Some of my Favorite Restaurants in Budapest
There are tons of restaurants in Budapest. Most are not tourists traps but I suggest looking at Google for reviews or Yelp or OpenTable. Again most of the places are good to awesome but below are some of my favorites …
Baalbek Restauran
Super good Arabic/Lebanesse restaurant. Call and get a reservation and if the weather is nice site on the patio which overlooks the Danube river. Everything I had was awesome and authentic. There are the basics, but if you want to veer off the beaten path. There is Kibeh Naeh which is raw beef/lamd with cracked wheat, onions and salt/pepper. AMAZING! Try it you only live once. For dessert have some kanaffeh its very good and oddly light but being a tasty dessert. Have some hot mint tea during your email and laugh, talk, connect and think of your favority Syrian.
Bestia
Bestia looks like the typical tourist restaurant in the square, but its a wonderful place! Service, drink, environment and food are all spot on. We did a mixed meat plate, borsht, cauliflower. It was all good to great and the drinks and service were spot on. Go walk around the square have a great meal and make a reservation so you can get an outside table to enjoy the people watching.
Tapas & Shopping
Tapas and Shopping! If you’re up for a leisurely stroll through the higher end stores of Budapest then this is your afternoon snack or lunch. It’s a great place for a meal or just a few small plates. The Paella wasn’t amazing but if you’re hungry, its good but all the other small plates are right on. From shrimp to meats and cheeses and a tasty beverage. The luxury shopping scnene is minimal in Budapest but they do have smaller versions of all the big names on the street. Ain’t no Champs Elysees, but sometimes checking out a fancy bling is just fun.
Cyrano
I would highly recommend this place because it’s famous for it’s Hungarian cuisine. I think their menu switches seasonally, but try to eat goulash here, which is a Hungarian staple. (Thanks to Halle)
Pampas Argentinian
Hands down one of the best if not the best Argentinian restaurants for steak lover and non-steak lovers alike. For me i just need a few bits of steak and then let me loose on the sides, apps and dessert … too many awesome things to try to be filled up by one flavor. The empanadas were amazing, we had beef and others but the beef ones still make me salivate and Cooper my dog gives me dirty looks when that happens. We also enjoyed a charcuterie and a really good mojito while my guest loved a steak and the burger was spot on. We sat outside for a late lunch, but i imagine it gets busy for dinner.