Hungarian savoury crepes filled with paprika veal stew, rolled and napped with a sour-cream sauce. The signature starter of restored Magyar haute cuisine.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Hortobágyi palacsinta was created in 1958 for the Hungarian pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair, popularly credited to celebrity chef János Rákóczi. Despite the rustic name evoking the Hortobágy puszta on the Great Plain, the dish has no historical roots there; the Hortobágy reference was 1950s marketing meant to suggest national tradition. It remains a Magyar fine-dining starter at Stand, Hungarikum Bisztró and Borkonyha.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg
Tip from the editors. The crepes can be made several hours ahead and the filling cooked the day before; assembling is a 10-minute job at service.
Hungarikum Bisztro on Steindl Imre near Parliament cooks the canonical Hungarian classics, with goulash, chicken paprikash and stuffed cabbage in a tiny.
Signature: Goulash soup, Chicken paprikash
Order: The chicken paprikash with house nokedli and cucumber salad.
Tip: Online reservation only; the small room books out for both lunch and dinner.
Akos Sarkozi's Borkonyha Winekitchen behind St Stephen's Basilica on Sas utca holds one Michelin star and serves modern Hungarian plates built around 200.
Order: The mangalica pork belly with the matching pairing from the wine list.
Tip: The kitchen runs Monday to Saturday and closes Sundays and public holidays; book a Saturday lunch for the relaxed pace.
Szabina Szullo and Tamas Szell's Stand holds two Michelin stars for modern Hungarian tasting menus in a quiet Terezvaros room near Andrassy.
Order: The full chef's tasting; the paprika fish soup with smoked carp tortellini is the room's signature.
Tip: Bookings open 60 days ahead via SevenRooms; a credit card secures the booking and cancellation must be by 24 hours.
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