You are in Budapest and you have already visited the Parliament, the Basilica, the Buda Castle, the Gellért Hill, the Heroes’ Square and you have enjoyed a great afternoon in one of its wonderful spas. What else can you do?

Budapest is an inexhaustible source of great plans, from visiting its markets to spending a day caving in its caves. But if you want something different and enjoyable, put on your smartest clothes because we’re going to take you to restaurants with one, or two, Michelin stars. 

Let’s get carried away by flavours that tell a story of tradition and sophistication, let your palate travel and let these places take you to places you never thought existed. Enjoy some of the best restaurants in the world. Bon appétit.

Gourmet Getaway in Budapest

Rumour

Petőfi Tér 3, 1051

There are many elements that make this restaurant special and unique. Rumour bases its elegant image on an open kitchen where diners can enjoy the process of unique creations. The dishes tell the story of the journey of chef Jenő Rácz, who has travelled halfway around the world; London, Copenhagen, Singapore or Shanghai, before returning to his native Budapest. 

Creativity shines through in every element of this restaurant, from the combination on the menu to the arrangement of the red leather chairs arranged around the bar that acts as a table for the 21 lucky diners who will be able to enjoy the secret behind the rumour.

According to the words of Chef Jenő Rácz; the experience provided should be much more than just a simple meal. And that may be the reason that led him to go one step further and open Rumour Bar. This speakeasy-like bar is located on the mezzanine floor of the Rumour restaurant.

It is set in the bars of the 1920s American Prohibition era. Zoltán Szabó, a traveller and eternal apprentice like Jenő Rácz, ensures that everything runs as smoothly as it does in the restaurant. 

Here you will not only find sophisticated cocktails, which are divided into classic and innovative ones, but also a wide variety of high-quality drinks, especially in the world of rum and whisky. This is where creativity and sustainability come together, as the restaurant’s leftover materials are used to create new cocktails, giving the drinks excellent quality and producing a minimum amount of waste. 

It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 17:00 to 23:00 and, of course, don’t try to go without a reservation.

Borkonyha Winekitchen

Sas utca 3, 1051

This is the perfect example for those who judge a book by its cover and don’t give the inside a chance. It may seem like a typical restaurant, even a bit common, where there is nothing to surprise you. Nothing could be further from the truth. This restaurant has a modern and creative soul in the kitchen, leaving the lounge area as just another restaurant for the untrained eye. 

Intense flavours with little nods to the more classical Hungarian cuisine, letting its flavour shine through but without making it the cornerstone of this modern, avant-garde cuisine, which boasts a well-deserved Michelin star. 

In addition to the food, the food pairing is simply exceptional. They have a wide range of wines, which will delight even the most experienced wine connoisseurs. Excellent food, high quality national and international wines and a terrace that, weather permitting, we strongly recommend you visit, make the perfect combination for a flavourful experience at Borkonyha Winekitchen.

It is closed on Sundays, being open the rest of the week from 18:00 to 24:00, except on Saturdays when the opening hours are extended to 12:00 to 24:00.

Essência

Sas utca 17, 1051

Love of cooking is not a cliché in this case. Portuguese chef-owner Tiago and his Hungarian wife Éva have created something that is literally born of love. Love for haute cuisine, for quality, for care and affection and for each other. 

You can notice the love they put into everything in their dishes, their decoration, their open kitchen with large arches, their lighting and even in their location, close to the Basilica but at the same time, away from the hustle and bustle. 

Their goal was to bring to their diners’ plates a mixture of Portuguese and Hungarian cuisines, mixing high quality ingredients, modern techniques and a touch of nostalgia, searching for the favourite flavours of their respective childhoods. 

It’s up to you to dive into dishes full of Portuguese and Hungarian flavours or enjoy a menu that brings together the best of each. Tiago has a wealth of experience in haute cuisine working at places like Ritz Four Seasons in Lisbon or Petrus by Gordon Ramsay. While Éva understands how to deal with the public like no one else thanks to her extensive experience in luxury hotels, and works as a private dining and reservations manager.

Last but not least, it has a vegetarian menu. Open from Wednesday to Saturday. Wednesday from 18:00 to 23:00 and the rest of the days from 12:00 to 15:00 and from 18:00 to 23:00.

Babel

Piarista Köz 2, 1052

Babel is a wonderful blend of the traditional and the avant-garde. They are attentive to their roots and every detail tells a story of love for craftsmanship and tradition, both local and national. We’re not just saying that; the “B” in the name of the place at the entrance was designed by Samuel Havadtoy, all the glassware comes from the Ajka Kristály factory, the ceramics were created by ceramic artist Ksenia Wallenstein and the ambience was designed in collaboration with interior designer Annamaria Dekany.

These are just some of the names that have contributed to making Babel one of the brightest stars in Budapest’s gastronomic constellation. In order to better understand its dimension, here is part of its history and achievements. 

It was opened in 2008 by Hubert Hlatky-Schlichter, who is still the owner and the visible head of the project. Although it was not until 2015 that they moved to their current location, an emblematic and spacious building next to one of the oldest churches in the city. 

This is just one of the restaurant’s many nods to Budapest’s history. Another is the well-known watermarks inside, from the Great Pest Flood of 1838. They remain there as a living testimony to an essential part of the city’s history. 

This change of location brought with it great recognition and all the hard work was rewarded, first, in 2017, when Decanter magazine named Babel “The Best International Restaurant”, highlighting its talent when it came to pairing white wines with its dishes. It was two years later, in 2019, when its big moment came and the restaurant received its Michelin star. 

The reason for its star is, naturally, to be found in its cuisine. And there we have to talk about tradition, fusion and avant-gardism. Its dishes are based on a mixture of Serbian, Ukrainian and Hungarian influences, as well as the supervision and advice of Swedish chef Daniel Berlin. A melting pot of cultures and flavours that make Babel a meeting point for those who admire haute cuisine and the attention to detail and tradition. 

Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 17:30 to 24:00.

Salt

Királyi Pál utca 4, 1053

Modern, friendly and sustainable. This is how Salt presents itself in Budapest, with an excellent location, just a five-minute walk from the Hungarian National Museum, and a presentation and philosophy that support the Michelin star it holds. 

Chef Szilárd Tóth has created this project, which is based on the most traditional Hungarian cuisine. The chef is passionate about spices and herbs and this is reflected in his cuisine. The chef’s own family supplies the meat, and everything else, from the spices to the bread, is as fresh as if you were eating straight from the fields. 

So much so that in 2022 he won, and appears for the first time in our guide, a green Michelin star. These are awarded to restaurants that place as much emphasis on the concept of sustainability as they do on taste. A year earlier, in 2021, they would have won the long-awaited Michelin star for a cuisine that is as traditional as it is sophisticated and rich in flavours and nuances. 

We have mentioned that this is a nearby place, and the explanation is as quick as it takes to enter the restaurant. It has a central, open kitchen, where you can watch the creation process and even have a chat with both the chef and the manager, Máté Boldizsár. Sometimes they serve the dishes to their guests themselves. 

Hospitality, proximity and tradition, all paired with an incredible collection of national and international wines. On the menu we will find those flavours and ingredients present in Hungarian gastronomy but with a contemporary touch that will make you enjoy a natural, sustainable and incomparable meal. 

Open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 18:00 to 23:00 and as in the other cases, we insist on booking even before taking the plane to visit Budapest. Waiting lists can sometimes be very long.

Costes

Ráday utca 4, 1092

Sophistication, elegance, fine food and wine. If we had to sum up Costes in one sentence, that would be it. Its space is as well thought out as its menu. Here you feel the space but without losing the warmth of a place as intimate as this one. 

Its six-course menu will take you on a journey through the main gastronomies of the world, where textures and colours will come to life and even have their own flavour. That’s how powerful the cuisine of one of the best restaurants in the Hungarian capital is. At the helm of that kitchen is a name already known on this list; chef Jenö Rácz, who assists and guides the project together with the restaurant’s head chef Levente Koppány. 

Another piece in the structure of this fantastic place to enjoy the best food is the sommelier, who has the talent, experience and wine selection necessary to accompany the menu in an exceptional way. His pairings are mostly wines from the Hungarian region. 

This combination of elements led them to achieve their Michelin star in 2010 and maintain it to this day. It is open from Friday to Monday, with opening hours from 18:30 to 21:30 on each of those four days.

Stand

Székely Mihály utca 2, 1061

We have left for dessert what we consider to be the jewel in the crown. And we’re not the only ones who think so: Stand is the only restaurant with two Michelin stars. A real milestone in the city and something that few others achieve at European and international level. 

They got their first Michelin star just nine months after opening their doors. This says a lot about their work, dedication and quality. And even more so when in 2022 they received their second star, thus topping the lists of the best restaurants in the city of Budapest. 

It is a warm place with expert hands in the kitchen and an incredibly complete wine list that perfectly matches the textures and flavours of dishes that are brimming with the history of Hungarian gastronomy. 

The presentation of the dishes is another of the many positive aspects of this corner of the city that has managed to shape a menu that transports diners to places where their palate has never been before. 

Its doors are open from Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00 to 24:00 for those lucky enough to enjoy one of Budapest’s greatest luxuries with a reservation.

Accommodation on your getaway

After a meal as copious as it is rich in flavour, you deserve a rest worthy of the delicacies you have just enjoyed. That’s why we recommend a stay in the best hotel in the city; Amberlyn Suite Hotel.