Gettó Gulyás
Tucked away in the bustling Jewish District, Gettó Gulyás is where comfort food dreams come true, serving up honest-to-goodness Hungarian classics without any fancy frills. Their goulash soup is the stuff of legends – a soul-warming bowl packed with tender beef, a rainbow of vegetables, and those adorable little hand-pinched csipetke noodles that every Hungarian grandmother swears by. And if the goulash hasn’t won you over yet, their extensive selection of strews (served with nokedli and pickles) surely will, as will their crowd-favorite dessert: cottage cheese dumplings coated in fragrant, cinnamon-spiced breadcrumbs.
1077 Budapest, Wesselényi utca 18. | Facebook
Macesz Bistro
The star of Macesz Bistro’s menu is undoubtedly their mouthwatering beef stew, slow-cooked in red wine sauce and paired perfectly with homemade cottage cheese dumplings. Located within walking distance from the world-famous Szimpla ruin bar and the renowned Dohány Street Synagogue, this cozy bistro also serves up regional specialties like hearty cholent and duck liver paté, alongside an impressive wine list featuring both local treasures and international bottles from Italy and New Zealand. Don’t miss their iconic flódni, a layered pastry with fillings of poppy, walnut, apple, and plum jam.
1072 Budapest, Dob utca 26. | Facebook
Retek Bisztró
Walking into Retek Bistro feels like stepping into a beloved family home that’s had a stylish makeover, where cherished memories meet modern sophistication. Here, Chef József Dógi lovingly transforms the flavors he grew up with into contemporary treasures, with his chicken paprikash leading the way – the familiar, creamy comfort of the sauce perfectly complemented by the royal-style butter dumplings. The delights continue with crispy pork belly alongside potato purée and red cabbage, while their vanilla-drenched poppy seed bread pudding provides a dreamy ending.
1051 Budapest, Nádor utca 5. | Facebook
Marumba
Time-traveling has never tasted so good! Marumba brings the rich flavors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into the 21st century, as chef Olivér Heiszler weaves culinary magic with traditional recipes from Hungary, Transylvania, Slovakia, Serbia, Czechia and Slovenia. In this sleek setting that perfectly frames his historical remix, the roasted duck leg emerges as the star attraction – imagine perfectly crispy skin giving way to tender meat, served with scrumptious cabbage noodles caramelized to perfection. It’s the kind of dish that would make any Habsburg proud!
1075 Budapest, Holló utca 1. | Facebook