Restaurants

Budapest features an increasingly diverse range of restaurants to go along with those more traditional eateries that have stood the test of time. Ethnic restaurants have appeared on the scene in the last decade; you'll find Japanese, Korean, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, and Mexican restaurants in the city. Of course, most tourists understandably want to sample authentic Hungarian food while in Budapest. Each restaurant has its own story and character. In this city, traditional fare runs the gamut from greasy to gourmet; there are few palates that can't be pleased here. Budapest has gained a reputation for good dining at reasonable prices, so live it up.

However, one warning: While this country is landlocked, many restaurants pride themselves of their fresh seafood delights. Many Hungarians probably hark back to a time when the sea was a part of this land, and some even think that the sea is closer than it actually is. The fact is, such a promise is hard to keep; we recommend staying away from imported seafood. At traditional Hungarian restaurants you will find delightful local fish: Szeged or Tisza fish soups are delicious, and far better than a far-from-fresh seafood platter.

Where to Eat -- Étterem is the most common Hungarian word for restaurant and is applied to everything from cafeteria-style eateries to first-class restaurants. A vendéglo, or guesthouse, is a smaller, more intimate restaurant (literally an "inn"), often with a Hungarian folk motif; a csárda is a countryside vendéglo (often built on major motorways and frequently found around Lake Balaton and other holiday areas). An étkezde is an informal lunchroom open only in the daytime, while an önkiszolgáló means self-service cafeteria; these are typically open only for lunch. Stand-up büfés (snack counters) are often found in bus stations and near busy transportation hubs. A cukrászda or kávéház is a classic central European coffeehouse, where lingering over a beverage and pastry has developed into an art form.

There are also a variety of establishments that, though primarily designed for drinking, also serve meals. A borozó is a wine bar; these are often found in cellars (they are likely to include in their name the word pince [cellar] or barlang [cave]), and generally feature a house wine. A sörözo is a beer bar; these places, too, are often found in cellars. Sandwiches are usually available in borozós and sörözos. Finally, a kocsma is a sort of roadside tavern. Kocsmas are found on side streets in residential neighborhoods; the Buda Hills are filled with them. Most kocsmas serve a full dinner, but the kitchens close early.

Music -- Live Gypsy music is a feature in many Hungarian restaurants, although you'll find it primarily in restaurants that cater to travelers. Generally speaking, what you find in restaurants is not authentic Gypsy music, but an ersatz pop variety. If a member of the band plays a number at your table, good manners dictate that you give a tip; the appropriate amount varies with the price category of the restaurant itself (1,000 Ft-2,000 Ft/$4.50-$9 is a fair starting point). It is perfectly acceptable, however, for you to politely decline his or her offer to play for you.

Reserve a Table Online--Reserving a table at Budapest restaurants is not always an easy task, especially for a Friday night when small restaurants like Café Kör fill up very quickly. Many travelers chose to reserve in advance on budapestweek.com. The site itself has been rather neglected in recent times, but the reservation network works well. Choose the restaurant, number of guests, smoking or not smoking. Within a day, you'll get a confirmation, after the friendly Rozsa confers with the restaurant for availability.

Check, Please: Paying Your Bill & Tips on Tipping

In restaurants in Budapest, the customer has to initiate the paying ritual. You may find that your waiter has disappeared by the time you're ready to settle up. Call over any restaurant employee and ask to pay. The waiter whose job it is to collect payment (maybe your waiter, maybe not) will eventually (don't hold your breath) be sent to your table with the bill, which is usually nestled in a small booklet. If you think the bill is mistaken, don't be embarrassed to question it; locals commonly do this. Waiters readily correct the bill when challenged.

Always ask if a service charge is already included, as is often the case. If service charge is included, no tip is necessary (though locals usually round the bill up to make payment easier). If no service charge is included, add 10% to the bill (15% for exceptional service -- though note that the waiter very rarely gets a share of the tip). Place the entire amount in the booklet, which you may then leave on the table. If you want to split your bill, the waiters are happy to do so; try to let them know in advance, while ordering your meal.

In smaller, less formal lunchroom-type places, waiters will often remain at your table after delivering the bill, waiting patiently for payment. In these face-to-face encounters, state the full amount you are paying (bill plus tip), and the waiter will make change on the spot.

Price Categories -- For the purposes of this guide, we have classified restaurants as follows: A restaurant is Very Expensive if the average main course costs more than $25; Expensive, between $20 and $25; Moderate, between $15 and $25; and Inexpensive, $15 and under. Remember that all things are relative -- an "Expensive" meal in Budapest may not cost much more than a cup of coffee with a pastry in Rome.

In the listings, few restaurants outside the "Very Expensive" and "Expensive" categories accept credit or charge cards, and even some in these two categories don't accept them. You can assume that English-language menus are available in all "Very Expensive" and "Expensive" restaurants and in most "Moderate" restaurants.

Sometimes waiters will mention "specials" that don't appear on the menu, and in some of the more expensive new establishments, chefs are proudly willing to adjust their menu in accordance with your taste. It is customary to ask the price before ordering such a special. Also, some restaurants don't list drinks on the menu, while others list them but omit the prices. Again, feel free to inquire about the price before ordering.

Warning -- The U.S. Embassy circulates a list of restaurants that engage in "unethical business practices" such as "excessive billing," using "physical intimidation" to compel payment of excessive bills, and "assaulting customers" for nonpayment of excessive bills. If you don't want to encounter the "restaurant mafia," avoid these places. The current list includes Városközpont (accessible by outside elevator), Budapest V district, Váci utca 16; La Dolce Vita, Október 6. utca 8; Nirvana Night Club, Szent István krt. 13; Ti'Amo Bar, Budapest IX district, Ferenc körút 19-21; Diamond Club, Budapest II district, Bimbó út 3; and Pigalle Night Club, Budapest VIII district, Kiss József utca 1-3.

You can always check the embassy website for updated information: visit http://budapest.usembassy.gov/tourist_advisory.html.

Traditional Coffeehouses

Like Vienna, imperial Budapest was famous for its coffeehouse culture. Literary movements and political circles alike were identified in large part by which coffeehouse they met in. Sándor Petofi, the revolutionary poet of 1848 fame, is said to have instructed his friend János Arany, another leading Hungarian poet of the day, to write to him in care of the Pilvax Coffee House, as he spent more time there than at home. Although Communism managed to dull this cherished institution, a handful of classic coffeehouses miraculously survived the tangled tragedies of the 20th century, and, with just a few exceptions, all have been carefully restored to their original splendor.

All the classic coffeehouses offer delicious pastries and coffee in an atmosphere of luxurious -- if occasionally faded -- splendor. Many offer small sandwiches, some serve ice cream, and some feature bar drinks. Pastries are displayed in a glass. Table sharing is common, and lingering for hours over a single cup of coffee or a pastry is perfectly acceptable, and is in fact encouraged by the free daily papers provided by the house.

Our Favorite Sweets--Hungary is a land of sweet teeth, and the country's confections will satisfy even the most rabid cravings.

Found only in Hungary, Dobos torta is a light chocolate layer cake with a caramelized frosting. Ischler is a delightful Viennese specialty -- two shortbread cookies with apricot jam filling, double-dipped in dark chocolate. Meggyes rétes, a sour cherry strudel, is a traditional favorite. And just when you thought the sour cherry strudel was unbeatable, along comes the heavenly poppy-seed strudel, Mákos rétes.

Kakaós csiga is a chocolate snail: buttery and flaky rolled pastry sprinkled with chocolate. They're available in bakeries everywhere (but not in cafes). A kifli is a cross between a croissant and a roll. The Szegedi variety (named for Szeged, the southeastern city from whence it comes) has a sweet almond glaze. It's available at cafes or bakeries, but you might have to travel to Szeged for an authentic taste.

Sold from kiosks that sell nothing else, kürtoskalács is a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth honey bread quite unlike anything else you've ever tasted. It is traditionally made with dough wrapped around a cylindrical piece of wood shaped like a rolling pin and baked in an extremely hot oven. It's not available in regular shops or cafes.

It's a mystery why Ben and Jerry haven't figured this one out yet: Hungarian cinnamon ice cream (fahej) is to die for. And if you come across the rarest of its varieties, cinnamon rice ice cream (fahejes rizs), by all means try it.