Best restaurants in Hungary 2025: here are the winners in all categories
Hungary’s most prestigious culinary event, the Dining Guide Restaurant of the Year Gala, was held on the evening of Monday, 16 June. The Restaurant of the Year 2025 award was presented to Pajta, located in Őriszentpéter, while the Best of the Best title remains with Stand. In addition to several special awards, the jury also named Hungary’s Top 10+2 restaurants.
Best restaurants in Hungary: the ceremony and highlights
Before presenting the main award, the organisers honoured several special prize winners. Since 2022, theDining Guide TOP100 Restaurant Guide has featured a “Best of the Best” category, recognising those establishments that have been ranked best in their class at least three times. This year, Stand received the honour for the fourth time.
Special Award Winners – Best restaurants in Hungary
- Most Loveable Restaurant of the Year – Alelí Budapest
Recognised for its passionate fusion of Italian and Hungarian cuisine, using top-quality ingredients and offering friendly yet professional service. - Sustainable Restaurant of the Year – SALT
Renowned for its “New Nordic” approach, SALT reinterprets local ingredients with a natural, modern creativity. - Best Pizza in Hungary – Anyukám Mondta (Encs)
Awarded for its blend of Italian and Hungarian culinary traditions, rooted in personal stories and modern techniques. - Young Chef Talent of the Year – Tóth Keve (Casa Christa, Balatonszőlős)
Celebrated for his refined and creative leadership of Casa Christa’s kitchen, beginning in 2025. - Service Personality of the Year – Gábor Becker (Kollázs Brasserie & Bar)
Honoured for his outstanding performance as restaurant manager and head sommelier. - Sommelier of the Year – Ferenc Kiss (Alelí & BiBo Budapest)
Recognised for his expertise across two of the Dorothea Hotel’s signature restaurants.
Top 10+2 Restaurants in Hungary – 2025
Since 2024, the Restaurant of the Year award has not been automatically awarded to the top scorer. Instead, the winner is selected based on multiple qualitative factors reflecting overall excellence.
This year’s winner is Pajta, a family-run restaurant in Őriszentpéter. With its distinctive farm-to-table concept and philosophy inspired by Scandinavian gastronomy, Pajta has earned national recognition. Owners Flóra and Ferenc Kvasznicza left Budapest to realise their dream in the Őrség region. Head chef István Akács creates precise, high-quality, and imaginative menus, drawing on his experience in both Hungarian and European fine dining.
Among the highest-scoring establishments, Platán Gourmet in Tata stood out as the top-ranked countryside location. Under chef István Pesti, the restaurant proves that gourmet dining can thrive outside traditional tourist hubs. Its own garden supplies seasonal ingredients for innovative tasting menus that showcase the chef’s distinctive culinary vision.
Dining Guide Top 10+2 Restaurants (2025):
- Platán Gourmet Étterem
- Rumour by Jenő Rácz
- Pajta
- 42 Restaurant
- SALT
- Babel Budapest
- Essência Restaurant – Tiago & Éva
- Sauska 48
- Borkonyha
- Costes Downtown
- Spago Budapest by Wolfgang Puck
- Costes Restaurant
This year’s winner is Pajta, a family-run restaurant located in the village of Őriszentpéter. Renowned nationwide for its unique farm-to-table concept, Pajta bases its culinary philosophy on the signature ingredients of the Őrség region, drawing inspiration from the Nordic culinary movement. The restaurant is widely respected for its commitment to sustainability and the preservation of local gastronomic traditions. Owners Flóra and Ferenc Kvasznicza left Budapest to pursue their dream in Őrség. The kitchen is headed by István Akács, whose experience in both domestic and international fine dining enables him to craft refined, precise, and creative tasting menus.
Highest-Scoring Countryside Restaurant: Platán Gourmet
On the Dining Guide Top 10 list, the highest-ranked countryside restaurant is Platán Gourmet, led by chef István Pesti. Over the years, he has demonstrated that a top-tier gourmet restaurant can flourish outside a major tourist hub. Located 50 km from Budapest, on the scenic shores of Lake Tata, Platán Gourmet lies beneath a majestic old sycamore tree. The restaurant is renowned for its distinctive fusion of Eastern and Western, traditional Hungarian and cosmopolitan flavours. Thanks to its own garden, Platán offers a wide range of seasonal ingredients, which are reflected in its sophisticated 12-course tasting menus and Chef Pesti’s bold, fusion-oriented culinary vision.
Rumour by Jenő Rácz: Theatrical Fine Dining
Next on the list is Rumour by Jenő Rácz, a collaboration between the celebrity chef and Károly Gerendai, founder of the Costes Group. Rumour introduced the chef’s table concept to Hungary, featuring a kitchen counter encircling a show kitchen, allowing guests to observe every stage of food preparation. The experience is enhanced by the chef’s direct presence, playful interactions, and humorous storytelling. The menu presents imaginative renditions of approachable fine dining dishes.
42 Restaurant: A Creative Force from Esztergom
Opened just three years ago, 42 Restaurant has rapidly risen to the forefront of Hungary’s fine dining scene. Located in the ROOM 42 Boutique Hotel, in Esztergom’s charming pedestrian zone, the restaurant boasts a modern, refined interior. Owned by Sándor Varga—also known for his successful YouTube channel Alexander the Guest—the restaurant offers tasting menus exclusively. It departs from conventional rural dining by blending popular international cuisines with distinctive Hungarian flavours. Since late 2024, young talent Levente Koppány has led the kitchen, succeeding chef Ádám Barna.
SALT: Reinventing Regional Cuisine through a Nordic Lens
Chef Szilárd Tóth of SALT continues to lead Hungary’s progressive, farm-to-table culinary movement. Influenced by the “New Nordic” philosophy, SALT reinterprets regional ingredients using bold, natural techniques. The cuisine is deeply rooted in Tóth’s northeastern Hungarian heritage and is shaped by his distinctive, forward-thinking approach. Inside the restaurant, glass jars filled with wild-foraged, fermented vegetables and fruits reflect the ethos of the kitchen.
Babel Budapest: A Nordic-Inspired Concept with Owner-Driven Vision
Unlike most restaurants, Babel Budapest derives its culinary philosophy not only from executive chef Kornél Kaszás but also from its owner, Hubert Hlatky-Schlichter. The restaurant’s progressive concept incorporates elements of Nordic cuisine, presenting elegant and thoughtfully composed plates, with both meat and vegan options. It delivers a sophisticated yet unpretentious dining experience.
Essência: Portuguese Soul with Hungarian Heart
Portuguese chef Tiago Sabarigo, who has lived in Budapest for nearly a decade, opened Essência with his Hungarian wife, Éva Jenei, in 2020. Located in District V, their restaurant blends Portuguese culinary roots with locally sourced Hungarian ingredients. The signature dish is octopus, while the interior reflects rustic Portuguese elegance with a contemporary touch. An open kitchen enhances the warm and interactive atmosphere.
Sauska 48: Villány’s Gourmet Winery Restaurant
In southern Hungary, Sauska 48 is setting new culinary standards. Chef Attila Bicsár has created a relaxed village gourmet kitchen in the heart of the Sauska Winery in Villány. The menu reflects a blend of modern Hungarian and Swabian traditions, shaped by Bicsár’s refined sensibilities and focus on seasonal produce. Dishes are paired with local Tokaji and Villányi wines, as well as selections from the Sauska family’s international wine collection, which includes rare vintages from the 1960s to 1980s.
Borkonyha: A Pillar of Modern Hungarian Cuisine
Operating since 2010 in central Budapest, Borkonyha (Wine Kitchen) remains a mainstay of Hungary’s culinary scene. Known for its approachable bistro-style ambience paired with high-end cuisine, the restaurant balances quality with warmth. Culinary direction is provided by Ákos Sárközi, a familiar figure from television, while Csaba Puskás, the long-time sous-chef, manages the kitchen’s daily operations. Pastry chef Anett Béres is behind the restaurant’s exceptional desserts, ranging from classic Hungarian confections to fine dining innovations.
Costes Downtown: Urban Energy on a Plate
Situated in the Prestige Hotel, Costes Downtown marks its 10th anniversary in 2025. The kitchen, led by the young and passionate chef Barnabás Hack—who succeeded Márk Molnár—brings vibrant, contemporary energy to the menu. Drawing inspiration from Budapest itself, Hack’s dishes reflect both his personal memories and the rhythm of the city, blending innovation with accessibility.
Spago Budapest: Global Luxury Meets Hungarian Tradition
Spago by Wolfgang Puck, located in the Matild Palace Luxury Collection Hotel, is led by executive chef István Szántó, trained in Michelin-starred kitchens. The menu fuses Wolfgang Puck’s signature dishes—such as Smoked Salmon Pizza and Viennese Schnitzel—with reimagined Hungarian classics like Gulyás Soup and Somlói Galuska. A notable sushi offering further adds to Spago’s distinctive, eclectic fine dining experience.
Costes Restaurant: Hungary’s Fine Dining Pioneer
Hungary’s first internationally recognised fine dining restaurant, Costes, was launched by entrepreneur Károly Gerendai and his partners. Located on Ráday Street, it is now helmed by chef Jenő Rácz, who also leads Rumour. The kitchen focuses on top-quality local ingredients, complemented by select international products. The current concept embraces a more relaxed and modern interpretation of fine dining, delivering top-tier cuisine in a welcoming atmosphere.
Special Awards Recap:
- Best of the Best Restaurant: Stand
- Most Loveable Restaurant: Alelí Budapest
- Sustainable Restaurant: SALT
- Best Pizza: Anyukám Mondta
- Young Chef Talent: Tóth Keve, Casa Christa
- Service Personality: Gábor Becker, Kollázs Brasserie & Bar
- Sommelier of the Year: Ferenc Kiss, Alelí & BiBo Budapest
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