A Hungarian trifle of three sponges, walnuts, raisins, rum syrup and chocolate sauce, layered into a pudding and served cold under a cloud of whipped cream.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Somlói galuska was invented by Károly Gollerits at the Gundel kitchen in the 1950s and named for Somló, a Hungarian wine region. The dish became a Hungarian restaurant staple in the 1960s and is now on most refined Hungarian dessert menus. It is traditionally assembled cold from three differently-flavoured sponges scooped into a glass.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Tree nuts
Tip from the editors. The dessert is meant to be soaked and soft, not dry. Be generous with the rum syrup, and rest at least 3 hours; overnight is better.
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.
Menza on Liszt Ferenc ter cooks Hungarian classics until 22:30, a late dinner room off Andrassy near the Liszt Ferenc tér terraces in central Budapest.
Try: Hungarian classics, kitchen until 22:30
Order: The Hortobágyi palacsinta with a glass of Hungarian dry Furmint.
Tip: Open 11:00-23:00 daily; the kitchen runs 11:30-22:30, terrace fills first.
The Central Kavehaz on Karolyi utca has poured coffee since 1887 and was the regular meeting room for the Nyugat literary set in the early 20th century.
Signature drink: Filter coffee with a slice of Esterházy
Order: A filter coffee with the Esterhazy slice and a Sacher torte.
Tip: Quieter than New York Cafe for working; the upstairs reading room is the calmest seat.
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