12 Best Restaurants in Budapest with Tasty & Cheap Cuisine

Budapest is a food lover’s paradise, blending rich Hungarian traditions with modern culinary innovations. Whether you’re craving a classic goulash in a cozy tavern or a Michelin-starred tasting menu with a view of the Danube River, the city’s dining scene is nothing short of spectacular.

As someone who has explored the best restaurants in Budapest, I can confidently say this city offers everything—from historic ruin bars serving gourmet street food to elegant fine dining establishments showcasing the best of Hungarian cuisine.

In this guide, I’ll take you through the top places to eat in Budapest, covering a mix of local favorites and high-end experiences. Expect recommendations on where to find the best chimney cake (kürtőskalács), melt-in-your-mouth duck confit, and the most authentic Hungarian paprika-infused stews. I’ll also highlight trendy spots for brunch in Budapest, must-visit wine bars, and the best Danube riverfront restaurants for a scenic dinner.

Budapest’s culinary scene isn’t just about tradition—it’s a hub for innovation. With a rising number of Michelin-star restaurants, a thriving vegan food movement, and world-class Hungarian wines, the city is a dream destination for food enthusiasts. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning traveler, this list of the best places to eat in Budapest will help you experience the city’s flavors like a true insider.

Best Restaurant in Budapest with Tasty & Affordable Hungarian Food

After several trips we have been writing down those delicious and cheap restaurants that have won us over. Because in Budapest you can eat very well and at good prices! And of course, you have to try the local cuisine (here we tell you about the 8 typical Hungarian dishes ). Ready to devour the city?

where to eat in budapest

* We try to keep articles up to date, but we may miss something. If you find restaurants on this list that are closed or have different prices, please let us know so we can update it. Thank you.

Here are the best restaurants in Budapest in terms of quality/price ratio:

1. Frici Papa, a classic

We came here on our 3-day itinerary in Budapest on the recommendation of Rober's sister (thanks Chirrr!) and we were blown away by the place: tasty, varied and fairly cheap dishes. Apart from the menu , which, by the way, is also in Spanish, every day they have a handful of extra daily specials that you can see on the blackboards.

It's a highly recommended place, but it's also VERY touristy . In fact, there will probably only be tourists when you go, but if you want to eat well and cheaply, this is your place. Oh, and another great thing: a half-litre beer only costs €2.50. Long live Hungary!

2. Retró Lángos, to try Hungarian “pizza”

One of the dishes you have to try in Budapest is langosh , a kind of fried pizza with a variety of ingredients. And this place is one of the best places to try it, there are tons of options, it's delicious and cheap! The price is around 3-4€.

They have two bars, one where you can order the langoustine you want, which they prepare for you on the spot, and another where you can order drinks (each item is paid for separately). The place is not too big, but as it is a typical Hungarian fast food place, if you can't find a place you can wait a little while and surely a table will be free quickly.

The free tour of Budapest is the perfect way to break the ice with the Hungarian capital and, what's more, it's in Spanish.

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3. Regős Vendéglő, one of the best daily menus in Budapest

Here we enjoyed one of the best meals in Budapest and also very cheap: we opted for the daily menu (consisting of 3 dishes for 2,200HUF, about €6) and tried goulash soup, onion soup, paprika chicken with gnocchi, “regos” chop and for dessert cottage cheese dumplings and chestnut mousse with cream.

Very good service and a traditional and cozy place. Highly recommended 🙂 It is located a bit far from the center, but if you walk towards City Park along Andrassy Avenue, it is close by.

4. Dobrumba, one of the trendy places

We really wanted to try it… apparently it is one of the most popular places in Budapest : every time we went there it was packed :-p So our advice is to make a reservation or go at odd times!

From what we were told, the hummus, falafel and shakshuka are delicious, plus they have cheap soup of the day and a few other Mediterranean cuisine options.

5. Kőleves Kert , a very good place to eat well and cheaply in Budapest

We ate here with our friend Claudia, who lived in Budapest and already knew this place, and we really liked it. If you go during the week there are daily specials (for less than €10 you can have soup, main course and dessert).

We ordered two soups (fish and coconut milk and potato with celery), two main courses (pork chop and duck sautéed with potatoes and mushroom sauce) and a dessert to share (hazelnut and Baileys cake). Everything was delicious.

Extra point if you visit in summer as they have a small garden where you can have something to drink and/or eat.

6. Parazs Presszó Thai etterem

Those who know us know that Thai cuisine is one of our weaknesses and the truth is that we ate so well here that we went back twice. And we both ordered the same thing: massaman curry and chicken pad thai… It was like going back to Thailand <3. There are also vegetarian and vegan options .

Thai in Budapest

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7. Hungarikum Bisztro, another good option for where to eat in Budapest

It is one of the most famous places in the city thanks to its quality traditional food , its atmosphere and its location about 500 meters from the Parliament. There is a perfect menu if you want to get to know Hungarian cuisine and treat yourself.

It costs just under €20 and includes 3 dishes (goulash soup, duck with potatoes, onions and cabbage, and apple and cinnamon tart). If the menu doesn't convince you or you only want to eat one dish, the prices of the starters range from €3 to €5 and the main courses range from €5 to €13.

8. Menza

This restaurant has one of the best gastronomic offerings in the city and at a very good price: the menu is extensive, fixed and with weekly dishes (the grilled duck with mushroom risotto is especially delicious) and includes a few vegan options, which is always a good thing.

Tip: This place is no longer a “secret” so if you want to have lunch/dinner here it is best to make a reservation.

9. Mild

It's a good option if you want to eat something quick and healthy : this place prepares many types of soups that you can take with you to eat in a park or on a bench in Budapest. If the weather is nice, it's a great option, don't you think?

The daily menu features 5 different soups or creams , and if you think they're boring, you'll change your mind: there are always the great classics like onion soup or vegetable cream, and more original proposals like tandoori chicken or cold raspberry soup. The best thing? The price: the soups only cost €1.5, so you can try several!

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10. Bank3

Another typical dish to try in Budapest is palacsinta (crepes) and this place is one of the places where they are best prepared in all of Hungary! Don't make the mistake of thinking that crepes can only be sweet, because you will be completely wrong: there are a few savoury options here and, of course, sweet ones (the one with Nutella and banana is *_*).

There is a daily menu with soup and palacsinta for about €3-5 (depending on the type of crepe).

11. Mazel Tov, a very un-ruinous ruin bar

It's a very nice place, with a large open space, wooden tables and little plants hanging from the second floor... So, if you want to eat in a trendy restaurant at a very good price, this is your place. It specializes in Middle Eastern food, so don't hold back and try several delicacies.

We recommend the hummus and pita plate (4.6€) to which you can add 5 falafel (1.5€), but the menu is quite extensive (vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes). Half a litre of beer costs 2.5€ and the cocktails are DELICIOUS.

By the way, Mazel Tov is a ruin pub, if you don't know what the “ruin bars” of Budapest are, we recommend you read this post.

12. Istanbul Kebab (Kalvin Kebab)

Do you want to eat a great kebab? Rober assures me that he had one of the best ones ever here, tasty and consistent. It costs 900 HUF, less than 3 €. They also offer free tea to customers.

Another place where we ate a delicious gyro (and which offers a few typical Turkish dishes ) is Szeráj.

restaurants where to eat in Budapest