10 Best Restaurants in Budapest

Restaurants are always a matter of taste and of course what type of cuisine you would like to eat at the moment. So I collected a good choice of different cultures for you to select from. I have visited all of the blow restaurants at least once but most of them several times and the review or recommendation is honest and according to my taste.

My Top 10 Restaurants in Budapest

1. Restaurant Chez Daniel
Calm, romantic and very good French food. That’s how I would describe Chez Daniel in one sentence. You get a bit of a French feeling in there with a lot of French specialties either drinks or food. The service is very nice and friendly. For those of you who speak neither Hungarian nor French there will be no menu but the waiter speaks English. For a romantic dinner Chez Daniel is the number one.

2. Zeller Bistro
Zeller is a small family run restaurant on Pest side with a short but fantastic menu. Staff is super friendly and the place is very interesting and cozy and fulfills even wishes that are not on the plan such as getting you an alcohol free beer even they actually don’t have it. Zeller is not ranked Nr. 1 Restaurant on Tripadvisor without a reason.

3. VakVarjú
With 4 restaurants in Budapest VakVarjú offers a place in every corner of the city. Opening up 4 restaurants means that you are offering a good quality because people visit you over and over again. The food is international with a touch of Hungarian specialties which are worth to try. The main restaurant is located in the city center very close to Andrássy út.

4. Restaurant Hemingway
If you go to Hemingway you should leave your car at home because they serve excellent cocktails. Also the food is very good here and I like the location, next to a little lake, very much. Also the staff is very friendly, English speaking and just want your best. The food is mainly Hungarian style but you can also find international dishes.

5. Parázs Presszó
Parázs Presszó in Budapest is a really authentic Thai restaurant mixed with a Hungarian restaurant so whatever you fancy out of these both worlds you will find good food. You could for example mix a good Húsleves (meat soup) with a real Thai Curry. However why I like it so much is the fact that the Thai food is really close to what you get in Thailand as it is operated by a Hungarian and his wife from Thailand.

6. M Restaurant
M Restaurant in Budapest is a very small and cosy little place near Nyugati train station. The menu is small but excellent with always fresh igredients and exotic combinations you wouldn’t expect. The M Restauarnt is a perfect place for a romantic dinner or to go out with friends or family. It reminds me a bit of Zeller Bistro which is on top of the top 10 resturants in Budapest.

7. Repeta Lakásétterem
Repeta is not a normal restaurant but a Lakásétterem which is something like pop-up restaurant where you are served by the owner in his flat and eat in a eat-at-home atmosphere. Repeta is truly a blast and Dáni, the chef, serves you with an 8 course menu that you will not forget. All taking place in a historical downtown apartment in the Jewish part of Budapest (around the corner from Dohány utca Synagogue).

8. Gesztenyés Kert
The restaurant Gesztenyés Kert is located outside the borders of Budapest, in Budakeszi, a small village in the West of Budapest. It might not be a restaurant you want to travel to by public transport while you are in the city for a weekend but if you live in Budapest or you are entering / leaving towards Vienna or Lake Balaton you might want to stop over for a great dinner.

9. Restaurant Náncsi Néni
For sure the best Hungarian restaurant in Budapest and that is not only my opinion but also of many others. Restaurant Náncsi Néni received a Michelin star because the food is really excellent. Unfortunately a bit outside the city and above average price but for that quality of food it is fine.

10. Symbol
Symbol is a great restaurant because it is a kind of restaurant in restaurant concept offering an Italian restaurant, a sport bar with typical pub food and a wine cellar with the possibility of a wine tasting. Additionally there are several other facilities to spend your time such as a Live music pub, a gallery, a Café and “the garden” where you might want to spend some time after having your dinner.