Budapest’s new shopping center opens with Hungary’s most spacious food court

The food court of Etele Plaza scheduled to open this September in Budapest, Hungary will feature a direct connection to the roof terrace, unique interior design, and a wide selection of gastronomy options, including many popular quick-service restaurants, cafés and open kitchen concept. The requirements and dining preferences of all generations are considered during the design of the unprecedentedly spacious venue among Hungarian shopping malls.

The next generation shopping center’s food court, currently being developed by Futureal in Újbuda, close to Etele square, covers almost the entire third floor of the building, and will allow over 1,000 people to dine comfortably and safely at any one time. The interior dining area will seat 950, while another 150 seats will be installed on the roof terrace. A direct roof terrace connection will open the space towards nature both literally and atmospherically.

When designing the eclectic, yet well-harmonized forms and styles of the dining area, the designers aimed to create more than a food court level: a common area and meeting place that fits the latest safety requirements.

The various seating systems and furniture are being selected after close consideration of expected guests’ ages and their various dining preferences. Families will have a dining area designed just for them, where tables and chairs sized for children will be placed next to a playing mat, a TV set and interactive toys. A sense of community will be enhanced by an open kitchen concept where gastronomy events headlined by celebrities, food tastings and culinary training programs can be organized.

Several well-known restaurant chains have already signed up to open at the city’s first smart plaza during the development phase, so food court guests will be able to choose among popular brands including Buddha Bar, Hummus Bar, Bellozzo, Pizza Me, Zing Burger, Burger King, KFC, teppanyaki Japanese grill, Titiz and a Crépes Factory. Other tenants will include Starbucks, EscoBar & Café, à table! and Sushi Roll Restaurant.

„The excellent location of Etele Plaza, its stylish and shopper-focused environment, as well as the 21st century solutions and services have proven attractive to hospitality businesses. We are in talks with many other restaurants and are looking forward to seeing brands that would further diversify the gastronomy offering of our shopping center,” said Márk Balástyai, Project Director of Etele Plaza.

Futureal is developing the dining area and connected public spaces according to its ‘Stay Safe’ initiative, designed to maximize health and safety. One important aspect of the layout is a flexible seating concept where the tables and chairs can be moved freely within the food court. Whenever needed, the adaptable space allows for social distancing, as well as offering options to organize unique events.

To meet the latest safety expectations of consumers, the HVAC systems of the shopping center will include UV sterilizing filters. By using an environmentally friendly technology based on biological filtering, the systems provide almost 100% efficiency in killing viruses and bacteria in seconds, without the use of chemical disinfectants, guaranteeing fresh and clean air inside the building.

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Source: Press Release