NOBU Budapest: the iconic restaurant is closing, but it won’t disappear forever

Nobu Budapest will close temporarily on 15 February as the restaurant begins a comprehensive refurbishment worth HUF 1.5 billion (about EUR 3.96 million), according to a statement from the company. The upgrade aims to elevate the venue’s interior design and overall guest experience, with Budapest set to host the world premiere of Nobu’s new bar concept, the Nobu Club.

Nobu Budapest will operate from Blue Fox during the works

While the refurbishment is under way, Nobu Budapest says it will not leave the city. The brand will relocate its restaurant operation to the Blue Fox restaurant at the Kempinski Hotel from 16 March, serving guests “with unchanged quality” until the original site reopens.

Nobu Budapest introduces “Nobu at Home” from the day after closure

From the day after the 15 February closure, the company will also roll out “Nobu at Home” in Budapest. The concept will see executive chef Gábor Schreiner and his team visit guests’ homes to deliver a full Nobu-style dining experience on-site — described as a personalised chef’s-table evening rather than traditional catering — with professional service and presentation. The statement adds that signature dishes will remain available for takeaway throughout the closure period.

A new Nobu Club bar concept will debut in Budapest

The refurbishment is described as more than a cosmetic update: the plan includes a strengthened bar programme, an updated guest area and modernised technical back-of-house infrastructure, aligned with Nobu’s international standards. A key headline is that the venue will unveil the Nobu Club bar concept first in Budapest.

Local design input for a global brand

Interior works are being designed by B.A.D. Studio (led by Dániel Ákos Bara). The concept is said to balance Japanese minimalism with Budapest’s “urban elegance”, focusing on atmosphere, materials and lighting to create a more intimate, contemporary, experience-led space.

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What foreign visitors should know about Nobu Budapest

Nobu is an international luxury hospitality and restaurant brand associated with chef Nobu Matsuhisa and co-founded with Robert De Niro and Meir Teper.

In Budapest, Nobu Budapest operates inside the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus in the city centre.

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