Restaurants and Bars

There was a time not long ago when all Budapest had to offer its hoards of hungry tourists and locals were hundreds of traditional restaurants offering slabs of fatty breaded and fried pork, surly service and not a vegetable in sight.

How times have changed! Since 1990 and the new political system, restaurants, clubs, bars and cafes have begun appearing in the hundreds. Now, you can find more dishes than you can shake a chip at, involving every ingredient from whatever country takes your fancy, from the high luxury of Gundel to the simple student handout, from Mongolian barbecued meat to Middle Eastern falafel chickpea balls and salad. You can eat anything and everything here from fast food (McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken) to long leisurely lunches for business or pleasure on the leafy terraces of Remiz or Feszek.

Theme bars are also very popular - you could dine in a submarine at Club Verne or sip a cocktail with a famous blues singer at Janis' Pub.

The French are justifiably proud of their cuisine and it is possible to dine 'comme les rois' in Kepiro, La Fontaine and Lou Lou without breaking the bank. The combination of delicious fresh Hungarian vegetables—succulent tomatoes, peppers, organic mushrooms—and fresh sea fish flown in thrice weekly makes for healthy haute cuisine.

Hungarians adore Italian food and Fausto's serves some of the best, but for those on a more modest budget, Don Francesco makes the best pizza crusts in town while Pompei Pizzeria on Liszt Ferenc square is a convenient and tasty way to fill up before hitting the trendy bars in Pest's most fashionable hang-out. Also worth trying is the ex-pat favorite Okay Italia, which is renowned more for the shortness of the waitresses' skirts than for the quality of cuisine.

Chinese cuisine is best exemplified by Tian Tan while Japanese sushi, sashimi and noodle bars offer exotic delicacies.

Despite its reputation, Hungarian food is not particularly spicy, so for something with a little bite, you could try Indian restaurants such as Shalimar Indiai Etterem and Maharaja, which serve up some divine concoctions and are very vegetarian-friendly.

While on the subject, vegetarians are now much better off than even just a decade ago, when the sole, melancholy option consisted of fried cheese/cauliflower/mushroom with a 'salad' or pickled cucumber. Now, many restaurants offer imaginative vegetable dishes (try the gorgeous tapas at Ket Szerecsen) while some like Elethaz Biocentrum are exclusively vegetarian.

Fish eaters should set sail for the Horgasztanya on the Buda bank of the River Danube or Vasmacska in Obuda's ancient square. Both offer a range of dishes while continental marine fare can be found at Le Jardin de Paris.

Of course, visitors to Hungary will not want to leave without trying a Hungarian dish with some excellent local wine - goulash, chicken paprika, fozelek (vegetable goop) and reds from Villanyi and Eger in traditional, atmospheric surroundings. Kulacs is a good place to sample the food while listening to talented Gypsy musicians. This is where Rezso Seress composed 'Gloomy Sunday,' which could be said to be a theme tune for the bitter sweet Magyar soul.

Kacsa offers some of the best duck and for great goose liver, try the Magnaskert etterem and if someone else is footing the bill then head for Gundel, Budapest's most famous and luxurious restaurant. Chefs prepare wonderful Magyar creations and inspired dishes involving asparagus, goose liver and local truffles.

If you want to experience a traditional atmosphere you can find it in following the coffee houses: Muvesz, Angelika, and Central Kavezo, a source of literary inspiration at the turn of the last century and now rapidly recreating the ambiance of well-read society.

Hungarians love their cakes and Gerbeaud and Auguszt make some of the most mouth-watering pastries, desserts and torte. One thing to try is the Langos—a Hungarian delicacy. This deep-fried frisbee-sized doughnut is served with sour cream, grated cheese and a splash of garlic water dribbled from a jam jar using a twig and feather device. Such delights are more difficult to find these days, replaced by the all-pervasive burger, but you can still try one in vegetable or flea markets and these are an essential start to bargain hunting on a bitter winter's morning—preferably accompanied by a shot of powerful pear palinka (brandy).