$$$$International Fine DiningFerencvarosWed-Fri 18:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00
Costes on Raday utca was the first restaurant in Hungary to earn a Michelin star in 2010 and still cooks a seven-course tasting in a Ferencvaros townhouse.
OrderThe seven-course tasting with the matching wines.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays; the in-house butter, preserves and ham are made on site.
$$$$Modern EuropeanLipotvarosMon-Sun 12:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00
Costes Downtown sits in the Michelin Guide on the ground floor of the Prestige Hotel near Parliament, a calmer Lipotvaros sister kitchen to the original.
OrderThe five-course tasting with the Tokaji Furmint as the opener.
TipTuesday to Saturday only; the Sunday brunch is bookable separately and fills a week in advance.
$$$$Traditional HungarianLipotvarosMon-Sun 12:00-14:30, 18:00-22:00
Hungarikum Bisztro on Steindl Imre near Parliament cooks the canonical Hungarian classics, with gulyás, chicken paprikash and stuffed cabbage in a tiny.
OrderThe chicken paprikash with house nokedli and cucumber salad.
TipOnline reservation only; the room is small and books out for both lunch and dinner.
$$$$Mediterranean, IsraeliErzsebetvarosMon-Thu 12:00-23:00; Fri-Sun 12:00-00:00
Mazel Tov on Akacfa utca in the Jewish Quarter is a Mediterranean ruin garden in an early 1900s courtyard, with mezze, lamb shawarma and live klezmer most.
OrderThe mezze plate to share, then the lamb shawarma.
TipOpen noon to midnight daily; book a week ahead for weekends.
$$$$Modern HungarianVarkeruletWed-Sun 11:30-23:00
Pierrot on Fortuna utca, the first private cafe-restaurant in Budapest since 1982, sits in a 13th-century bakery in the Buda Castle, with modern Hungarian.
OrderThe seasonal Hungarian tasting menu with the Tokaji pairing.
TipWed to Sun 11:30-23:00; book the 13th-century garden seats for a slow Castle Hill evening.
$$$$Mediterranean, HungarianTerezvarosMon-Fri 08:30-23:30; Sat-Sun 09:00-23:30
Ket Szerecsen on Nagymezo utca, Pest's Broadway theatre strip, is a two-floor bistro and cafe serving Mediterranean-Hungarian crossover plates from breakfast.
OrderThe Mediterranean breakfast plate with avocado, jamon and Hungarian sausage.
TipOpen 08:00-24:00 weekdays, 09:00-24:00 weekends; the upstairs balcony is the quieter room.
$$$$Modern HungarianTerezvarosMon-Sun 11:00-23:00
Menza on Liszt Ferenc ter is a retro-70s Budapest bistro just off Andrassy boulevard, cooking modern takes on the Hungarian canteen canon at a steady.
OrderThe Hortobagyi palacsinta, savoury crepes stuffed with veal stew under sour cream.
TipOpen 11:00-23:00 daily; the kitchen runs 11:30-22:30 and the terrace fills first.
$$$$Modern HungarianVarkeruletMon-Sun 10:00-22:00
Halaszbastya Etterem occupies the neo-Romanesque Fisherman's Bastion on Castle Hill, with modern Hungarian tasting menus and panoramic Danube views over Pest.
OrderThe seasonal multi-course tasting at sunset for the Pest skyline view.
TipThree rooms in the bastion (Restaurant, Bistro, Cafe); book the Restaurant for the tasting and the terrace.