During 2016, Budapest could take pride in having five Michelin-starred restaurants: Costes, Costes Downtown, Onyx, Borkonyha, and Tanti. It’s relatively well-known that while receiving a Michelin Star is no easy feat, maintaining it is even more complex and difficult. Until now, no Hungarian restaurant lost a star, and none have doubled or tripled their star rating, either.
Tanti received its Michelin Star in 2015, stunning many, since its kitchen had been only operating for less than a year at that point, led by Magyar chef István Pesti. However, Pesti was soon replaced by Olivér Heiszler, who managed to hold onto the prestigious rank in 2016, but who has since left to work at La Perle Noire. We cannot provide an account of Tanti’s current performance, as we last visited the restaurant while it was led by Chef Heiszler. This year, the Buda-side restaurant lost its Michelin Star, while Costes, Costes Downtown, Onyx, and Borkonyha held onto their prestigious rankings.
The Michelin Guide also highlights restaurants offering “exceptional good food at moderate prices,” awarding them with the label “Bib Gourmand”. This year, Budapest restaurants Petrus, Laci!Konyha!, and Fricska Gastropub received this coveted recommendation.
In 1900, car-tire manufacturers Edouard and André Michelin published the first Michelin Guide, which featured restaurants they deemed to be the best – in order to urge drivers to travel more and thus boost demand for their products. The guide became international beginning in 1904, and its anonymous inspectors taste the menus of more than 200 restaurants a year, recommending the best restaurants among 44 European cities. The stars are awarded accordingly: one star – worth visiting, two stars – worth a major detour, three stars – worth traveling abroad for. Costes earned Hungary’s first Michelin star in 2010, and since then various Budapest restaurants have held this honor every year.
