Famous Budapest restaurant reopens with Michelin star chef – PHOTOS

One of Budapest’s iconic restaurants, Fricska, closed during the coronavirus. However, now the chef of Costes, Levente Koppány, has taken over the restaurant. His goal is to regain the Michelin Bib Gourmand rating, which currently no restaurant in Budapest can claim.

Fricska restaurant reopens in Budapest

Costes’ chef, Levente Koppány, reopened the legendary restaurant Fricska in downtown Pest, which closed during the pandemic, but not primarily because of the coronavirus. Today, only one of the three owners is still on board. Andor Giczi has pledged to continue operations according to the previous concept. Throughout the day, guests are welcomed with a constantly changing lunch menu, and in the evening with a chalkboard, seasonal offer, writes vg.hu.

Fricska. Photo: FB/Fricska 2.0

Levente Koppány joins Fricska as chef patron

“I think this type of hospitality is in short supply, and not only in Budapest but in the entire country. We want a slightly more informal bistro kitchen based on Hungarian gastronomy and ingredients like Fricska used to be before Covid”, says the chef of Fricska.

Levente Koppány joins Fricska as chef patron. His duties include ordering goods, negotiating with suppliers, coordinating the team and assembling the menu. He also assists chef Krisztián Rácz, who previously worked in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in England. His priority remains to be the management of Hungary’s top-notch gastronomic venue, Costes, where a patron chef, the best-known chef of our country, Jenő Rácz, also works.

Menu at Fricska. Photo: FB/Fricska 2.0

Bib Gourmand restaurant qualification is the goal

Prior to its closure, Fricska received a Bib Gourmand rating from Michelin, which brings together restaurants with excellent value for money, where guests can expect high-quality kitchen work at affordable prices. Levente Koppány confirmed that he would like to regain this qualification – there are currently no Bib Gourmand restaurants in Budapest.

Food at the restaurant. Photo: FB/ Fricska 2.0

How much do you have to fork out at this restaurant?

As for the prices, the two-course lunch menu is offered for HUF 5,450 (EUR 14,08) and the three-course menu for HUF 6,450 (EUR 16,66), and dishes such as salmon, black mussels, grilled mackerel or beef brisket are also on the list. In the evening menu, the main dishes start at HUF 6,500 (EUR 16,79), and the most expensive dish – excluding steaks – is branzino sitting at HUF 12,000 (EUR 31).

People were thrilled about the opening of Fricska. In addition to Hungarians, many foreigners also visit the restaurant, even though July is not the peak season in Budapest. The restaurant constantly seeks new employees, as it was already challenging to find new staff for the opening.