Favorite Restaurants and Dessert Places in Budapest

worldinbetween is correct. Stay off Vaci utca.

Here is a nice pasty shop not far from your accomodations. Belvárosi Auguszt Cukrászda, 1053 Budapest, Kossuth L. u. 14-16, Tel.: +36 1 337-63-79, Email: [email protected], Nyitva: M-F 9-19h, Sa-Su closed, http://www.auguszt.hu/en

Here are a couple of restaurants nearby. Both pretty nice.

http://www.karpatia.hu/en
http://www.centralkavehaz.hu/eng/home

Just to show how we all have different tastes in food, I had a completely different experience from JG. I loved Hungarian food and would gladly return just for that reason.

I always recommend the Trofea Grill Etterem; I only went to one of them, but there are several around town. It's an all you can eat place, but don't let that scare you - it's really good. Plus, it's great to go early in your trip, as you can try various foods, learn what you like, and then get those dishes at other places. If you're craving desserts, their dessert section has unlimited whipped cream and unlimited chocolate sauce, to put on the dessert of your choice. Note that it's cheaper at lunch than at dinner, and cheaper on weekdays than weekends.

Here's a link to the Frommer's listing, where I found out about them: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/budapest/restaurants/231783#sthash.7dFdL0pO.dpbs

Although this listing says "this is the only one we recommend," and it's the only one I've been to, James has been to several others and likes them as well. The others are closer to the center.

George never passes up an opportunity for a snide remark. Adds interest to the forum. Plenty of good food of all types. My only problem has been in choosing which of the literally hundreds of highly rated restaurants to try next. Thy range from Michelin Star establishments to some pretty wonderful street food. A current favorite: http://maceszhuszar.hu/info.html

I mention it a lot because it has a pretty broad menu and good service so it pleases most tastes; and it's in an interesting neighborhood. Glad you liked it.

Have you been to Haxen Király Étterem? A little expensive but excellent food and an excellent experience.

Maybe I should of said a lot expensive. Sort of place you would have expected to see 50+ year old party bosses in dark suits 30 years ago. They do fly in USDA steaks for a small fortune. Sometimes after a week or two there I just have to American Red Meat. The rest is pretty much traditional Hungarian. Goose, pate, heavy starchy stuff in gravies, etc.

We went to Zeller Bistro about a week ago when we were in Budapest and really liked it. Be sure and make a reservation (a good idea wherever you go, we've found). It's a young couple working very hard to provide a great experience. We found the food very good, and as with the rest of Budapest, very reasonably priced. Another place we liked was the Hungarikum Bistro, near the Parliament- charming decor, a wonderful young waitress who was very helpful and wanted us to have a great time, good food, live (subtle) music. A third place we liked was Cafe Intenzo, where again the young waiter was very charming and engaged us in conversation, wanting us to have a good experience (and warning us about decorative and hot peppers!).
We also enjoyed the cake and coffee at both Cafe Sacher and Central Cafe. Contrary to what many have written, we found the Sacher torte at the former to be deliciously moist. Overall, we found the food and restaurants of Budapest to be excellent and a great value compared to US prices.

I am very biased so I might not be seeing clearly, but I see the Hungarian people to be among the kindest and most friendly that I have encountered in my travels.

@worldinbetween you have become quite the restaurant critic. THANK YOU! Its a great help. Really Appreciated.

Oh my, what a list.

I would get my butt down to the Cafe Muvesz nearly directly across form the Opera Haz on Andrassy Utca as quickly as possible. It is a real Hungarian coffee house (Kafe Haz). Each morning the display cases fill with the best treats in town and by the time the opera house lets out in the evening the cases are nearly empty.

Whether you get seating in the front near the windows or in the second room you will enjoy good coffee or tea and great desserts. We try to hit the place at least once a day when we are in Budapest. All the other coffee houses are a bit too 'tarted up' for our tastes.

wayne iNWI