Every November 11th, Magyars commemorate St. Martin of Tours, one of Hungary’s patron saints. Celebrations usually include sampling gourmet goose dishes and sipping new wine at festivals and restaurants nationwide. Around Budapest, gluttonous holiday gatherings are taking place at several locations, including the historic Gellért Hotel and at the Szentendre Skanzen open-air museum just north of Hungary’s capital. Meanwhile, many of the city’s eateries offer a special menu with goose-based dishes in the weeks surrounding St. Martin’s Day.
Born within this nation’s boundaries in AD 316, St. Martin of Tours set off on a religious path in his youth to preach and convert pagans through Western Gaul. While he gained lots of followers, legend has it that he tried to avoid the role of becoming the Bishop of Tours by hiding in a goose pen. However, the honking animals soon revealed his whereabouts, prompting a lasting tradition in Hungary, where St. Martin’s Day is celebrated every year by devouring goose dishes. According to folk customs, it is considered the last excessive feast before Advent Lent.
In Budapest and beyond, colorful events celebrate the canonized saint with most feasts centered around goose delicacies and new wines.
St. Martin’s Day Wine Festival
The city’s biggest St. Martin’s Day celebration is the indoor wine festival at the Danubius Hotel Gellért, happening between November 9th and 12th. During the celebratory gathering, some of the country’s best wineries fill the hotel’s spacious halls, where sampling tickets provide unlimited tasting options of the fine libations. Savory snacks and street-food treats accompany reds, whites and rosés over the weekend, including Hungarian cheese specialties, sausages, and goose dishes. To enjoy full sit-down meals, renowned Hungarian chefs and Bocuse d’Or participants Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló take guests on an epicurean adventure. Tickets to many of the accompanying gastronomy events have already sold out, so hurry up to secure your spot at the festival.
More details and ticket information
St. Martin’s Day Goose Festival
Budapest’s annual outdoor St. Martin’s Day celebration moves from its former City Park location to the Újbuda neighborhood. Taking place between November 10th and 12th along the promenade alongside the Allee shopping center (Budapest 1117, Október huszonharmadika utca 8-10), the three-day outdoor extravaganza highlights Hungarian traditions with local meals and drinks in the spotlight. Visitors can devour goose dishes and sip intoxicating drinks provided by local producers, including an assortment of Hungarian wines, Magyar-made craft beers, and traditional fruit-based pálinka brandy. Attractions include plenty of free things to do for children, such as a goose petting zoo, and handicraft workshops where kids can make their own lanterns, among many other creative activities.
Festival of the Goose and New Wine
Located just over 20 kilometers from central Budapest, Szentendre’s Skanzen Museum features a heritage hamlet with recreated village-style homes from centuries ago. Providing an authentic backdrop for honoring local traditions, the open-air exhibition ground hosts St. Martin’s Day festivities over two days during November 11-12th. Those who take a day trip there can enjoy live folk music and dance performances. In addition, you can join various handicraft workshops, including jewelry-making and woodwork sessions. Goose-based meals, roast chestnut and sweet chimney cake pamper guests’ taste buds, while prominent Magyar wineries fill glasses with fine libations. Visitors with a valid ticket to the Skanzen can enter the festival grounds.
How to get there:
From Budapest’s Batthyány Square, take the HÉV commuter train to its Szentendre terminus; the journey takes about 40 minutes. From the Szentendre HÉV station, find bus stop number 7 and take the local bus to the Skanzen.
In addition to these good-time gatherings, plenty of restaurants are serving flavorsome goose dishes throughout the week surrounding the holiday. Here we present a number of the eateries offering celebratory feasts in honor of St. Martin:
Corso
During November 6-11th, the riverfront restaurant of InterContinental Budapest delivers a set menu with goose and duck dishes. Courses include goose broth with matzo dumplings, barley gizzard risotto with goose neck and foie gras, and Hungarian chocolate cherry cake. More details
Buda’s country-style eatery serves a wide selection of goose dishes all year round, but the St. Martin’s Day menu available here during November is especially renowned. The festive selection includes goose sausages, goose jelly, and roast goose. More details
Between November 8th and 12th, District VIII’s charmingly old-school Jewish-style eatery offers a special St. Martin’s Day menu to diners. Meals include goose crackling, goose ragout soup, crispy duck leg with braised cabbage, and more. More details
From November 6th through 11th, the legendary Gundel restaurant in City Park treats diners to lunch and dinner feasts tailored to fit with St. Martin’s Day traditions. Midday meals include cholent with marinated goose breast and smoked quail eggs, while evening treats come with mixed goose platters. More details
Tucked away in the Buda Hills, this grandma’s style eatery has been offering special St. Martin’s Day feasts since October 27th with goose dishes being served in the restaurant through November 20th. Foie gras crème brűlée, stuffed goose neck and oven-roasted duck are just a few of the specialties that are served in honor of the holiday. More details
Peppers!
To celebrate St. Martin’s Day on November 9th, Peppers! at the Budapest Marriott Hotel presents an extensive smorgasbord with celebratory meals, such as homemade goose sausage with pear chutney. Hungary’s prominent Bock winery provides matching libations throughout the evening, starting at 7pm.
Rosenstein Classic family-run Rosenstein prides itself on stellar Jewish cuisine and around St. Martin's, the restaurant treats guests to finely selected goose specialties. To see the menu, check out the eatery's Facebook page closer to the holiday.
