Anyone who has tasted the barbecued masterpieces by Zsolt Serényi and Roland Urbán knows that whatever they set out to accomplish next will probably be worth the hype. Recently, they have broken out of Budapest’s busy city centre, offering heavenly, juicy meat at a calm, slightly remote and panoramic section of the Római-part, the bucolic Roman embankment up in Óbuda.
Zsolt Serényi and Roland Urbán have been leading Budapest’s barbecue scene since 2016, opening the popular Bp BARbq on Akácfa utca. Though still overseeing one of the best of the city’s BBQ places, they’ve been wanting to move closer to nature for a while now – traditional BBQ, after all, is an open-air delicacy.
One foggy December day, they heard the news that they might be able to move into a place beside the Yacht Club Budapest, up on the Római-part. They immediately hopped into the car to scope out the locality, at the time fog-covered, muddy and not particularly encouraging. Back then, even they could not have imagined that the place would turn out to be one of the buzziest venues on the Danube embankment by July.
A few minutes from Pünkösdfürdő Baths, the Bp BARbq Terrace has become a communal leisure attraction, where both barbecue enthusiasts and lovers of water sports will find something to enjoy. Budapest locals can now bask in a real outdoor paradise without having to sit in the car or the take train to Balaton.
The large space of the venue is bordered by the shade of willow trees at both ends, with bright green expanse in the middle, as well as a view of the Danube, the port and Szentendre Island. It avoids the crowds and deep-fried hake traditionally associated with the Római-part, making it well worth the slightly longer detour.
“We wanted to take hospitality to a whole new level, so that it’s not just about food and beverage, but an all-encompassing experience. One that can be enjoyed by families, but that is also good to find a little peace after work. We wanted to create a place you visit for lunch, but end up sticking around all day,” says Zsolt.
The menu is identical to the one at their Akácfa utca outlet. “One of the biggest compliments we received here was how several people remarked that the food is the same as at Akácfa utca. We didn’t want to deviate from the quality that our guests have already been used to,” says Roland.
The only changes you can expect at the terrace will be brought by two fixed events due to take place here each week. Wednesday Relaxation is kind of a mid-week chilled-out drinking affair, while the one on Thursdays is supposed to help you cope with the last few days of the week. They are planning on offering something special on Wednesdays, along the lines of Asian and American cuisines, accompanied by acoustic concerts. From 2pm on Sundays, DJ sets should remind us that summer is still hot on the banks of the Danube. “We want to make people feel like they can stop by any time for food, drinks and fun,” Roland adds.
And they have all the potential to make this happen – the smoker works tirelessly to create meat as tender as butter, as well as hulking sandwiches, all accompanied by a wide selection of drinks. Anyone not into water sports can play table tennis or table football, but badminton or simply lying down on the well-kept grass with a blanket and a good book are also good options. Up to 160 people can be seated at the Bp BARbq Terrace at any one time and, as the tables are well spread out, you can come as a larger group as well as enjoy a more private, romantic time à deux.
Zsolt and Roland are no strangers to providing food in large quantities, as they often undertake catering gigs for different events. A few special events are also planned, birthday parties, family events or even more alternative weddings.
One big advantage of the place is that it can be approached from the water – the Yacht Club Budapest is one out of two ports on the Római-part, so you can stop by here for a hearty barbecue sandwich or a refreshing spritzer in between paddling on the Danube. The locale lets you try everything from SUP to wakeboard, water skiing and the so-called donut towables. In the case of any special event, you can book a motorboat or a boat one or two days in advance, or have someone take you back into the city by speedboat.
Bp BARbq Terrace
District III. Kossuth Lajos üdülőpart 115
Open: Daily 10am-10pm
All in all, it’s a great escape from the bustle of the city, offering a full summer experience with excellent food, cold drinks and outdoor sports activities.
