One of the best thing to do when traveling is indulging in the food and drink scene. Well, let us tell you that this city has it all. There are so many unique restaurants in Budapest, Hungary.
Whether you want some local street food, international food trucks, or an Instagrammable cafe, we've gathered a list of our places to check out while you're in the Hungarian capital.
In our full guide of the "10 Top Things to Do in Budapest" we dove into a bit of the cuisine, and some of the must-try Hungarian dishes to put on your list. Now let's check out 15 unique restaurants in Budapest!
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The Best Restaurants in Budapest for Local Food
When visiting a new place, our priority is trying the best local spots in town. Through research and local recommendations, we think we found quite a few ones that you'll love. Here are some of the best restaurants in Budapest for local flavors.
Hungarikum Bisztro
Surprisingly this find wasn't through a recommendation, blog, Instagram, or anything. However, it was a true hidden gem! We walked by Hungarikum Bisztro and saw that is had local cuisine, so we decided to check it out. Little did we know that we were going to fall in love with it!
This adorable spot is family run, and only uses the most traditional recipes. They have pamphlets that showcase the recipes, servers, and history behind the restaurant. Each dish we had was unbelievably tasty, and the service was seriously next level. Our waitress was so sweet and attentive that we wanted to recruit her to work for us!
If you're looking for one of the most authentic restaurants in Budapest, then this is our number one pick.
Hungarikum Bisztro has the best authentic Hungarian food.
Blue Rose
This restaurant is one that was particularly recommended from our tour guide, and has great local food. Centrally located, it's perfect for tourists that want to have authentic food without having to venture too far.
Bem Restaurant
This was another amazing recommendation from our tour guide that we highly recommend. It's a bit further outside the center, located up the river on the Buda side fo the city. However, we have to say that the Hungarian cuisine is great, and worth the trip.
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Getto Goulash
Goulash is one of the most beloved dishes of Hungary, and a must-try while in Budapest. Getto Goulash particularly specializes in this delicious dish, and we highly recommend coming here. Not only is the food great, but it's actually located right in the center of some of the best bars in the city.
Retros Langos
Langos are a very typical street food option in Budapest, and Retros Langos knows how to do them best. This fried dough can be topped with cream, cheese, meat, or any other toppings you could possibly think of.
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Central Market Hall
One of our favorite things to do while discovering a new city is to head to the central market. The Central Market Hall in Budapest not only has tons of fresh produce, paprika, and great souvenirs, but they also have a restaurant upstairs. Serving the most typical dishes, this auto-service dining experience is the perfect way to indulge in multiple dishes native to Hungary.
The Central Market Hall also has a restaurant with traditional Hungarian food upstairs.
The Best Restaurants in Budapest for the Instagrammers
While local food is the top of our list, we also have to admit that we're suckers for a cute, photographable restaurant. Here are a few of the most Instragrammable restaurants in Budapest, Hungary.
Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!
New York Cafe
Welcome to the most beautiful cafe in the world. New York Cafe is the most elegant place you could ever imagine having a cup on coffee. Not only that, but their 24 karat cappuccinos will certainly have you feeling like the ultimate boujie bitch.
New York Cafe has a cappuccino with 24 k gold!
The place is undoubtedly pricey, so we decided to skip having a full meal here. Despite paying over 10 euros for a cappuccino, we have to say that visiting New York Cafe was an amazing experience, and definitely had us feeling like we were royalty.
New York Cafe is the most glamorous cafe in the world.
This cafe is actually also a hotel, so if you're feeling like splurging a bit, then you can even book a night or two to stay here and truly feel like a queen/king.
Want to book a night at this stunning hotel? Check it out below:
New York Cafe is also a hotel that you can stay at.
Twenty Six
This is one for those that love greenery. Twenty Six feels like one giant greenhouse. With its high glass ceilings and variety of plants, the atmosphere here is just perfect for a nice lunch out. The food was also incredible, with great service. All around- it definitely was one of our favorite restaurants in Budapest.
Twenty Six is open, bright, and full of greenery.
Vintage Garden
Our next favorite Instagrammable spot for a meal in Budapest is Vintage Garden. This place is full of pink flowers, has a swing, a piano, and fuchsia neon lights. The spot is truly adorable, and its bright patio is so inviting for a cup or coffee or bite to eat.
Vintage Cafe is an Instagrammer's dream.
We got the duck and Hungarian dumplings and loved both dishes. If you're a digital nomad like us, then this is the perfect place to set up and have a beautiful atmosphere while working.
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The Best Restaurants in Budapest for Brunch
Now that you've gotten some insta-worthy shots, let's continue with some of our favorite brunch spots. While the others could also be great for brunch, these are our particular favorite spots to have a mid-morning meal.
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Vintage Garden Cafe
As if Vintage Garden wasn't great enough, they also have a neighboring coffee shop. In case you're not wanting a full meal, or the other spot is full, this adorable cafe is also perfect to grab a cup of coffee, dessert, or something smaller than a full meal.
This is perfect spot to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Cirkusz Cafe
We were eyeing this place the moment we got to Budapest. When we decided to show up for brunch one day, little did we know that the line would be down the street! We have to say though, this brunch spot was definitely worth the wait.
Cirkusz is one of the best brunch spots in the city.
The trendy spot is circus themed, and serves everything from eggs Benedict to different types of smoothies. They also have an open kitchen, so you know just how well they are working to create you the perfect breakfast!
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The Best Places to Eat in Budapest for Global Flavors
Don't get us wrong- when we travel we love to eat local. However, it is also nice to have variety, especially when traveling in a group. Here is our recommendation for eating out in Budapest with different cuisines.
Street Food Caravan
If you're not sure exactly what you want, or would like a great variety of options, then Street Food Caravan is the place for you.
This is a full food court of different food trucks ranging from American burgers to Hungarian Langos. This spot is also located next to some of the best bars in Budapest, making it the perfect spot to grab a bite before having a wild night out.
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The Best Restaurants in Budapest for the Boujee
While we could definitely also put New York Cafe in this category, we saved this particluarly for one of the fanciest and unique restaurants in Budapest.
Salt
We actually were staying right down the street from this restaurant. Passing it over and over, we kept saying how glamorous it looked inside.
Well, one night we decided to stop by and check out the menu for a possible dinner there. Little did we know that this place is so exclusive and desired that they were fully booked months out! We of course didn't get to eat there, but the sweet waitress explained that it was a Michelin star restaurant with a 6-8 course tasting menu.
The menu is actually a surprise for guests, but because we weren't able to book she gave us a peek. Every dish sounded absolutely incredible, and it will definitely be on our list when we happen to make it back. One thing that's important though- make sure to reserve as soon as possible!
The Best Places to Eat in Budapest for Your Sweet Tooth
You didn't think we'd leave you without telling you all about the most delicious desserts in Budapest, right? Here are some of our favorite spots in Budapest to go to cure that sweet tooth.
Strudel House
One of the most popular desserts in Hungary is the strudel. Strudel House is a famous spot in the city that has this (and this only) as their specialty. All of the strudels are fresh, as tourists continually flood the place throughout the day.
Strudel House is famous for its typical dessert.
Strudel Castle
If you're looking for the best strudel, then this is definitely the spot you'll want to go. While Strudel House is the more centrally-located tourist hot spot, strudel castle is where the locals head to. Located just a one-minute walk from Fisherman's Bastion, we suggest checking this spot out after roaming this stunning area.
Levendula Kezmuves
Fede has a bit of an obsession with ice cream, so in a last-minute search for the closest ice cream shop around, we plugged this spot into our map.
Little did we know that it would be the cutest purple ice cream shop, featuring lavender flavored ice cream! Not only is the place adorable, but their handcrafted ice cream and homemade cones are simply delicious.
This adorable shop has lavender ice cream.
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Unique Bars in Budapest
Now that you know all of the best places to eat in Budapest, it's time to share a couple of cool places to drink. After all, you can't visit this city without enjoying a bit of the night life!
Szimpla Kert
This is hands down the most popular bar in Budapest, and for good reason. Simple Kert is the biggest ruins bar in Budapest, and features quirky decorations, colorful art, and a super interesting under ground vibe. A Bonus? It also turns into a market on Sundays!
For Sale
Here is another unique bar that we happened to stumble upon while walking around the city. Located right by the Central Market Hall, For Sale is a bar that allows visitors from all over to leave their mark. Hanging napkins, business cards, and notes all over the walls and ceiling, it surely is a unique bar to check out. The pub also specializes in local Hungarian cuisine, making it a true gem in Budapest.
This quirky bar is full of notes, napkins, and business cards from visitors.
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Drooling yet? From local Hungarian dishes to lavender ice cream, the flavors of Budapest make us crave going back over and over again. If you have any other recommendations, please also leave them down below!
Want to know what else to do in Budapest? Well, we have a full Budapest guide with everything you need to know about visiting the Hungarian Capital.
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