The city's most expensive and prestigious restaurant is Gundel. Its guests have included Queen Elizabeth, Plácido Domingo, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and many others. Reviews of this Budapest restaurant, however, are contradictory, with many people finding Gundel unreasonably expensive.
Kárpátia Restaurant & Brasserie as well as Menza offer national Hungarian cuisine including goulash soup and foie gras. You can also enjoy the best Tokaj wine with live gypsy band music. Example prices in Budapest restaurants of this level range from 6,000 to 15,000 HUF per person for dinner.
Inexpensive Restaurants in Budapest
At Budapest's Horgásztanya fish restaurant near the waterfront, you can try a rich halasle (made from catfish or carp in a wok), as well as venison and pork (average bill per person is 2,000-9,000 HUF).
The food is not bad at the budget cafe Ket Szerecsen (about 900 HUF for a glass of wine and 2,000 HUF for a hot meal), at Paprika (hot goulash with dumplings costs about 1,200 HUF and goose liver from 4,000 HUF), and at Lizard (about 2,500 HUF for pork medallions).
Best cafes in Budapest
The oldest and poshest coffee and pastry shop is Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér 7) with a huge selection of coffee and cakes, light breakfasts and chic interiors. Prices at this Budapest café are not small, expect to pay around 6,000-12,000 HUF per person.
For a traditional strudel, head to Elso Pesti Reteshaz Kavenaz (October, 6 utca) - they'll make it for you (approx. 3,000 HUF for two people).
