One of Budapest’s oldest Hungarian restaurants closes after nearly 140 years
All around the world, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic has created an uncertain environment for many people, be it employees or entrepreneurs, but the travel restrictions and other measures hit the catering industry the most. Many hotels and restaurants have already fallen prey to the lack of customers, and the list just gets longer every day.
This is what happened to Kárpátia, one of the most iconic and oldest restaurants of Budapest which, due to the lack of guests, Hungarian and foreign alike, is now in debt, and the restaurant is currently undergoing compulsory liquidation, says Napi.
The building of the Kárpátia restaurant is a piece of history itself as the catering unit has been in business for almost 140 years.
It was opened back in 1877 when György Holzwarth leased a restaurant in the newly built Franciscan Bazaar, appointed Károly Csalányi as the manager, and made it a very popular destination with Budapest locals.
In 1925, the famous restaurateur dynasty, the Spolarich family, took over the restaurant and transformed it into a unique place with good atmosphere that remained unchanged until today.
The name came a bit later, however, as it was only in 1934, under László Károlyi’s ownership, that is got its current name, Kárpátia, according to the restaurant’s website.
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- And this is now Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
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- Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
It is very unfortunate that the restaurant has to close as its interior was very warm and had evoked the spirit of 15th-century Hungary. But in addition to its looks, the restaurant served amazing Hungarian dishes and welcomed its guests with live gypsy music during the evenings, Startlap writes.
The reason why the restaurant has to close is because of the hard hit it suffered during the first year of the pandemic. Due to the restrictions and the quasi-ban on foreign travel, the restaurant lost many of its Hungarian and foreign guests.
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- Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
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- Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
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- Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
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- Source: facebook.com/Karpatia.Etterem
According to the data available on Céginfo, the restaurant had a yearly net income of over HUF 300 million (€857,000) in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, the revenue decreased a bit to HUF 290 million (€828,000), which is a lot in and of itself, but
during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, the revenues plummeted and only reached HUF 36 million (€102,000).
The current owner, Ákos Niklai, who had also been the head of the Hungarian Hotel & Restaurant Association, bought the restaurant in 1997 and has operated it ever since. The compulsory liquidation started last November because the company owed a total of HUF 53 million (€151,000) in liabilities to banks, suppliers, and even to the National Tax and Customs Administration.
Source: Napi.hu, Startlap.hu, Céginfó.hu
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8 Comments
How sad. I so love this place ad. We would go for lunch an dinners there at every visit. I hope that it can be reopened under a reorganization of the finances.
Cuts me – pains me – hurts and disappoints me.
My fondness of the “old world” tradition still being able to exist in buildings of a rapidly deminishing past, to read this article – Painful.
It is said that “tears do water the flowers of the heart” – which has a lot of truth in this saying.
Hope – lets not give up – HOPE – that we will again see this restaurant – part of History in Budapest – saved – and be “born again” re-opened – to go on for future generations of Hungarians and people from the wider world who visit our magnificent City.
What a pity. I’m from Poland and visited Budapest in July. Sad to read that.
This is yet ANOTHER example – of what we know, the times we ALL live, that we are in Fact living and going through the ongoing presence of this novel corona virus – Delta strain – the largest challenge to mankind of the past century.
St. Stephen – Please Pray for Us.
This very sad- it looks like the central is next.
While it has done better job at marketing.
The city and state should have agency to help struggling business staffed with a professional with a track record. The responsible for the lock down and the devistation of catering business. The whole place should be under protection for its it historical importance to the country. The company that runs several resturants in the palace area and the cafe in opera house do a great job.
I am deeply saddened. My ignorance to this closing hurts deeply as we were looking to invest or purchase a restaurant. I truly believe this is one very much worth saving. It is to late now..We love Budapest.
Places like this should be under a special state protection.
I sort of grew up on there. My dad was a manager, I ate there constantly. Even helped preparing a few dishes. Loved the “Somloyi Galuska” desert and Parfe ice cream. All the chefs, cooks, waters knew me. Loved the place and I went back several times after I cam to the US. Last time was just 4 years ago. Can’t believe I won’t have a chance to go again. 🙁 I wish I could do some $ help someway. If I would live in Hungary now, or I knew a good manager I could trust, I would think about buying it.