1/5
Restaurants
The Italian presence has been strong in Hungary’s capital this season, with a number of new establishments serving delicious portions of pizza and pasta all over town. Bellozzo carved out a small space for itself by the massive Burger King on Oktogon, while Pastano Trattoria opened on Nagy Diófa Street to the delight of gluten-intolerant patrons looking for an exquisite Italian meal. Akademia Italia – a grand combination of a restaurant, breakfast place, cooking school, and delicatessen – was launched back in October.
Fat Mama Eatery, on the central stretch of Kazinczy Street, is the brand-new haven of grilled food, with its charcoal oven (called Bertha) cooking delectable meats and vegetables all day long. Another great location for succulent meats is MészárSteak – try the meatloaf sandwich.
2/5
Street food
We have two top picks for new-wave, Oriental street food: awaiting guests with an extraordinary interior, Baotiful on Szabadság Square offers top-notch bao, dim sum, and soups, while Steamboo at the Downtown Market sells a unique take on sushi, made with rice, meat, and vegetables. Run by iconic chef Lajos Bíró, Buja Disznók is also worth checking out if you find yourself at the city’s central marketplace – the Wiener schnitzel is simply divine. District V also has its own new Georgian street-food spot called Vai me.
3/5
Opera Café
Newcomer Casca is an elegant shrine to chocolate, Tortafészek makes some of the best raw cakes in town, and ÉdességLabor, the most recent place for sweet temptation in the city’s Újlipótváros district, prepares unusual treats like túrós csusza cake, inspired by the classic Hungarian pasta dish. Stocking a wide selection of enticing products, Marangona by Mechwart Park is a perfect choice for wedding cakes or afternoon chats among girlfriends. The newest member of the Zsidai Group, Opera Café, evokes traditional coffeehouse vibes in a splendidly elegant setting.
4/5
Bars
Király Street is a prominent venue for cozy wine bars, and Apropó – also serving quite delicious tapas – is the area’s newest addition, with a prime assortment of special vintages. Located in Gozsdu Udvar toward Dob Street, Vicky Barcelona has been a favorite hangout of the fans of Spanish gastronomy and lifestyle since November; croquetas are a must at this hip Iberian tapas restaurant.
5/5
Nightclubs
Sited at the Király Street-adjacent end of Gozsdu Udvar, in the hall that previously housed the legendary locale called Kolor, 4BRO Downtown is run by the same team that used to manage Buda’s successful 4BRO club. Launched with the aim of making the buzzing passage an attractive location for Budapest locals once again, the establishment features a ground-floor bistro and a basement club named Aether for electronic-music buffs. Trafiq, another once-beloved inner-city club, has also called it quits, giving its place to Tütü Budapest, one of the most open-minded and accepting venues of the city, and a welcome addition to Budapest’s diverse nightlife scene.
Tütü (closed)
Address: 1051 Budapest, 18 Hercegprímás Street
