There aren’t very many high-quality “all you can eat” restaurants in Budapest: there are some that serve ample international cuisine of varying standards, and others offering heaps of so-so Hungarian food, but usually the concepts of eating well and plentifully are considered to be mutually exclusive here. This is why we were happy to hear about a new Italian restaurant with a fixed-price system – and after tasting the selection of Ape Regina, located at the corner of Podmaniczky and Jókai Street in central Pest, we now know where to go when seeking gourmet gluttony.
We believe that “all you can eat” is a pretty risky genre – it’s no surprise that the city doesn’t have many restaurants operating with this premise. However, in many other countries, it’s a popular practice to hold get-togethers for family or friends on birthdays or similar celebrations at such restaurants with a fixed-price system. These establishments offer many advantages, including no hidden costs, predictability, unlimited portions, and included drinks. The same is true for Budapest’s newest Italian restaurant, as well.
Ape Regina’s name is ambiguous – and no, it is in no way connected to primates. It refers to the Ape Piaggio, a typical Italian three-wheeled van (as illustrated in the restaurant logo), and at the same time, “ape” also means “queen bee” in Italian. The restaurant took over the location of an old Greek tavern, and the development and renovation work took many long months to complete. The result is very friendly, and has a modern design instead of the stereotypically rustic Italian style, with a rather casual atmosphere. The kitchen stretches into the dining area, while a glass-covered (and thus somewhat open) pasta kitchen and confectionery is located on the floor above. However, we don’t have to fear undesirable odors, as the ventilation system is quite professional. The “all you can eat” system is smart, as well: we can grab many types of foods ourselves at the buffet, and can order pizzas, pastas, and grilled dishes at the counter – which will then be brought to our table. Therefore, there is no typical buffet atmosphere of customers elbowing each other out of the way while attempting to snatch the last slice of ham, which is an ingenious solution.Ape Regina’s chef, Angelo Pappalardo is – naturally – Italian, and came to Budapest specifically because of this restaurant. The Sicilian influence has a strong presence in the kitchen in the form of a lot of citrus, root vegetables, and fish.
Every table has fresh, crispy homemade grissini and pizza bread with basil tomato sauce for appetizers – but we must warn you to refrain from snacking on these too much, so as not to spoil your appetite; we almost made that very mistake. We can always choose from three kinds of soups, and the selection of entrées is rather wide, as well, including hams, cheeses, and salads – they even have a separate salad bar with huge olives and arugula. We were satisfied with the octopus salad as well, so much so that later on we could barely eat the other seafood dishes.
Obviously, we were very curious about the pizza assortment, from which we tried the four-cheese variation, which turned out to be quite delicious. It’s better to order multiple pizzas with a larger group and take only a few slices of each type, so that we can sample a variety and leave some stomach space for other dishes, as well – it would be disappointing to miss out on the pasta, grilled dishes, or desserts. So instead of stuffing ourselves full with one dish, it’s better to plan ahead and try a bit of everything. Fortunately, the price usually includes a nice selection of wines, and we can also order beer to accompany our meal.Currently, we can choose from three dining options: on weekdays, we can have a business lunch between noon and 3pm for 2,790 forints, which unfortunately doesn’t include drinks. (However, the place and system are still perfect for a lunchtime meeting – it’s always easier to make a deal with a business partner whose belly is full.) Weekday lunches (noon-5pm) with unlimited food and drinks costs 3,990 forints, while dinner and weekend lunches cost 5,990 forints per person. Fortunately for families, children under age six can eat free of charge, and kids under 12 receive a 50% discount.
Ape Regina Budapest
Address:
Budapest 1065, Podmaniczky Street 18.
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday, 11am-midnight
