Exclusive – Majorelle: The unrivalled taste of Morocco in the heart of Budapest – PHOTOS

Morocco has never been so close to Budapest! Majorelle, the first authentic Moroccan restaurant in the heart of the Hungarian capital steals guests’ hearts with soulful food, unmatched loveliness and professionalism by the staff, and an atmosphere you do not want to leave behind.

We at Daily News Hungary were incredibly lucky to get a chance to experience an unparalleled gastronomic journey at Majorelle, the first authentic Moroccan restaurant in Budapest. Whether you prefer savoury foods or have a sweet tooth, you will find yourself at home in this amazing catering establishment. Let’s get to the topic: join us and discover Majorelle!

Majorelle: the beginnings and ambitions

After almost a year of preparations, the restaurant opened at 23 Hold Street, District V, Budapest in February 2024. The owner, Mo, tells us that the establishment is a partnership between himself, Saad, the Moroccan chef, and Amr, a friend of Mo’s from Egypt.

Their ambition was, and still is, to “bring something authentic and different to Budapest with a premium quality where people can really enjoy the food in a cosy and simple environment that brings the essence of Morocco in elegance to the heart of Budapest,” Mo shares. Good news: in the medium term, they are planning to open different branches in Europe and the Middle East!

Moroccan culture and food

According to Mo, they aim to bring a part of Morocco’s tastes and culture to our Central European country. He tells us that they have plans to hold special nights at Majorelle to introduce Moroccan music and art to curious guests.

“In Morocco, just like the Arab culture, the food is all about sharing and therefore we encourage our guests to try different things together in order to get the maximum experience,”

Saad adds.

As for the ingredients, everything they work with is fresh and is prepared in their kitchens. Their mission is to be “as local as possible” when it comes to the ingredients; except for those that aren’t available locally. “Therefore, we import fresh seafood from Spain and France,” which makes them unique in Budapest: they also aim to position Majorelle as a fresh seafood restaurant with a Moroccan twist.

“We have also created some signature cocktails, both alcoholic or non-alcoholic, to bring closer the tastes of Morocco to well-known cocktails and drinks,” Saad states. Most of their spices are imported from Morocco as they’re hard to find here.

The menu

The menu in Majorelle on 19 April 2024. Photo: Mercédesz Hetzmann/Daily News Hungary

When given the menu, you are met with an abundance of interesting dishes that cannot wait to be tried by you. Whether you like chicken or beef more, or if you’re vegetarian, Majorelle has something for you.

We tried the chicken briouat, which is a warm starter, with the zaalouk, the barba, and the carrot salad, which are cold starters. We couldn’t have imagined a better start to a Moroccan dinner than these, paired with some pieces of authentic Moroccan bread.

Then came the main dish: citrus chicken tagine for me and chicken bastilla for my colleague. The former introduced lemon to us in a way our tastebuds had never known it before, while the latter taught us that chicken with a sweet taste and almonds is not only valid but absolutely out-of-this-world delicious.

The Moroccan tea ritual

Make sure to order some Moroccan tea first thing when you sit down so you can witness the Moroccan tea ritual. Let us show you a sneak peek:

Desserts

“Oh, and of course – our sweets are to die for!”

Saad says, and it couldn’t be more true. Even if you don’t have much time on your hands, trying their desserts is a must!

After establishing that savoury briouat is heavenly, we needed to see if it was the case with sweet briouat, which prompted us to order almond briouat for dessert. If something even better than heavenly exists, then it is almond briouat.

Almond briouat with vanilla ice cream. Photo: Mercédesz Hetzmann/Daily News Hungary

Four French financiers. These heavenly desserts are usually as complimentary with the bill – depending on availability. Flavours: caramel, pistachio, hazelnut, and chocolate. Photo: Mercédesz Hetzmann/Daily News Hungary

Have we convinced you to try the taste of Morocco yet? If so, don’t forget to book a table so you can be sure to get seated when you arrive.

We would like to say a special thank you to Tamás Könczöl, who guided us through the most unique flavours of Morocco, and to Shawn Lupori for the fantastic Moroccan tea ritual.

Find Majorelle on Facebook HERE!

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