15 Best Restaurants in Budapest
Budapest is one of my favorite cities & has an amazing restaurant scene. Hungarian food is hearty & filling, and it was so perfect for my winter trip to Budapest for the Christmas Markets. Budapest is massive, so there are tons and tons of good restaurants to try. I’ve narrowed down my 14 favorites below.
Jump To:
- Best Restaurants in Budapest Overall
- Best Local/Traditional Restaurants in Budapest (casual)
- Best Street Food Options in Budapest
- Best non-Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest
- Traditional Hungairan Foods to Try
- Best Restaurants in Budapest Map
Best Restaurants in Budapest Overall
Aranybástya
This spot is worth it for the views alone. Located right at the top of the funicular to Buda Castle it offers the most stunning views over the Parliament, Chain Bridge & the Danube River. The food is also great, so it’s highly worth making a reservation here, especially for dinner sunset/night when the Parliament is lit up is unreal.
https://en.aranybastya.com/etlap
Gettó Gulyás
This was probably my favorite restaurant in Budapest! Locaed in the vibrant former Jewish Quarter of Budapest that is no home to the infamous ruin bars, trendy restaurants, & impressive street art Gettó Gulyás was super delicious and such a vibe. It was traditional Hungarian served in an elevated setting. Definitely make reservations here!
https://reservours.com/gettogulyas/tablereservation?source=googlewebhely
Best Local/Traditional Restaurants in Budapest (casual)
Budapest has tons of unreal casual “mom and pop” restaurants. These are usually distinguished by the classic red & white checked tablecloths and feature homemade food for a reasonable price in a laid back setting. I had some of my best meals in these spots.
Ildikó Konyhája
A classic local spot on the Buda side of the Danube. It’s perfect for classics like goulash and chicken paprikash. They are always quite busy and don’t take reservations, but it’s worth waiting for a table
https://www.ildiko-konyhaja.hu/index.php/etlap
Horgásztanya Vendéglő
A must-try on the Buda side of Budapest if you want a traditional Hungarian fisherman’s soup. This casual spot serves other stuff, but they’re known for their soup. I loved this spot it had a bit of a local feel, it was super cozy with twinkle lights inside.
https://horgasztanyavendeglo.hu/etlap/
Bem Söröző Étterem
A bit off the beaten path on the Buda side of the city this spot had a local feel. It’s super casual, literally in a basement. I had the chicken schnitzel and it was delicious.
Kiskakukk Restaurant
A bit more upscale than some of the other casual restautant nearby, Kiskakukk is perfect for a less casual spot with good food at a fair price point. Some of the menu highligts were goose liver with baked apple, the duck & stuffed cabbage
Menza Étterem és Kávéház
A busy spot with a menu featuring all the Hungarian classics. This spot was recommended to me by my walking tour guide and I really enjoyed it.
https://www.menzaetterem.hu/etlap/
Best Street Food Options
Street Food Karavan
A series of food stalls featuring Hungarian street food, like langos, but also featuring burgers, Mexican food, curry, cocktails & more. It’s right near the ruin bars, making it a perfect spot before a night out in Budapest.
Belvárosi Disznótoros – Király utca
A casual counter spot with delicious food. You order at the counter and eat standing at bar tables. This was the perfect lunch spot and was recommended by a local to me. They have two locatins on the Pest side of Budapest
https://belvarosidisznotoros.hu/
Retro Lángos Budapest
Langos are a must when visiting Hungary. They’re essentially a savory fried dough and SO good. It’s fried sourdough covered in your choice of toppings. The traditinal option is sour cream and cheese, but there are a bunch of others you can try.
Best non-Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest
Italian
Digó Pizzeria
Classic homemade Neopolitan pizza. This place was SO good and a nice break from some of the heavier Hungarian cuisine!
Cucina the Italian Kitchen
Classic Italian right in the heart of Budapest. I loved the lasagna!
Mexican
Papitos Mexican Street Food – Madách
This Mexican street food spot in M Square Budapest. The tacos were unreal. I had been in Europe for a month at this point and hadn’t had Mexican food in so long, so this really hit.
Tereza Mexican Restaurant
A fun Mexican restaurant with a big menu, lively outdoor patio and fun cocktails. Loved this spot
Brunch/American
Lion’s Locker
A popular brunch spot. There was a line every time I passed by here I finally had to try it. Great brunch spot, I loved the breakfast burrito!
https://www.lockerbudapest.com/menu
Spíler Original
This is a fun bistro in one of Budapest’s trendiest areas, Gozsdu Court. This area has tons of bars and restaurants – it’s a series of interconnected courtyards. Spíler has good ambaince and great vibes – it’s great for date nights, appetizers, cocktails or dinner before a night out.
Traditional Hungairan Foods to Try
Beef Goulash (or Gulyás)
Beef goulash in Budapest is something you must try! It’s a bit thinner than other goulashes (like in Czech Republic that are more like a stew) I preferred it to some of the other goulashes I tried in Europe. It had a bit more of a kick and wasn’t as heavy
Chicken Paprikash
Chicken with sour cream and paprika served over egg noodles is another Hungarian classic. This was another favorite from my trip!
Lángos
A traditional Hungarian streetfood, Langos are fried sourdough covered with your choice of savory toppings. The classic is sour cream with cheese, but you can add bacon, onions, chicken, sausage and more
Fisherman’s Soup (Halászlé)
A slightly spicy soup with paprika and locally caught river fish. I’m not a huge fish person, but this is a classic to try!
Best Restaurants in Budapest Map
Love Food as Much as me?
Check out some of my other favorite food cities in Europe from my best restaurants in Europe series!
