Now open along Budapest’s primary pedestrianized shopping lane of Váci Street, a special unit of the Príma supermarket chain is basically a complete shopping center, housing a huge wine cellar, a grocery store with a wide selection of products, the Baroque-style Delicatessen Salon, and an elegant glass-roofed self-service restaurant, all spanning four floors. In the eatery, guests can enjoy international meals, with a natural emphasis on Hungarian dishes – such as stuffed cabbage, paprika chicken, or cottage cheese noodles – all offered for reasonable prices.
We can find the protected building that Corso Gourmet moved into back in 2013 between Ferenciek Square and Fővám Square, along the most popular pedestrian street of Budapest. At the time of our visit, the smell of freshly made pancakes led us to the entrance, and after stepping inside, we headed towards the second-floor restaurant. At 11am, typical Hungarian dishes were already piled into the display case, such as goulash soup, beef stew, or Hortobágyi pancakes.
Each day, the restaurant’s three chefs prepare three or four kinds of soups, and around 20 kinds of main dishes – needless to say, only from reliable, high-quality ingredients. From these, we can put together a two-course lunch menu for 990 forints, and after 5pm, unlimited food consumption is available for only 2,990 forints. In the room decorated by wooden barrels, wines, and various Hungaricums, we can even find separate sections for pickled vegetables and gluten-free sweets. Unlike many neighboring tourist-trap restaurants, the most frequent regulars of this place is a Hungarian couple living across the street – what else could better prove the authenticity of the food served here?The restaurant is separated from the supermarket with a clever solution: a separate elevator and stairs lead between them. The two-story Príma is not just an average grocery store; it also houses a deli section with dangling hams, salamis, and sausages, and various cheeses lined up in the display cabinets. In the Delicatessen Salon next door, visitors can also taste these amid a Baroque atmosphere.
In the wine cellar, so many bottles of wine and champagne are lined up that choosing can prove to be an all-day program. Fortunately, the skilled staff can help even with the most difficult situations. The Treasury of Royal Wines is located in a separate, locked room of the wine cellar, and gives place to museum-worthy wines on its shelves – for example, a 1940 bottle of Tokaji Essencia, worth 550,000 forints.
In fact, Príma created an entire shopping complex in Váci Street where we can get anything we need, be it a carton of milk, a bottle of exclusive wine, or a hearty dinner.
Corso Gourmet
Address:
1056 Budapest, Váci utca 54.
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 19:00
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