Budapest’s best catfish stews – 10+1 restaurants

According to Funzine, believe it or not, catfish stew is not exclusively a Deep South dish: there’s a whole world of difference between the spicy, tomato and potato based staple of the southern United States course and its Hungarian kin. To start with, Hungarian catfish stew uses grounded pepper instead of tabasco (as all Hungarian stews do), and instead of the starchy vegetable, it is served with túrós csusza, aka cottage cheese pasta. The result is a quickly prepared, harmoniously flavoured, gorgeous, unbeatably filling meal. Get ready for our selection of Budapest’s best catfish stew restaurants!

Huszár Restaurant

Our journey to seek out Budapest’s best catfish stews starts at the corner of II. János Pál pápa tér, close to the imposing building of Erkel Theatre. It is here where Huszár Restaurant awaits guests with their traditional menu of Hungarian classics, a colourful array of local wines, and pleasant live music in the evenings. Whether you drop by for a quick lunch of Jókai style bean soup and chicken paprikash, or come here with your loved ones for a candle-lit dinner spent in the company of soothing melodies and heart-warming flavours, Huszár Restaurant will not disappoint you. As a twist on traditions, Huszár’s catfish stew comes with dill-flavoured homemade noodles – a surprising but rather exciting combination!

1081 Budapest, II. János Pál pápa tér 22.

Mákos Guba Bistro

Situated right outside the western exit of the Buda Castle Tunnel, the laid-back Mákos Guba Bistro is a local favourite, thanks to their first-rate pizzas, retro-contemporary interior design, and their neatly assorted menu of authentic Hungarian fare and a few international superstars. Dishes include chicken burger, steak with brown sauce, duck liver medallion and mushrooms, Hortobágyi meat pancakes, vegetarian options like grilled goat cheese and spinach crepes, and the specialty of the house: oven-baked poppy seed bread pudding. Naturally, Mákos Guba Bistro wouldn’t have made it onto our list if they didn’t serve amazing catfish stew: here it’s made of gray catfish, and is served with cottage cheese pasta wrapped in bacon.

1016 Budapest, Krisztina körút 65-67.

Harapó Mókus Vendéglő

The not-so-idyllic location of Harapó Mókus Vendéglő (“Biting Squirrel Restaurant”) makes it one of the best-kept culinary secrets of the Óbuda area. Thankfully, you won’t be paying too much attention to the commieblocks surrounding you, as you’ll be busy getting lost in the delicious flavours of Hungarian cuisine. Guests praise Harapó Mókus for the restaurant’s attentive staff, its friendly atmosphere, and copious portions.

During the warmer months, you can spend your meal sitting on the venue’s summer terrace, munching on a variety of meat dishes, from breaded pork chops and rib eye steak to fried chicken legs filet, while sipping on special wines. As for their catfish stew, chef József Fraunberger serves the nutritious, tender dish with curded ewe-cheese dumplings. C’est magnifique!

1032 Budapest, Zápor utca 69.

Kéhli Restaurant

At the foot of Óbuda’s huge housing project, right next to Árpád bridge, there lies a small architectural remnant of the 19th century, a time when Jews, Hungarians and Swabs lived side by side in the neighbourhood, which survived the havoc wreaked by socialism on the area. It is here where Kéhli, one of the best Hungarian style restaurants of the country resides, right next door to the home of the bohemian writer Gyula Krúdy, who only loved good Hungarian wine more than good food. At Kéhli, you’ll find plenty of both. The menu includes all the classic dishes of the past couple of centuries of Hungarian cuisine, from hot-pot with marrow bone and frog legs fried in breadcrumbs to lamb goulash and catfish stew with cottage cheese pasta. The turn-of-the-century ambience is made complete with live gypsy music every day from 8 PM.

1036 Budapest, Mókus u. 22.

Náncsi Néni Vendéglője

Situated in Buda Hills high above the city, Náncsi Néni Vendéglője is a favourite summer destination of Budapesters, thanks to being surrounded by lush greenery on all sides, having a spacious terrace, being furnished like your grandmother’s house in the countryside, and offering a wide range of dishes from the cookbook of Hungary’s traditional gastronomy.

In short, Náncsi Néni is the perfect place for an uplifting outing – both in the physical and the culinary sense! Their catfish stew is always freshly cooked for maximum flavours: the dish comes doused in a wonderful sauce of paprika and sour cream, and is served with pasta squares mixed with curd cheese. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city for a couple of hours, then pay Náncsi Néni a visit!

1029 Budapest, Ördögárok út 80.

Rosenstein

What started as a simple buffet in 1996 is now one of the last, as well as one of the most popular family-owned restaurants in Budapest. Rosenstein serves the creme de la creme of traditional Jewish and Hungarian cuisines: a meal at Rosenstein feels more like Sunday supper at your grandma’s house, rather than a hearty culinary experience at Budapest’s most distinguished Jewish restaurant. Here, at this self-professed “island of tranquillity” (the words of the venue’s legendary owner, Tibor Rosenstein), you can recharge your spiritual batteries while feasting on their nostalgic paprika-flavoured catfish stew, offered with homemade Hungarian pasta topped with curd cheese. Complement the dish with a glass of nice Hungarian wine from their extensive list to make your evening even more unforgettable!