Budapest - Restaurant Suggestions
Favourites
Marvelosa Café In good weather, their entire front will be open (but they are closed on Mondays!). To drink: elderflower lemonade. Have the paprika chicken. The serving is quite big, so depending on how hungry you are, you could share. Then have a cottage cheese dumpling for dessert. It’s also pretty big, but amazing.
Artizán This is a proper bakery, located right next to the entrance to the Hotel President. I stumbled upon it on the day it opened in 2015; everything is amazing. They make sourdough breads, fantastic pastries, and the best cappuccino I’ve ever had. You may need to wait in line, but it is completely worth it. They have lunch specials on weekdays and a porridge bar just on the other side of the hotel entrance, called Fågel.
Café Kör Pleasant, traditional Hungarian. They have a good fried goat cheese with salad, among other things.
Ildikó Konyhája Another great place for delicious Hungarian food. You may need to wait for a table here, too, but the food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. The chicken stew and beef stew are both wonderful.
Parasztkonyha Yet another place for terrific Hungarian dishes in a beautifully charming atmosphere.
Retek Bistro Traditional Hungarian dishes in a charming, retro-inspired atmosphere.
Salaam Bombay If you’re in the mood for Indian food, eat here. They cater to the groups of tourists who come from Asia. We never miss it!
Pizza Eataliano Self-explanatory. Good!
Bigfish Seafood Bistro Fresh, tasty fish and seafood, and creative cocktails. Have the tuna tartar with avocado and truffle,
Borkonyha Wine Kitchen Not cheap, but affordable if you’re after an accessible Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe. I’ve been to this one, but if you are interested in other Michelin-starred options in Budapest, here is a list to explore.
Gelarto Rosa It’s just gelato, but they serve it in the shape of a flower!
Four Seasons Hotel The lobby and public areas are beautiful. Find the lounge and enjoy a drink with a snack. Speaking from experience, you might find ourselves seated next to a band in town for a show!
More
Kiskakkuk Étterem Heritage Hungarian restaurant, established in 1913.
VigVarjú Étterem Hungarian, fairly upscale atmosphere. Reasonably priced gulyás!
Twentysix Budapest Beautiful, enclosed courtyard dining, hearty breakfasts, Mediterranean lunches and dinners.
DNB Budapest European cuisine from various regions located along the Danube River in the Budapest Marriott Hotel.
Dunacorso Riverside family-owned Hungarian restaurant, also in the Budapest Marriott.
Ruszwurm Confectionery Strudels, cakes, custard cremes, and coffee.
Bageri Pekseg Another sourdough bakery with croissants, pastries, and coffees.
Csészényi Café and Coffee Bean Roaster I don't know how many more cake and coffee places you need, but this one is very cute and has a bunch of old hand-crank coffee grinders hanging on the wall.
Leo Rooftop Budapest Expensive, but comes with amazing views; located in the Clark Hotel. Make a reservation to make sure you get a spot. There's also a bistro on the main floor!
Séf Asztala Pretty bakery/deli/cafe right across from Parliament.
Menza Étterem és Kávéház More traditional Hungarian food; goulash and beef stew recommended. Lovely patio.
Halászbástya Étterem Expensive, but you'll be eating right on the walls of Fisherman's Bastion. Also, you'll need to order full meals - minimum three courses, and some combinations come with wine pairings.
Public Transportation
Budapest's public transit system is as good as Vienna's,. They also have a well-organized website with clear information about how to buy tickets and passes, and a map showing the live positions of buses and trams. Availability of rental bikes at pick-up points around the city can be seen on this map, too. If you prefer, and if you have access to data, you can use the Budapest Go app on your phone, or simply search route options on Google Maps.
Hungarian Phrases
| Hello | Szia (SEE-ah) |
| Good morning | Jó reggelt (yo REG-elt) |
| Goodbye | Viszlát (VEES-laht) |
| Please | Kérem (KEE-rem) |
| Thank you | Köszönöm (kuh-suh-NOM) |
| You're welcome | Szívesen (SEE-ve-shen) |
| Excuse me | Elnézést (EL-nee-zeesht) |
| I speak English | Angolul beszélek (AHNG-go-lool be-SEE-lek) |
| I am well | Jól vagyok (YOHL vaj-YOK) |
| Where is... | Hol van... (HOLE vahn) |
| Restaurant | Étterem (EE-ter-em) |
| Breakfast/Lunch | Reggeli (RE-gel-ee)/Ebéd (EB-eed) |
| I would like a... | kérek egy (KEER-ek edj) |
| Coffee/Tea | Kávé (KA-vee)/Tea (TAY-ah) |
| Water/Beer/Wine | Víz (veez)/Sör (sure)/Bor (bore) |
| Doctor | Orvos (OR-vohsh) |
| I am sick | Rosszul (ROSS-sool) vagyok |
| Can you help me? | Tudsz nekem segíteni |
Optional Extras
Our week in Budapest will include time without scheduled activities, and opportunities to choose something to do other than the plans provided. If you’ve had enough of museums, castles, and churches, and want to schedule something else for yourself, here are some suggestions from Airbnb Experiences.
Forest hike 4 hours. Easy hiking; no hard climbs.
Vinyasa yoga 1.5 hours.
Cave tour Challenging; 2.5-3 hours. Not recommended for persons under 10 or over 55.
Cave tour Easier; 2.5-3 hours.
Bike tour 4 hours; mostly flat terrain. This tour will probably take you to some sites you’ve already visited, but might provide stories or information you haven’t heard yet.
Scooter tour 2 hours. Similar to above.
Bike & graffiti tour 30 km of biking (3.5 hours, no hills), exploring Margaret Island, and graffiti and street art.
Wine & charcuterie 2 hours in a wine cellar; 5 wines, and a variety of local cheese and sausages.
Home-brewed beer 3 hours; instructions on how to begin brewing beer at home, plus tasting of some Hungarian craft beers and snacks.
Hungry for Hungary 3 hours. A home-cooked meal in a local home. Includes food, wine, and information about Hungarian culture.
Market tour & cooking 4 hours. Tour the Central Market Hall, buy ingredients for your dish, and cook together.
Secret Food Tour 3 hours. Tour and taste foods in Budapest’s Jewish Quarter.
Other City Experiences
Budapest Ferris Wheel Rides are available until 11:00 pm most days, until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and cost about $16. Evening is a great time to do this; the view of the city after dark is incredible!
Széchenyi Thermal Bath The largest medicinal bath in Europe featuring 18 pools of varying temperatures, and probably the most spectacular. Many options and ticket categories are available. A full-day ticket is about $40 (Mon-Thu), or $45 on weekends. You can also buy a two-hour ticket for 7-9 a.m. for about $32-$35, depending on which day you visit. Additional services are available here as well.
Holocaust Memorial Center A refurbished 1920s synagogue, with exhibition detailing the experience of Hungarian Jews during World War II. Tickets about $6-$16, depending on how much you want to take in.
Dohány Street Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe, and the second largest in the world. A visit will cost about $38. Men must wear a hat or head covering to enter.
Faust Wine Cellar Offers a broad variety of wine tasting packages. Reservations can be made at limited times, and walk-ins are also welcome, but they only have four tables.
Kopaszi-Gát Popular recreational area and greenspace built on a narrow spit of land on the Buda side, south of Gellért Hill. Order a picnic basket to enjoy there from Fruska Bistro.
Light Art Museum Immersive experience in which each exhibit makes use of light as a primary element. Entry $30.
In Case of Emergency
112 - General emergencies
107 - Police
104 - Ambulance