A food lovers guide to Budapest – everything I ate + drank in Budapest
Budapest is a foodies haven – whether you’re wanting a quick bite to eat, try local cuisine, or want to have a fine dining experience. From rooftop bars, to hidden gems of restaurants, to the utterly unique ruin bars, there’s truly something for everyone here. After spending three days in the city, I got to experience some of the incredible food on offer, and already want to go back to explore more of the vibrant food scene.
So, here’s a foodie lovers diary of everything I ate and drank whilst I was in Budapest on my Jet2Holidays City Break (minus the McDonalds we had as soon as we landed!).
This post is highlighting restaurants I went to as part of a press trip with Jet2 and Visit Hungary, however all views are my own
IDA Bistro – an Austro- Hungarian Bistro of Peaceful Times
You will find the beautiful restaurant of IDA Bistro on the Buda side of the city, just below Buda Castle. As soon as you walk in, you can feel the elegance, with mirrored walls, high ceilings and perfectly set tables.
The aim of the cuisine here is to be the bridge between classic Austrian and Hungarian dishes, and deliver the flavours in an elegant and simple way.
This was our first meal in the city, and I didn’t fully know what to expect. But the smell of delicious food as we entered made me excited for what was to come.
But first, it was time to order drinks.
As I turned to the drinks menu, I was intrigued by a full lemonade section, with flavours such as Raspberry & Rose, Elderflower & Mint and Mango. I just knew I had to try one of them!
I opted for the Classic with Orange blossom and did not disappoint. It was light and fresh, and pleasantly not too sweet. I was hooked. I already want to go back here just to try this again.
This was the perfect way to start our meal here and between our group, we tried a few of these lemonades and all of us enjoyed them
It was then time for the main event. I didn’t quite know what to order, as it all sounded delicious. As I was sat next to our guide for the trip, Andrea, who is from Budapest, I asked for her recommendations. Her response? You must try the Chicken Paprikash with dumplings. And you have to get the pickled cucumber and sour cream as a side – they go perfectly together.
And she wasn’t wrong. It really was delicious. I’m not usually a fan of chicken on the bone, however this fell off, and was so flavoursome. The creamy paprika sauce was the ultimate comfort food, and you can see why it’s a staple dish, and one a lot of Hungarian grandma’s make. The dumplings felt more like a pasta, and I wasn’t blown away by them, however the side of pickled cucumbers with the sauce and the chicken was phenomenal.
When we all saw that Kaiserschmarrn was on the dessert menu, we ordered a few to share between us, and it was so so so good!
Kaiserschmarrn is essentially chopped up pancakes, with apricot jam and apple puree on the side. The pancakes were super fluffy, and the jam and puree was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. If you ever see Kaiserschmarrn on the menu, I implore you to order it because it’s just so tasty. (I think it’s a popular one at European Christmas Markets so keep an eye out if you’re heading to any this winter!)
Coffee break at Kontakt Coffee
Budapest has a really rich coffee culture, and the city is filled with incredible places to sit with friends over a cup of delicious coffee.
As a decaf coffee drinker, it’s sometimes difficult to find good decaf coffee, especially abroad as I’m not always sure of how to ask for decaf in other languages!
Sadly when I asked about decaf, they don’t have it at Kontakt, but they do have other drinks available.
I opted for their lemon and honey iced tea which was super tasty. It was sharp and sweet, and a perfect refresher after walking around the city.
Our group were big coffee drinkers, and I have it on good authority from the rest of the gang that the coffee was really good. I could tell when the drinks came, you’d get a really good flat white here!
Whilst they didn’t have decaf options, they do have lots of milk alternatives here!
Your guide to Time Out Market Budapest
The new Time Out Market Budapest opened the same week as we visited – which meant it would have been remiss of us to not head for dinner here. This was my first ever time going to a Time Out Market, and it didn’t disappoint.
You could tell that it was newly opened – there was a buzz and undercurrent of excitement of us all experiencing something new together. Everyone desperate to try everything. It was organised chaos, with a live DJ providing the soundtrack to an evening filled with delicious food and beautiful drinks.
There are 11 kitchens and 3 bars in Time Out Budapest, with a range of food from award-winning chefs, local gems and up-and-coming talent. When I say there’s something for everyone here, I’m not kidding. From a sushi bar, to decedent burgers, to freshly made artisanal pizzas, to traditional Hungarian dishes.
We took the approach of taking a look around each kitchen to see what was on offer, and then order a whole load of incredible food to share between the 8 of us. After ordering from different kitchens, we met up at the main bar, where cocktails were creatively named after the different bridges of Budapest – a nice touch to remind you where you are. What I really loved about the bridge cocktails is that each one had a non-alcoholic version to go with it.
We ate so much good food whilst we were at Time Out Market Budapest, and I don’t think these photos do it justice. My stand out dishes, which I’d really recommend if you’re visiting are;
- The meat and cheese platters from M’EAT by Rácz Jenő. This kitchen is the brain child of the renowned Hungarian chef, Jenő Rácz, who uses his Michelin-star background to bring together the casual dining of Spanish tapas with premium Hungarian produce.
- The lamb kebab from Pingrumba. This kitchen brings together flavours from North Africa and the Middle East and if I could only order one thing from Time Out Budapest, it would be this. The black garlic brought a punch of flavour, the meat was so tender and full of flavour. We also got the hummus from this kitchen, which was tasty and both dishes came with warm, fresh flatbreads which were oh so delicious.
- The truffle parmesan polenta fries from LIRA by ESSENCIA. Fluffy, plenty of truffel and the perfect side dish. 11/10 recommend. We also got the ravioli from here, which I personally wasn’t wild about, but a lot of the group loved it. You can get Gorgonzola Ice Cream from here as well, and as a cheese lover I was excited to try but I just could not get on board with it, and I struggled to get the taste out of my mouth after eating!
- I don’t know what it’s called, but head to Szaletly and get the sausage, potato, egg and sour cream. Absolutely delicious. This kitchen celebrates traditional Hungarian cuisine with a modern edge. We also got some Goulash Soup here, which was incredible, full of flavour, and not too salty.
Whilst we waited for our desserts to be ready, we headed to the wine bar, which is filled with Hungarian wines. You can get tasting sizes of the wine, up to buying a bottle, and it’s a great way to try the local produce. I didn’t know that Hungary was known for its wine, but over the weekend here I sampled some incredible wines!
I really enjoyed our evening at Time Out Market Budapest. It really celebrated Hungarian produce, dishes and chefs, and you can get some really delicious food. In the summertime, you can head to the rooftop bar as well, and I’d imagine you really feel part of the city sitting there!
Cocktail hour at The Duchess Rooftop Bar
Enter the incredible Matild Palace, and take the opulent lift above the clouds to The Duchess rooftop bar. This place oozes cool sophistication and is the perfect place to come for a nightcap, or to celebrate a special occasion.
After taking in the breathtaking views of the Danube at night, we settled into the cosy booth around a small table, and took in the extensive cocktail menu. It felt very relaxed here, the music at a level where you could still comfortably enjoy a conversation with the people you’re with.
All of the cocktails sounded unique, and I went rouge with my choice, opting for the Tenshin. This was San Cosme Mezcal, Brown Miso, Wakame, Cantaloupe Melon and Lime, and had a real umami flavour. It’s like nothing I’ve tasted before, it’s savoury, it makes you stop to take it in, and it was brilliant. If you’re strictly a sweet cocktail drinker, I’d stay clear of this, but if you like something with an edge, give it a go.
coffee + cake at Gerbeaud
Our second day in Budapest kicked off with a walking tour of the Pest side of the city, and after a few hours of wandering we were in need of a little pick me up.
Cafe Gerbeaud was the perfect place to spend a Sunday morning. This Hungarian establishment opened in 1858 on Vörösmarty Square. It’s opulent, grand, and has a real elegance of the 20th Centurary coffee culture. High ceilings, marble tables, grand curtains, and incredible chandeliers. There’s a real mix of tourists and locals, enjoying the incredible cake selection that’s on offer here.
I dared to ask if they had decaf, and was pleasantly surprised that yes, they did! The decaf americano was rich and full of flavour, and was the perfect accompaniment to go with the incredible selection of cakes we tried.
I can’t tell you how incredible all of the cakes looked when you walk in, and so we had a trio of the classics; a Gerbeaud Slice, Blackberry Yoghurt Slice and the Royal Chocolate Slice. All three were so light and full of flavour, but out of the three my favourite was the Blackberry Yoghurt Slice.
TATI – a farm to table concept restaurant
Before we knew it, it was time for lunch. This was one of the meals I was most excited for. TATI is part of the 2025 Michelin Guide, and is a farm to table concept. They have their own farm outside of the city, and use produce from here, along with working with Hungarian smallholders and local ingredients.
As soon as we sat down, it was time to order a cocktail. I asked our incredibly friendly and helpful waiter what he recommended, and he suggested the Pepper Pop. He wasn’t wrong – it’s the best cocktail I’ve had. A mix of vodka, bell pepper and ginger beer, the Pepper Pop feels light and fresh, the bell pepper giving a slight savoury feel, but the ginger beer packing a punch of sweet and fire.
With our cocktails, we had a charcuterie of local meats, cheeses and pork cracking. It was perfect. Full of flavour, and the perfect start to our meal.
Now onto the main event. I had the roasted mangalica neck with confit garlic, bacon veil and ‘shepherds noodles’. This was so full of flavour, the shepherds noodles with chorizo and onions were light, the meat so tender. It really was a brilliant meal, and somewhere I would recommend wholeheartedly if you’re coming – especially if you’re celebrating something special!
Learning to make strudel
Budapest is known for its strudel, and you can’t come here without trying it! If you want to really get to know the famous dessert, you can head to Strudel House for one of their stretching shows! In these you can see how the strudel gets made, and even have a go yourself at stretching the dough!
I tried two different types of strudel; a classic apple strudel and a cottage cheese ‘curd’ strudel. I was suprised that the cottage cheese studel was my favourite – I enjoyed the mix of tart cheese with the sweet sugar.
Do I think these are the best strudel in Budapest? Probably not – they were good but the apple strudel especially lacked flavour and was a tad dry.
It is beautiful inside though, and as a full experience is enjoyable. Next door to the Strudel House is a free Hungarian Museum (within a restaurant) and so interesting!
An incredible Dinner at BIBO
Above the clouds, BIBO is the rooftop restaurant attached to the ultra modern Dorothea Hotel, in the heart of the city.
The concept restaurant is created by Dani García, who aims to merge Spanish Soul and Hungarian Gastronomy and he’s created something incredible.
We took the mirrored lift up to the top floor, and greeted by incredible panoramic views of the city. The restaurant is a vibe, and I couldn’t believe it when were taken to this increidble private pining room, where a giant moon on the wall dominated the room. It felt futuristic, and very exciting.
We were treated to an incredible tasting menu, highlighting a selection of the unique dishes on the menu.
We kicked off our meal with guac and chips – a very relaxed start to the meal. The guac included burrata and soya beans, giving it a light but creamy feel.
We then moved on to possibly my favourite course of the dinner – these incredible goulash croquettes. Incredible. I could’ve eaten a full bowl of these.
Our third course was a Cherry Foie with parmesan and brioche. The rich full flavours of the foie gras with the sour cherry cutting through it was a match made in heaven. This definitely felt decedent, but was oh so delicious.
Onto our ‘fish’ course, of roasted octopus with a paprika sauce and a potato pasta. The octopus was crispy, but light, and paired perfectly with the creamy paprika sauce. This was the perfect size, I think anything bigger might’ve felt a bit too rich and heavy for me.
The next dish is a tie as my favourite – beef tenderloin with a green pepper sauce and mashed potatoes. The beef melted in your mouth, the mash was smooth and creamy, and that sauce…that sauce was perfection.
We finished our meal with strudle (twice in one day!). This one was very different, with apple, yellow beetroot and orange. It was light and the perfect end to our meal.
The Ruin Bars – from day to night
On the Sunday morning, we’d taken a look around Szimpla Kertmozi – the original ruin bar.
On a Sunday morning, you’ll find a farmers market, and a gentle vibe about the place. We decided to head here in the evening as well, to see the place come alive in a different way. Music, neon, laughter, and a really fun environment. I think a Sunday evening is a great time to come if you want to experience the ruin bar without it being too hectic and crowded. We grabbed our drinks and found a table in one of the rooms to sit and take in the chaotic atmosphere.
Lunch at the historic Gundel Restaurant
Our final meal in Budapest, and we couldn’t come here and not visit the famous Gundel Restaurant.
You’ll find this heritage restaurant, which is celebrating 130 years, next to City Park by the Zoo.
It’s said that many of the traditional Hungarian dishes were first created in Gundels kitchens, and in the 1920’s it became synonymous with outstanding quality, exceptional hospitality and world-class Hungarian cuisine. The restaurant has gone back to its roots of being for everyone. No longer are there strict dress codes and high prices, but you can still expect quality food.
For my meal, I had schnitzel which came with a pickled potato salad. It was János Gundel, among others, who introduced it, so the Wiener Schnitzel is not a Gundel invention, but it is thanks to him that it has become a household name in Hungary. I can’t explain how delicious it was, and the potato salad was so fresh!
For dessert the whole table went for the famous Gundel pancakes and wow, they were so delicious and decedent. They’re filled with chopped walnuts which are lightly toasted in hot flavoured sugar syrup and fresh orange peel. They’re then topped with a real chocolate glaze and lightly toasted walnuts.
Absolute perfection!
A final pastry + coffee before the plane
With an hour left to mooch around the city before our transfer to the airport, we had one last chance to have coffee and a pastry. Like I said, we were a group of coffee lovers!
If you head to St Stephen’s Bascilla, you’ll find plenty of coffee shops, brunch places, and restaurants to try. We started at the SALT Bakery Pop-up. It was the end of the day, but the remaining pastries still felt fresh. I opted for a cardamon bun, and it was sweet, but the cardamon just took the edge off it. It was the perfect late afternoon pick me up.
They were closing when we got there, and the coffee machine wasn’t available, so after devouring our sweet treats, we headed accross the road to CAUSE Rostary and Coffee Shop. I can’t explain the excitement when I saw on the (HUGE) menu that decaf and oat milk was there! I excitedly ordered by go to coffee – a decaf oat flat white – and it was perfection. Smooth, silky and a strong and rich coffee.
And then it was time to head to the airport, and leave this incredible city behind.
I was blown away by the food and drink scene in Budapest, and know I’ve only just scratched the surface. It’s safe to say I’m already itching to get back and explore more. If you’re heading to Budapest for a long weekend, make sure to check out my weekend guide here, and follow me on instagram for daily travel, adventure and food inspo!
