What is kunafa and how is it made?
Kunafa (also known as knafeh or künefe) is as everyday in Egypt as pancakes are here - a simple, well-loved dessert. It's made using kadayif pastry, which might already feel familiar thanks to the recent Dubai chocolate trend, but instead of pistachio cream and chocolate, the traditional version is topped with akkawi cheese. This is a white, slightly salty cheese with a texture similar to mozzarella, named after the city of Akka. To prepare kunafa, the kadayif pastry is mixed with clarified butter (ghee), pressed into the base of a pan, topped with cheese, and baked until golden. Once ready, it's flipped so the melted, stretchy cheese ends up on the bottom, then finished with a generous drizzle of sugar syrup over the crisp, caramelised top layer. It's usually served with roughly crushed pistachios, and you can often add chocolate or vanilla ice cream on the side. In another version, a sweet cream filling replaces the cheese between two layers of baked pastry. Either way, the result is a dessert that feels completely new, yet instantly likeable.
Egyptian flavours in Hungary
One of the owners of the shop on Mátyás tér, Walid, moved to Hungary from Egypt several years ago. He studied IT in Debrecen, but wanted to build something beyond that. After getting to know local tastes, he realised that Hungarians have a real sweet tooth, and that kunafa could easily find its place here. Together with his two business partners, they developed a recipe that stays true to the original, just slightly less sweet. They initially started as a cloud kitchen, operating only through delivery, but by spring 2026, they opened their first physical shop on Mátyás tér in Józsefváros. The neighbourhood quickly proved to be open and welcoming, with curious locals showing interest from the very beginning - something the team truly appreciates. The interior, with its youthful, modern feel, was designed with the help of Walid's brother.
What makes a good kunafa?
In the cheese version, the sweet–salty contrast is a favourite for many, while others prefer the softer, cream-filled variation with a more subtle flavour. If you're after something even sweeter, you can add extra sugar syrup made with ghee - each order comes with a small portion on the side. Beyond the playful textures, balance is key: a good kunafa depends just as much on harmony of flavours as it does on quality ingredients. At Kunafaház, most of these are sourced directly from the Middle East, and the open kitchen is run by Egyptian and Tunisian staff. Each portion is assembled and baked fresh to order, with only the pastry-filled trays prepared in advance and stored chilled.
Alongside the dessert, they serve high-quality specialty coffee made with beans from Goosebumps Coffee Lab. One of the most popular choices is the Spanish latte, made from medium-roast coffee and condensed milk, but you can also pair your kunafa with Egyptian tea. Beyond kunafa, another signature item is qatayef - a stuffed pastry, fried until golden, typically filled with walnuts and finished with a generous drizzle of sugar syrup. More recently, they've also introduced bite-sized snacks made using a similar technique to kunafa, available in flavours like pistachio and Nutella. And if you're curious about the creamy filling but not ready for a full portion, you can try it in a rolled version instead.
A Kunafaház egy izgalmas kulináris kaland, ahol az intenzív édesség az autentikusságot jelenti, nem pedig azt a gejlséget, amivel el akarják terelni a figyelmet valamiről. Délutántól késő estig tartanak nyitva, így ideális megállóhely ebéd vagy munka után.
Prices:
- kunafa: HUF 2480–2680
- qatayef: 600 HUF/pc, 2400 HUF/6 pcs
- coffee: from HUF 550 Ft
CONTACT DETAILS
Kunafaház
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