Restaurants and bistros for everyday dining and special occasions
In the final weeks of last year, a truly special eatery opened at Rákóczi Square: Oliviks Kitchen brought the flavours of Nigeria to Budapest, from fufu to jollof. Also debuting at the end of 2024 was Green Gourmet, an Italian-leaning spot where brunch can be enjoyed to good music - even as late as 4pm. Staying with Italian cuisine, January saw one of Budapest’s most reliable Italian restaurants relocate: Fausto’s, representing the fine dining end of the spectrum, moved to a new home. Meanwhile, Matteo’s Italian Classics, focusing on hearty, lunch-friendly favourites, made its entrance at the Rákóczi Square Market Hall with lasagne and tomato meatballs at an excellent price-to-quality ratio. Italian-American comfort meets relaxed elegance at Tutto, which opened beneath the Pullman Hotel, while Epicurean invites guests on a boundary-pushing, globe-trotting fine dining journey. One of Budapest’s most professionally recognised venues - and the region’s only Michelin-recommended Italian restaurant - Alelí has welcomed a younger sibling: ANTON by Alelí, offering the same flavours in a much more laid-back setting.
Mexican and Latin-inspired cuisines have also been strongly represented. Early February brought the opening of Maia Mexican Fusion, a refined take on the genre, while Tortuga and Pohánka Bisztró showcase lesser-known, home-style Mexican dishes. World cuisine is further reinforced by the fusion-driven Roth Bar & Kitchen and Galamb Vendéglátás, where modern and traditional cooking meet creatively, paired with trend-forward drinks. A hint of classic Hungarian csárda atmosphere has arrived in the heart of the party district with Puli és Juhász, accompanied by Paprika Revue House and Budapest Bites lángos. A quieter but equally exciting direction is offered by Damas Budapest downtown, where Syrian-inspired dishes, a family-like atmosphere and friendly elegance come together.
There’s plenty of opportunity to travel the world through food. 886 Dim Sum transports guests to Taiwan, while Nipe Pasta channels the kitchens of Italian nonnas with its handmade pastas. You don’t need to be a dedicated fan of Korean culture to gather friends or family and head to Gangsikdang for a Korean BBQ experience. The newly reopened Zen Eatery, now with a larger space, has added fresh new dishes alongside its established favourites, just as Sáo, which relocated to the Hegyvidék district, has done. In Újlipótváros, Susiko proves that quality sushi doesn’t require a fine dining setting, while Saboré turns flavours from across cultures into tapas-friendly bites. In Ferencváros, KÜNST Bistro has opened as a friendly wine bar focusing on southern wines and matching small plates, while pizza lovers are served by Pizziozo, the new venture from the Nosh team, adding energy to the district’s food scene. Spring also brought several exciting openings along the small-plates, fusion and natural wine axis: Pebbles with modern Turkish cuisine, Yüme as a tapas-style ramenothèque, and Flat Bread Circo with richly topped Neapolitan pizzas. This direction continues at Voilá, where Neapolitan pizzas are joined by imaginative yet tradition-respecting bistro dishes. In Szentendre, the legendary Aranysárkány may not serve pizza yet, but it returned in 2025 with a refreshed menu of modernised classic dishes, while Kádár Étkezde finally reopened its doors.
Opened at Kosztolányi Square, Tranzit by Flow functions as a green, vegan oasis, while downtown Hitchki showcases the best of Indian cuisine, and on the Buda side Leon Osteria wins over guests with Mediterranean elegance. Monokini Kantin works just as well by day as by night, thanks to its ramen-at-lunch, tapas-in-the-evening concept, while the party district’s newest tiny speakeasy, CoolDown, offers Japanese minimalism refined to perfection.
Celsius opened its doors in mid-December on the ground floor of a newly opened hotel on Szentkirályi Street, focusing on small plates and Hungarian–Asian fusion flavours. Wave and Wine brought a seasonal, seaside-inspired wine-bar atmosphere to the Római-part, while Constellation pairs contemporary bistro dishes with a strong craft beer selection. One of the biggest additions of 2025 was Time Out Market, bringing some of Hungary’s standout restaurants under one roof and taking the concept of the food market to a whole new level.
Street food, from pizza to French tacos
At the start of the year, the area around Kálvin Square emerged as one of the key epicentres. The Scandinavian-inspired Leopard opened in the former Boll space, launching with Neapolitan and Roman-style pizzas topped in a wide variety of ways. Not far from here, Random Bagel also opened its doors, while on Bartók Béla Boulevard, Pizza Művek became a favourite with its thick-crust, extra-filling pizzas. The trend continues at TEGLA Pizza near Corvin Quarter, a new unit from the Pizza Művek team, where Budapest-style thick-crust pizza again takes centre stage.
The younger, more party-driven side of Neapolitan pizza is represented by Temporary, with its bold atmosphere and relaxed approach. Leon French Tacos introduces a lesser-known street food genre through a DIY concept, while Mac Mester puts the spotlight on cheesy macaroni. There’s no shortage of smashed burgers either: Sajtburesz offers Zing’s take on the style, while Rusty Rack in Békásmegyer focuses on smashed burgers alongside slow-cooked BBQ meats. Near Móricz Zsigmond Square, Tap Burger & Beer reinforces the scene with well-priced classics.
Street food in Budapest, however, goes far beyond pizza and burgers. 101 Bao, Cheeky’s Deli with its New York influences, Eggdrop Project’s Korean egg sandwiches and Teufel’s unapologetically indulgent toasted sandwiches are all reliable fixtures. A citywide newcomer, Churría, serves sweet churros with a variety of dipping sauces, while UFO Burger has solved the age-old problem of burgers falling apart - sourcing ingredients using a farm-to-fork approach.
For those who appreciate quick, budget-friendly and home-style lunch menus, Mama’s Café & Canteen remains a reliable choice. Travis’ Tenders and Six Chicks cater to fried chicken fans with crispy coatings and juicy meat, while in Pilisvörösvár, A Csirkéző serves roast chickens with perfectly crisp skin and tender flesh. Known for its affordable yet authentic Indian dishes, Indigo Express expanded in 2025 with two new units at Kopaszi-gát: a restaurant and a production kitchen. In District X, Bian Garden’s seasonal Vietnamese street food courtyard offers an eclectic - and surprisingly irresistible - selection, ranging from chicken feet to seafood specialities.
On the Hungarian side, Nokedlish in Buda, Pesti Lángos and Dödölléző brought fresh momentum, while fans of more hardcore international flavours are drawn to Wang Mester’s Chinese deli, Rotigami’s Sri Lankan flatbreads or the Latin American atmosphere of Los Monos. Vegans are well served at Babszi, those craving Middle Eastern flavours can head to Nitavalo, while lovers of Italian street food shouldn’t miss Pizza Fetta with its sourdough slices or Lio Schiacciata, built around focaccia-based sandwiches. In District II, Poké Poké transports guests to Hawaii with fresh bowls featuring premium rice, crisp vegetables, house-made sauces and exciting protein options.
Bakeries, pastry shops and cafés for any time of day
At Fény Street Market, Gyógyító Kenyerek appeared with free-from baked goods, strengthening the scene with functional, nutritionally focused breads and pastries. Lui’s new riverside location is not only a bakery but also a breakfast spot, paired with impressive views, while thanks to Salt Bakery’s Hattyú Street opening, a charming little shop that had stood empty for some time has finally come back to life. Their Zrínyi Street pop-up bakery, which opened around this time last year, has since expanded, joined forces with Cause Café, and now found a permanent home.
Sweet-toothed visitors had plenty of new places to discover this year. Cookie Space and Dixie represent a fresh, colourful and straightforward take on American-style cookies, while Cocoa Bliss by Chocolate focuses on handcrafted chocolates and bonbons made from high-quality ingredients. Fans of Eastern flavours can head to Halva & Nuts, an authentic oriental bazaar on Király Street, specialising in nuts and traditional sweets.
On the coffee front, newcomers include the friendly kv the coffee shop, Velvet Bar & Café - which centres on vermouth and operates as a café by day and a bar by night - and the small, charming Rani Café, known for its litre-sized iced coffees, Asian-inspired sandwiches and cheesecake. Cat lovers have found a new favourite in Cat Wood Café, where cats, good coffee and sandwiches share the space, while the much-debated but undeniably cute Minipig Caféhas been a crowd favourite since opening.
The brunch and dessert scene was further strengthened by the chic Ginger & Paris, Mamie - the patisserie from the team behind Artizán’s ten-year legacy — offering classic and French-style pastries, Pampushka with minimalist doughnuts, Cinnahaven ’s cinnamon-scented clouds, and Cheesecake by Cookie Beacon with its creamy cheesecakes. Tiramisu fans should head to Little Rome in Szentendre. Specialty coffee is represented by % Arabica, a new unit from Flatty, and the reopened Líra Terasz, while Miyu Matcha builds an entire universe around Japanese green tea. For those skipping coffee but still seeking a boost, the Vietnamese-style Cécha matcha bar offers a solid alternative. In Budaörs, Il Mercato Raffinato opened as a quality deli serving specialty coffee and Italian delicacies, while in Budakeszi the renovated Cziniel Cukrászda has reopened. At Pink Pistachio, pistachio and matcha dominate a green-and-pink dreamscape, while Smoothie Sanctuary and HABA brighten everyday moments with fresh fruit creations, and Fluffy & Me focuses on light, airy pancakes. Even long-time favourites expanded this year: Pipacs Pékség opened a new location at Kálvin Square, meaning that thanks to KisPipacs, there’s no longer any need to travel to Óbuda for their legendary cottage cheese buns.
(Cover photo: Rotigami, Major Kata – We Love Budapest)
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