’Tis the season to get festive – and where better to get festive than at a luxury hotel in Budapest? Lavish Christmas dinners and brunches are being laid on across the city, some involving live music, many with a panoramic view thrown in for free. Here we pick out the ten best – reservations a must. In nearly all cases, children can dine for free, with substantial discounts offered for older kids and teenagers. Happy Christmas!

Click here to check out our list of The best Christmas feasts in Budapest in 2022.

1/10

Aria Hotel

A Christmas Eve Gala at the Aria Hotel will be made even more memorable thanks to a live Christmas gospel show, led by pianist-singer Kasai Jnofinn. The dinner will be a six-course affair, with options such as halibut fillet in lobster sauce, crab tortellini and salted lemon and caramel waffles with pine nut maple syrup. A vegan menu is also available. The dinner price is €170, and includes wine pairings and 15% service. All takes place between 7pm-10.30pm. Email reservation requests to events@ariahotelbudapest.com.

2/10

ARAZ

The ARAZ Restaurant at the Continental Hotel in the Jewish Quarter saves Christmas Brunch for 26 December, noon-3pm. Starting with carp soup or lamb-stew soup, the all-you-can-eat buffet includes catfish paprikash, confit goose leg and sage turkey breast, sides including ratatouille with fennel and steamed vegetables with chestnuts. There’s Yule log cake and fruit loaf with egg-nog sauce to follow. There will be live music, and younger guests can decorate gingerbread in the kids' corner. Table reservation is required, tickets are 11,900 forints + 12%. 

3/10

Corinthia Brasserie & Atrium

Right on the Grand Boulevard, the high-end Corinthia Budapest puts luxury to the fore with its French oyster station and traditional turkey on Christmas Eve (Brasserie 20,000 HUF + 12%/Atrium 21,500 HUF + 12%) and whole roast suckling pig on Christmas Day (Brasserie 17,000 HUF + 12%/Atrium 18,500 HUF + 12%). Each is served buffet-style between 6-11pm, and includes unlimited house wine, beer, soft and hot drinks.

4/10

Corso

Following the success of its lavish Advent brunches, diners entertained by ballet dancers, The Corso at the InterContinental is laying on three special meals over the three days of Christmas, 24, 25 and 26 December. Gergő Gullner and his kitchen team will produce exquisite, mainly Hungarian dishes such as pike-perch Kárpati-style with crayfish and mushroom cream and dill ragout, wild-boar stew cooked with red wine and porcini mushrooms, and loin of venison gratinated with blue cheese. Alongside will be set up a carving station and, for brunches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (14,900 HUF + 12%/with champagne 28,900 HUF + 12%) a healthy corner with dim sum. Dinner takes place at 7pm on Christmas Eve – gourmet package 22,500 forints + 12% with local sparkling wine, champagne package 35,900 forints + 12% with premium bubbly.

5/10

Deák St. Kitchen/Kupola Lounge

Christmas at DSK – the Deák St. Kitchen – and the Christmas Day Brunch at the Kupola Lounge run concurrently on 25 December under the roof of The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest in the city centre. This will be the last chance to indulge in the festive three-course set menu (16,900 HUF + 12%) at the DSK, which has been on offer since 10 December. Starters include duck foie gras terrine, mains grilled seabass fillet with Jerusalem artichoke purée, dessert mulled-wine ice cream. You can also order à la carte. The special menu is available from noon to 10pm, with acoustic music played on 24 and 25 December. The Kupola Lounge has its own Christmas Day Brunch, from 12.30am-4pm, with live jazz and children’s entertainment, at 16,800 forints, 23,300 forints with house beverages and 25,300 with unlimited sparkling wine, all + 12% service. Finally, you can take the festive feast home with you, in a special Christmas turkey box to go, until New Year’s Day, for 53,800 forints. 

A complete breakdown of events and special offers is presented on the hotel website.

6/10

DNB Budapest

Overlooking the Danube embankment, DNB Budapest has fantastic offerings for its Christmas buffet dinner and buffet lunch. On Christmas Eve, between 6pm-10pm, you can tuck into festive delicacies such as grilled lamb, venison ragout with white wine or pumpkin pie, all for 23,500 forints. Christmas brunches, laid out between noon-3pm, on 25 and 26 December (20,500/13,500 HUF), feature classic Hungarian fish soup, stuffed cabbage, slow-cooked duck leg and, as traditional as it gets, bejgli cake. Prices include unlimited consumption of Hungarian wine, sparkling wine, beer and soft drinks.

7/10

ÉS Bisztró/Blue Fox

Starting at 6pm on Christmas Eve, the ÉS Bisztró at the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest is hosting live entertainment and a three- or five-course meal (25,000 HUF/32,000 HUF + 12%) featuring goose-liver terrine, paprika-scented fish soup, venison loin with pumpkin mash, and seabass with celeriac mash. Mineral water is free, all other drinks are extra. The same dishes are available à la carte at the adjoining Blue Fox cocktail bar between 7pm-10.30pm.

8/10

KOLLÁZS

The signature restaurant at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest is laying on a sumptuous, four-course festive spread on 24 and 25 December. Wine pairings are optional while live music from the Wonderland Band will entertain all for dinner (34,900 HUF + 13%) from 6pm-10pm. Christmas Day Brunch (24,500 HUF + 13%) runs from noon to 4pm. 24-26 December are also your last chance to indulge in an afternoon feast beneath the magnificent glass cupola of the Peacock Passage, where delicious Hungarian cakes and savouries are served on hand-painted Herend porcelain between 3pm-6pm, accompanied by live piano music.

9/10

LÁNG Bistro

Starting with a Christmas Eve buffet (26,900 HUF + 10%) at 6pm, the LÁNG Bistro at the Hilton Budapest offers festive delights over three days, surrounded by the historic sights of the Castle District. The menus are studded with mouth-watering gourmet dishes such as goose liver terrine, Esterházy beef medallions and crispy roast duck leg, followed by tempting traditional desserts. A carving station and a children’s menu feature on all three days. For 25 and 26 December, brunch (19,500 HUF + 10%) begins at noon and runs to 3pm. Prices include unlimited wine, sparkling wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee and tea. Tickets can be purchased online.

10/10

Paris Budapest

The Paris Budapest at the Sofitel Chain Bridge, with splendid views across the magical Danube to Buda Castle, is offering a special Christmas Eve dinner with a menu including lobster bisque, duck foie gras, beef fillet, dark chocolate mousse and much more, costing 31,000 forints, advance purchase only. The next day, 25 December from noon to 4pm, the hotel lays on a Christmas Brunch for 14,900 forints.