Fekete Holló (Black Raven) is kind of a legend in the Castle District. It welcomed its first guests in 1930 with a handwritten menu, Aunt Rosie, the red-headed cook, and the atmosphere of an old tavern. The restaurant has recently reopened as a modern Hungarian bistro, slightly glammed up but keeping the old-school vibe of castle taverns that locals adore. On gloomy autumn days, you can warm up with classics such as golden chicken soup, Wiener Schnitzel, and pork stew, served generously over checkered tablecloths. And the best bit? Fekete Holló offers traditional Hungarian dishes at fair prices and reliable quality, making it a true gem in the area.
Fekete Holló Bistro has just opened this month, but in reality, it looks back to a long history. The old castle tavern from 1930 has been completely renovated, but the restaurant's original concept, the decades-old Hungarian style and flavours have not been touched, only taken to a higher level. With friendly and homely vibes, you can now enjoy your wine spritzer in a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere while goulash soup, vegetable stew with meatballs or sausages, pork stew with homemade cucumber salad and potato noodles, and pancakes or poppy seed dumplings get served over checkered tablecloths.
If you wish to experience what classic Hungarian cuisine is like and what an authentic Hungarian tavern is made of, you've come to the right place.
If you wish to experience what classic Hungarian cuisine is like and what an authentic Hungarian tavern is made of, you've come to the right place.
Welcoming guests since 1930
The building itself, located at 10 Országház utca in the Castle District, was built around 1785 for a doctor called Károly Mócsy. There had already been a restaurant here in the 1930s, as Pál Alpek opened his own at the young age of 20. But in the 1960s it reopened as Fekete Holló.
As one contemporary wrote: 'Its vaulted, cool tavern, its handwritten menu and Aunt Rosie, the red-headed cook, all evoke the atmosphere of old castle taverns. Its clientele is made up mainly of old residents of the castle, people from Víziváros, and college students. In the summer, tiny tables are set up on Országház utca and the past and the future are discussed over good wine on the leander terrace. The most popular dish at Fekete Holló, besides Fisherman's soup and pork stew, is rolled-up pork sirloin, but many people also come here from across the Danube to try Aunt Rosie's famous cottage cheese dumplings.'
Fekete Holló translates to 'black raven', so there is no surprise that you will find the restaurant under a distinctive cast-iron signboard featuring the bird. The name and the symbol are a tribute to Hungary's King Matthias and the Hunyadis as the raven appeared in their family crest.
Bean goulash, pork stew with cucumber salad, and vegetable stew
Fekete Holló carries on the tradition in terms of the menu, which includes all the essential dishes of Hungarian cuisine.
The traditional pork bean comes in two sizes: as an appetiser in a cup, or as a main course in a small red casserole, generously packed with vegetables, and topped with sour cream on request.
The traditional pork bean comes in two sizes: as an appetiser in a cup, or as a main course in a small red casserole, generously packed with vegetables, and topped with sour cream on request.
The farm chicken soup is golden and thick and comes with cellophane noodles. But you can also ask for liver dumplings or egg yolk as an extra. The starters include classic and unjustly overshadowed dishes such as pork marrow toast with pickled onions or chicken liver pâté with sourdough bread and pickles.
The menu is not short of schnitzels, either; if you order a Fekete Holló plate, you can get fried chicken thigh, pork Wiener Schnitzel, fried Emmental, and crispy mushrooms served with French fries and cabbage salad for 2 or 4 people, but of course, these dishes are also available individually. The fried Emmental cheese or the pork chop with red currant jam, the crispy mushrooms with classic tartar sauce, and the chicken thighs with garlic mayonnaise are also good choices. As for the side dishes, you can't go wrong with parsley potatoes, potato salad, or homemade crispy chips.
The vegetable stews can be served on their own or as a side dish with a topping of your choice, such as spinach with fried eggs, potato stew with meatballs, lentil stew with sausages, or even with some juicy pork stew.
The vegetable stews can be served on their own or as a side dish with a topping of your choice, such as spinach with fried eggs, potato stew with meatballs, lentil stew with sausages, or even with some juicy pork stew.
Hungarian classics from lecho to pork stew
The menu also includes essentials such as lecho (the Hungarian version of ratatouille), which can be served with eggs and sausage.
The pork stew is pleasantly thick and rich with paprika, the homemade potato noodles are fried in fat until crispy but still soft inside, and a cucumber salad with sour cream is a must on the side.
The pork stew is pleasantly thick and rich with paprika, the homemade potato noodles are fried in fat until crispy but still soft inside, and a cucumber salad with sour cream is a must on the side.
Pancakes, poppy seed dumplings, homemade ice cream
You can order three types of pancakes at Fekete Holló: jam, sweet curd with raisins and a nice lemon touch, and Nutella.
Don't miss the poppy seed dumplings, served in an enamel bowl and drizzled with vanilla custard. You can also find Zuki's artisan ice creams if you're in the mood for a cold treat.
The inevitable wine spritzer...
There's no main course that couldn't be improved with a good spritzer (a mix of wine and sparkling water) or some craft beer from Fót. Wines are all high quality, coming from the northern and southern shores of Lake Balaton and Hungarian wine regions Tokaj, Villány, and Etyek. Pun intended, there's also a Fehér Holló ("white raven") from the Légli vineyard on the wine list.
Spritzers come in all varieties: short, tall, long, and many more, depending on wine and sparkling water ratios, and you can even read the history of the spritzer on the table-top cutlery holders. You can also quench your thirst with cocktails, two of which are called Fekete Holló, one Mojito-based and the other spritz-based, Hungarian pálinka, homemade lemonade, or elderberry syrup.
Fekete Holló Bistro brings back the atmosphere of small taverns, of which there are none left in the Castle, but maybe some in Óbuda or suburban areas. You get fair portions, authentic dishes made from quality ingredients, and a decent lunch or dinner with friendly service by the Matthias Church. If you are an expat who happens to live or work in the district, you can even get a 25% discount on the menu prices.
