Delight Your Taste Buds with Michelin Starred Restaurants in Budapest [2023]

Last Updated on May 8, 2023 by Goya

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Discover the Michelin Starred Restaurants in Budapest

Nestled in the heart of Europe, the capital city of Hungary, Budapest, is famous for its rich culinary heritage that combines diverse flavours, textures, and ingredients. The city’s food scene is a perfect blend of traditional Hungarian cuisine and innovative, modern influences. What makes Budapest’s gastronomic landscape even more exciting is its numerous Michelin starred restaurants that offer a world-class culinary experience.

During my several visits to Hungary’s capital, I had the privilege of experiencing the splendid offerings of several Michelin starred restaurants [some of which unfortunately no longer in existence]. Each dining experience was unique, memorable, and worth every penny spent. The delightful combination of enticing aromas, exquisite flavours, and carefully curated presentation made each dish a masterpiece. From the first bite, I knew that I was in for an exceptional dining experience that I wouldn’t forget.

If you’re someone who loves food and exploring new cuisines, then you must add Budapest to your list of places to visit. And where better to start your gastronomic journey than with a look into the Michelin starred restaurants in Budapest… So sit back, relax, and get ready to tantalize your taste buds with the culinary delights of Budapest’s Michelin starred restaurants!

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2* Michelin Starred Restaurants in Budapest

Budapest’s Michelin starred restaurants are a testament to the city’s culinary prowess. Among the celebrated dining destinations, there is one 2* Michelin starred restaurant that offers an exceptional gastronomic experience – and that is Stand.

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#1: Stand

Stand is a modern eatery that is a feast for the senses. From its central glass-walled kitchen to the dining room that surrounds it and the lively atmosphere that is only enhanced by personable service — this restaurant has it all.

Here, at Stand Restaurant (or Stand Étterem for locals), the experienced chefs put Hungarian tradition at the heart of their cooking, reinventing classic dishes with fresh techniques sure to delight taste buds in an unfolding medley of wonderful flavours and textures throughout your meal.

The wine list is also a sight to behold, but it is really the Hungary’s famed sweet Tokajis that you should opt for — guaranteed satisfaction!

Prices (as of May-2023):

• 8-Course Menu (standard or vegetarian*): 74 900 Ft
• Wine Pairing: 39 900 Ft
• A 15 % service charge is added to the bill.

* While the restaurant cannot offer vegan and milk protein-free menus; gluten-free and lactose-free menus are available.

Address: 1061 Budapest Székely Mihály utca 2
Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 18:00-00:00
Website | Instagram

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1* Michelin Starred Restaurants in Budapest

As of 2023, Budapest is home to six 1* Michelin starred restaurants that offer unique and amazing dining experiences: Rumour, Borkonyha Winekitchen, Essência, Babel, Costes and Salt, with the last one also being the recipient of a Green Star.

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#2: Rumour

After a globetrotting culinary journey, Chef Rácz Jenő has returned home with the dream of creating something special — eventually ending up with two, but more on that later!

Rumour Restaurant is located in the city’s vibrant heart and breathes charisma from its concrete walls adorned by mirrors shining at their stools of red leather. As diners unwind to an eclectic soundtrack they can discover all that travelling has taught this chef as he presents his sophisticated set menu — each course unveiling flavours inspired by distant places until delightfully culminating in two impressive desserts!

Prices (as of May-2023):

• 11-Course Tasting Menu*: 68.885 Ft (includes the VAT and the service charge)
• Classic Wine Selection: 43 700 Ft | Prestige Wine Selection: 86 250 Ft | Champagne Pairings: 89 700 Ft

Looking for a more affordable way to experience Rumour Restaurant in Budapest? Then you may want to check out their Pre-Theater Menu. Available only for 5 pm bookings, this six-course menu costs 45 885 Ft forints (around EUR 120) and offers a more accessible way to try the best of the best. You can, of course, add on a wine pairing for an additional cost. Note that a 15% service charge will be added to the final bill.

Address: 1052 Budapest, Petőfi tér 3-5
Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 17:00-23:00
Website | Instagram

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#3: Borkonyha Winekitchen

Tucked away just footsteps from the enchanting Basilica lies a hidden gem of Hungarian cuisine: Borkonyha Winekitchen, which offers a sophisticated dining experience with an extensive wine list that pairs well with the six-course tasting menu.

This cosy restaurant takes pride in sourcing superior ingredients and transforming them into exquisite dishes which deftly blend traditional flavours with modern influences for an unbeatable dining experience. The extensive wine selection, featuring 100 labels including plenty by the glass, enhances this culinary journey to satiate both palate and spirit alike!

Prices (as of May-2023):

• 6-Course Degustation Menu: 43 000 Ft
• Wine Pairing: 29 000 Ft | Premium Wine Pairing: 46 000 Ft
• Organic Juice Pairing: 12 000 Ft

TIP: Follow their head pastry chef Béres Anett on Instagram for the most drool-worthy desserts and thank me later!

Address: Sas utca 3, Budapest, 1051
Opening Times: Monday-Friday, 18:00-00:00; Saturday: 12:00-00:00
Website | Instagram

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#4: Essência

Take a journey to the captivating Hungaro-Portuguese culinary universe created by Chef Tiago and his wife, Éva. Nestled in the heart of town, their intimate restaurant greets you with an invitingly bright front room featuring charming arched windows.

Once you step through into a beautifully-decorated space adorned with delightful blue and white tiles that proudly echo Tiago’s Portuguese heritage, you can enjoy exquisite flavours from both sides of Europe.

Essência offers three different tasting menus. You can choose either lean more towards the Portuguese (Origens) or Hungarian (Here at Home) cuisines or be totally spoilt for choice opting for an intricate tasting menu combining elements from each worldly cuisine (17th May) so as to tantalize your taste buds like never before!

Prices (as of May-2023):

We had the pleasure of visiting Essência Restaurant in Budapest the Christmas of 2021, just as the world started opening up again… And we thoroughly enjoyed the wine pairing and the service, as well as the unique combination of Portuguese and Hungarian food on offer.

Address: Sas utca 17, Budapest, 1051, Hungary
Opening Times: Wednesday, 18:00-23:00; Thursday-Saturday, 12:00-15:00 and 18:00-23:00
Website | Instagram

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#5: Babel

With a Michelin star, a Best International Restaurant of the Year award in 2017 and a reputation for being “the most beautiful restaurant in the country“, Babel is no stranger to compliments. Lovingly restored and artfully updated by Hubert Hlatky-Schlichter, an owner with a true passion for his cosy hideaway, Babel is minimalist yet timelessly elegant. The cuisine here reflects this amalgamation of classic Hungarian touches meeting modern refinement; delicate flavours in every dish converge together for a truly magical taste sensation that you won’t forget!

Prices (as of May-2023):

All prices are inclusive of VAT. A 17.5% service charge is added to the total.
A vegan menu option is available but must be requested when booking.

Address: Piarista Köz 2, Budapest, 1052
Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 17:30-00:00
Website | Instagram

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#6: Costes

With the country’s prodigal son Jenő Rácz (from Rumour) as the Chef Patron, and Levente Koppány at the helm as the head chef, dinner at Coster is nothing short of wonderful!

From the moment you enter, elegance and sophistication enchant your senses — with smart décor for added ambience and well-orchestrated service that never fails to impress. And the food? It’s a true feast for the senses, with vibrant colours magically crafted into artful dishes packed full of complementary flavour sensations sure to please any foodie’s cravings!

That is of course, if you don’t get lost in Costes’ exceptional Hungarian wine selection presented by talented sommeliers ready to tantalize your palate even before dinner arrives!

Prices (as of May-2023):

• 6-Course Tasting Menu: 47 990 Ft
• Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing: 71 990 Ft

Address: Ráday utca 4, Budapest, 1092
Opening Times: Friday-Monday, 18:30-21:30
Website | Instagram

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Michelin Starred Restaurants with Green Star

#7: Salt

Salt in Budapest stands out not only for its impressive 1* Michelin Star but also for its environmentally friendly practices, earning the restaurant a coveted Michelin Green Star as well. The restaurant’s commitment to eco-consciousness can be seen throughout its operation, and the end result is not only delicious food but food that is made with a conscience.

Here at Salt, you can enjoy an unforgettable evening dining in a boutique hotel’s intimate restaurant, where sophisticated lighting sets the tone. Or, take delight in perusing shelves of foraged and colourfully preserved fruits, vegetables and herbs before sampling a surprise set menu featuring creative updates on traditional Hungarian recipes.

Prices (as of May-2023):

• 15-Course Tasting Menu*: 49 500 Ft
• Local Wine Pairing: 29 000 Ft | European Wine Pairing: 35 000 Ft | Prestige Classic Wine Pairing: 79 000 Ft
• Non-Alcoholic Drink Pairing, with Homemade Juices: 19 000 Ft
• A 15% service charge is added to the bill.

* Vegetarian and vegan options are available but must be requested when booking.

Address: Királyi Pál utca 4, Budapest, 1053, Hungary
Opening Times: Wednesday-Saturday, 18:00-23:00
Website | Instagram

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Michelin Starred Restaurants in Budapest [Mapped]

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply want to indulge in a memorable dining experience, visiting any of these seven Michelin starred restaurants in Budapest, each with their unique blend of local and international ingredients and exceptional service, is guaranteed to provide you with an unforgettable experience.

So, start planning your next culinary adventure to Budapest to explore these excellent culinary hotspots, and indulge in the vibrant culinary scene and experience the vibrant buzz of the city as you delight your taste buds with these Michelin starred delights.

Oh and of course, don’t forget to book in advance — these restaurants are extremely popular and tend to fill up quickly.

Jo étvágyat! | Bon appétit!

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