Budapest’s newest laid-back-yet-high-quality eatery opened with a rather expressive name: Meatology. It’s easy to guess that this gastro-bar is a carnivore haven, serving up spare ribs, burgers, and many other fleshy foods seasoned with Hungarian and Asian spices and sauces. Located on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue just across from St. Stephen’s Basilica, Meatology also offers sandwiches that are large enough to be standalone meals, along with light salads and creative side dishes. The owner/chef is Péter Pataky, known for Debrecen’s IKON eatery and the Hungarian culinary TV show “Ízes élet”.

More and more bistros and gastro-bars are being opened in Budapest by renowned chefs, in what is amounting to some kind of new culinary revolution. After getting to know Beszálló and Házi/Állat, meet Meatology on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue by the Basilica, providing meaty cuisine that is as dear to the heart of Hungarians as much as foreigners who wish to become more familiar with local tastes. Péter Pataky and his brother Tibor explored the catering industry of numerous countries before opening Meatology – they worked hard in the kitchen, after which Péter gained a reputation when he was employed at IKON. In addition, Péter runs a business with a friend, appropriately dealing with sous-vide meats. Therefore, it was obvious that after dominating Debrecen, they would start something new in Budapest.

Meatology doesn’t want to seem almighty and invulnerable right off the bat – the brothers plan on building up a reputation instead. The interior design is rather simple, and in the back section, guests can watch what’s going on in the kitchen through a large glass window, the window sill of which contains an herb garden, courtesy of Szender Kert.

The menu currently lists various fixed dishes, and naturally, we’ll soon be able to choose from their changing chef’s recommendations, as well. Essentially, they are working with the traditional English “on toast” system, which means that most of their foods are served on a delicious baguette. We could call these sandwiches, but it’d be a pity to force them into this category, since they offer much more flavor-wise – just consider the croissant filled with smoked knuckle of pork, hard-boiled egg, horseradish mayo, and pickles (1,500 HUF).

We tried the Asian-inspired sticky bacon served in smoked flatbread and accompanied with Thai slaw, a crunchy salad of red cabbage and coriander (2,400 HUF). The spare-rib burger (2,400 HUF) can be a filling choice, as well, served with fresh mixed pickles, grilled spring onions, and homemade fries. While the wine menu is substantial, we’d still rather wash down a meaty lunch or dinner with something from Meatology’s craft-beer selection (900 HUF/bottle).

Based on our first impressions, the concept is exciting and likeable. Nevertheless, we can definitely see tourists looking to explore the high-quality Hungarian culinary scene visiting Meatology en masse – among others.