect Balance Between Traditional and Int'l Gastronomy 108 Local Flavours With a Surprising Twist 109 Making Dining Eco-friendly 110 Sunday is Brunchday 112 Spoiling Senses With a Sunday Brunch 114 Authentic Taste of Art de Vivre 116 A Comfortable Breakfast With Dishes From All Over the World 118 Contemporised Hungarian-Viennese Bistro Vibe Downtown 120 Stylish Dining With a View in the Castle District 122 Brasserie & Atrium 124 A Gastro-journey Around Hungary 126 A Gastronomic Adventure With Craft Wines and Seasonal Flavour 128 The Culinary Manifestation of Summers Spent by the Danube 130 The Success Story of a Great Philosophy 131 Quality Continental Cooking in a Homely Atmosphere 132 Beautiful Dishes in Picturesque Surroundings 133 Unique Bistro Combines Old and New 134 Fine Wine and Bistro Food at the Foot of Badacsony 135 A Culinary Adventure of Harmony and Luxury 136 Combining Local Products and Mediterranean Flavours 137 Excellent Wine and Hearty Swabian Dishes 138 A Playfully Elegant Bistro Presenting Old-fashioned Flavours in an Innovative Way 139 Natural Dishes With a Hint of Sophistication in Villány 140 A Family Restaurant in Sopron’s Old Town With Innovative Hungarian Specialties 141 Fine Restaurants 2022’s Top 100 Recommendations 142

Editor Robin Marshall Author Bence Gaál Editorial Staff Annamária Bálint Graphic Design Attila Dubniczki Photo László Balkányi, Dávid Horpáczi, Árpád Pintér, András Zombori, BBJ archive Publisher Thomas Botka, Published by Business Publishing Services Kft. Advertising AMS Services Kft. CEO Balázs Román Client Services Ágnes Horváth, Györgyi Keszthelyi, Bernadette Oláh, Erika Törsök Circulation Szilvia Imre - circulation@bbj.hu All photos used in this publication are by Business Publishing Services and Shutterstock unless otherwise credited. © 2022 Business Publishing Services Kft. All rights reserved. Text completed in October 2022.

HU ISSN 2060-940X Coverphoto: Rumour Restaurant, photo by Gábor Seregélyes

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Restaurant Index 0,75 Bistro, Budapest 107, 143 21 Hungarian Kitchen, Budapest 143 360 Bar, Budapest 89 42 Retaurant&Bar, Esztergom 143 A La Maison Restaurant, Budapest 119, 143 Alessio, Budapest 44 Andrássy Kúria & Spa, Tarcal 30, 143 Anyukám Mondta Restaurant, Encs 143 Arany Kaviár Restaurant, Budapest 144 Araz Restaurant, Budapest 144 Arz Lebanese Restaurant, Budapest 47, 144 Baalbek, Budapest 42, 144 Babel Budapest Restaurant,Budapest 66, 144 Biarritz Restaurant & Cafe, Budapest 144 Bistro Sparhelt, Balatonfüred 144 Black Swan, Budapest 87 Blue Fox The Bar, Budapest 86 Bobo Restaurant at Haris Park, Budapest 32, 145 Bock Bisztró Balaton, Vonyarcvashegy 145 Bombay Budapest, Budapest 104, 145 Bori Mami, Gyöngyös 145 Borkonyha Restaurant, Budapest 62, 145 Brasserie&Atrium Restaurant, Budapest 124, 145 Byblos Budapest, Budapest 52 Caviar&Bull Restaurant, Budapest 146 Centrál Grand Café & Bar, Budapest 16, 146 Château Visz, Somogytúr 136, 146 Clarisse Restaurant, Tura 27, 146 Costes Downtown, Budapest 56, 146 Costes Izakaya, Budapest 36, 147 Costes, Budapest 146 Cyrano Restaurant, Budapest 147 Déryné, Budapest 147 Dionysos, Budapest 48 DNB Budapest, Budapest 106, 114, 147 Első Mádi Borház,Mád 147 Émilé Ház, Budapest 39, 147 Erhardt Restaurant,Pension, Bakery, Sopron 141, 148 ÉS Bisztró, Budapest 120, 148 ESCA., Budapest 148 Essencia Restaurant, Budapest 56, 148 Fausto's Ristorante, Budapest 26, 148 FELIX Kitchen&Bar, Budapest 37, 148 FUJI Japanese Restaurant, Budapest 149 Gerbeaud Café, Budapest 21, 149 Gundel Restaurant, Budapest 149 Gusto 13 Bistro&Delicate, Veszprém 137, 149 Hableány, Badacsonytomaj 135, 149 Halászbástya Restaurant, Budapest 108, 149 High Note SkyBar, Budapest 80 Hoppá! Bistro, Budapest 149 Hot Stone Steakhouse, Budapest 150 Hotsy Totsy, Budapest 82 Ikon Restaurant, Debrecen 150 Ipanema Brazilian Grill, Budapest 150 Jamie's Italian Restaurant, Budapest 150 Jardinette Kertvendéglő, Budapest 150 Káli Art Inn, Köveskál 150 Két Szerecsen, Budapest 93 Kistücsök Restaurant, Balatonszemes 151 Kollázs Brasserie & Bar, Budapest 116, 151 La Coppola Budapest, Budapest 151 La Fabbrica Italian Restaurant, Budapest 151 La Pampa Steakhouse, Budapest 151 LAMAREDA Restaurant & Bistro, Győr 151

LÁNG Bistro & Grill at Hilton, Budapest Larus Restaurant, Budapest Laurel Budapest, Budapest LEO Rooftop Bar, Budapest Liz and Chain Sky Lounge, Budapest Macok Bistro, Eger MÁK, Budapest Malom és Kacsa Bistro, Tata Mandragóra Restaurant, Budapest Mandula Restaurant & Wine Bar, Villány Matild Café & Cabaret, Budapest Mazi, Budapest Mi a Kő, Köveskál Mon Petit Dessert Boutique, Budapest Múzsa, Budapest N28 Wine and Kitchen, Budapest Neked Főztem Gastro Pub, Zánka New York Café, Budapest Nobu Budapest, Budapest ONYX Restaurant, Budapest Ottimo, Budapest Pajta, Őriszentpéter Párisi Passage Café & Brasserie, Budapest Pasztell Restaurant, Budapest Pata Negra Asador Tapas&Steak, Budapest Petrus Restaurant, Budapest Platán Gourmet & Manor, Tata Prato, Budapest Prime Steak & Wine, Budapest QUÍ Restaurant & Bar, Budapest RévCsárda, Érsekcsanád Rókusfalvy Fogadó, Etyek Rosenstein Restaurant, Budapest Rosinante, Szigetmonostor Royal Guard Café, Budapest Rumour by Rácz Jenő, Budapest Salt Budapest, Budapest Sauska 48, Villány Solid Wine Bar, Budapest Sophisto, Budapest Spago by Wolfgang Puck, Budapest Spicy Fish Budapest Budapest, Budapest St. Andrea Restaurant, Budapest Stand 25 Bistro, Budapest Stand Restaurant, Budapest Stika, Budapest Szent Donát Borkúria, Csopak Tapassio, Budapest Textúra, Budapest The Duchess , Budapest Tiszavirág Café, Szeged Tokio Japanese Restaurant, Budapest Tom George Osteria Budapest, Budapest Trattoria Pomo D'Oro, Budapest Twentysix Budapest, Budapest Uncensored Restaurant, Budapest VAJ, Budapest Végállomás, Miskolc Viator Apátsági Restaurant, Pannonhalma Villa Bagatelle Bakery, Bistro, Salon, Budapest Wang Mester Chinese Restaurant, Budapest Yama, Budapest Yamato, Budapest Zincenco Kitchen, Budapest

121, 152 152 23, 152 88 78 139, 152 91, 152 134, 152 154 138, 154 14 53 132, 154 18 76 49 131, 154 15, 154 35, 154 68 155 155 17, 155 155 43 155 133, 155 45 156 156 130, 156 156 156 156 20 70, 157 58, 157 140, 157 85 81 25, 157 157 109, 157 158 65, 158 92 158 50 36, 158 84 159 159 159 160 46 160 91 160 160 160 161 161 161 161

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Fine Restaurants 2022’s Top 100 Recommendations As it has become our tradition over the years, Fine Restaurants offers a carefully selected list of the 100 most excellent restaurants across the country, in alphabetical order. Please feel free to take a look at our selection, where we provide you with all the necessary information, such as the address, contact details, and price range for making a choice and booking a table.

THE BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL’S RESTAUR ANT REVIEW 2022