Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TheBudapestdiningsceneisdevelopingatahecticpace,withnewrestaurantsopening
all the time. However, where once all the new places were aimed squarely at those with
an expense account, the new kids on the block are food trucks and street food joints
bringing in exciting global flavours, retro bistros that look back to the Sixties or the
Thirties,andqualitysandwichbars.Amidstitallhascomeageneralriseinstandards-
Borkonyha
beingthelatestwinnerofaMichelinstar.Despitetheoccasionaltouristtrap
in the Vár, Buda offers some terrific eating possibilities, with a handful of world-class
restaurants;
21
,
Vendéglő a KisBiróhoz
and
Csalogány 26
to name but three. Inevitably,
Pesthasamuchwiderrangeofplaces,withthelargestconcentrationtobefoundwithin
the Nagykörút, and the likes of
Laci Pecsenye
and
Café Kör
leading the way.
Many offer terrific value for money, and Budapest rates well when compared to dining out in
capital cities elsewhere in Western Europe.
Meat
takes centre stage, more than ever, cooked
on shiny open grills, while there is a new focus on quality and ingredients. Moreover, the
renaissance in Hungarian
wine
is now being reflected in Budapest's restaurants, and you'll
find superb wine lists in many places - indeed, some restaurants deem the quality of the wine
to be as important as the food. Another sign of the times has been the proliferation of lemon-
ades on the menu - there seems to be a rivalry for the most unusual flavours.
Hungarians have welcomed the
street food
revolution with open arms, whether it is mag-
nificent burgers - locally made, not industrial fast-food - or small authentic Thai and Viet-
namese eateries, which have greatly increased the choice for
vegetarians
. Of course the oth-
er joy of street food is that you can eat quickly and informally. The emphasis on quality is
nowhere more apparent than in the new sandwich bars, which pride themselves both on their
bread and the interesting combinations they put inside. Another feature is a growing aware-
ness of
allergens
, and an increasing number of places in central Budapest will alert you to
gluten-free and other diet-sensitive foods.
Where no
website
is given , you'll often find the places on Facebook.
