I admit eating is one of the things I really enjoy about travel. Budapest can easily tout its grand cafes and many fine dining establishments like Costes and Onyx, but I searched out more humble and quaint environments that gave me a more "local" touch. Here were my top picks from my last visit:
Baltazar Grill: Rarely does a hotel restaurant interest me--Baltazar is the exception. It was so good, we ate breakfast there every morning and returned for dinner on several occasions. My friend said the steak she had one night was one of the best she's ever had. I fell in love with the hamburger! Who knew I would love a hamburger halfway around the world so much? You can read more about my experience at Baltazar in an earlier post.
Chef Cafe: I'm not sure which I enjoyed more at Chef Cafe, the food or the owner who ran everything on the floor from seating guests to serving food. He was ever so charming and the most gracious host! We felt like we were welcomed into his home. The restaurant is small and a reservation is a must (we saw several people without one turned away)--it's the perfect spot for a romantic meal! The food is strictly Hungarian, and very yummy!
Zeller Bistro: This is a popular place! Even with a reservation, we had to wait nearly 30 minutes for our table. When we first walked in, the restaurant seemed small and quaint. Walking to our table, we realized there were many rooms in the back, including an enclosed courtyard where live music was being performed from a small stage. It was an eclectic and hip crowd, and the servers (who all seemed to be handsome and fit young men) were attentive and quite helpful with the menu. Zeller was a fun place to enjoy traditional Hungarian food prepared in a modern way.
Ristorante Krizia: It's hard from me to stray too far from Italian food, so of course, when I learned about a good Italian restaurant in Budapest, I had to try it. It was a little quiet during my lunch visit with only a few tables occupied, but it's always a good sign when two of those tables were seated with Italians! And, as I had hoped, the food would make any nonna proud!
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