These are the 5 best country restaurants in Hungary

Hungary’s countryside boasts countless amazing restaurants. Wherever you go in the country, there’s sure to be no shortage of award-winning restaurants. We are now presenting to you the top 5 country restaurants in Hungary that you must not miss out on.

The settlements that are home to the TOP 5 Rural Restaurants and the Lovable Restaurant of the Year are Tata, Esztergom, Encs, Tura and Balatonszőlős.

The soaring success of Hungarian restaurants in the countryside has already been proven by last year’s publication of the Michelin Guide French restaurant guide, which featured a number of restaurants outside the capital, napi.hu reports.

Many of these restaurants are also included in the Audi Dining Guide’s TOP 10 Rural Restaurants, led by Platán Gourmet in Tata. Platán Gourmet was awarded two Michelin stars last year and was also named Restaurant of the Year 2023.

The Michelin-starred 42 Restaurant in Esztergom, and the Bib Gourmand award-winning Anyukám Mondta also made the guide.

The TOP 5 Restaurants

• Platán Gourmet (Tata) – Restaurant of the Year 2023
• 42 Restaurant & Bar (Esztergom) – Innovative Kitchen of theYear 2023
• Platán Bisztró (Tata)
• Anyukám Mondta (Encs)
• Clarisse Étterem (Tura)

1. Platán Gourmet

Platán Gourmet, Tata. Source: platantata.hu/gourmet-etterem

In recent years, chef István Pesti has proven that it doesn’t necessarily take a major tourist destination for a gourmet restaurant to find its audience, says Dining Guide.

One of the most influential figures of the modern Hungarian gastronomy realised his fine dining restaurant concept 50 kilometres from Budapest, on the shores of Lake Tatai, in a picturesque setting. In 2021, the former Platán formation was enriched with a new concept, the Platán Gourmet restaurant, napi.hu explains. (Find our article about Platán Gourmet HERE.)

In recognition of its unique vision and outstanding performance in 2022-2023, Platán Gourmet has been awarded this year’s Best Restaurant of the Year by the Dining Guide.

2. 42 Restaurant & Bar

42 Restaurant. Source: Facebook/42 Restaurant

After opening in 2022, 42 Restaurant immediately burst into the world of fine dining restaurants in Hungary. The owners operate the 42ROOM Boutique Hotel, located in the pedestrian street of Esztergom. The restaurant occupies the lower floor of the hotel.

42 Restaurant’s atmosphere is defined by its unique, contemporary, modern interior, with the furniture and equipment being from high-quality luxury brands.

3. Platán Bisztró

Platán Bistro. Photo by: György Darabos

The light, “fine-bistro” sister of the fine dining Platán Gourmet is the Platán Bistro in Tata. The gastronomic concept of the kitchen is the brainchild of the Platán Group’s head chef István Pesti, while the kitchen is run by chef Donát Mogyorós.

The menu is a colourful one, with dishes made from both quality local and foreign ingredients.

4. Anyukám Mondta

Photo: www.anyukammondta.hu

The iconic Anyukám Mondta is now one of the best-known rural restaurants in Hungary. Its name means “my mom said”. Szilárd Dudás and Szabolcs Dudás brothers’ Italian-Hungarian restaurant has a gourmet bistro style.

The menu is an eclectic mix of traditional Italian and Hungarian dishes with a contemporary twist.

5. Clarisse Étterem

Clarisse Étterem. Source: Facebook/Clarisse

Between Gödöllő and Hatvan, in Tura, the fine dining restaurant Clarisse is located in the Small Luxury Hotel Botaniq Tura Castle, a perfectly renovated building. The concept of a luxury restaurant in an imposing building with an impressive patina represents the sustainable, responsible gastronomic trend, napi.hu writes.

The degustation menu is based on local ingredients, locally grown and wild plants, as well as wild game from the local forests.

Lovable Restaurant of the Year – Casa Christa

Casa Christa. Source: Facebook/Casa Christa

On the northern shore of Lake Balaton, above Balatonszőlős, you will find the Casa Christa estate in stunning surroundings. The resort-style accommodation offers a newly opened, high quality trattoria-style restaurant.

The menu’s clear-cut offer is based on local ingredients, but also influenced by international gastronomic styles. In 2023, the Dining Guide TOP100 Restaurant Guide recognised the popular Casa Christa’s achievements with the Lovable Restaurant of the Year award.