Best of Budapest & Hungary

A café and restaurant which evokes the spirit of the 1930’s while offering the quality of the 21st century – this is the motto of Dunapark where indeed, history is touchable. Designed by Béla Hofstatter and Ferenc Domány on the commission of Lord Lajos Hatvany, the restaurant and café was inaugurated in 1938, as the most significant modern style café in Budapest of the time. In accordance with architectural trend at the time, this corner building and its interior was designed in flawless Art Deco. Well preserved today, any fan of this particular style will fall in love with this magnificent building instantly. Located adjacent to a leafy green park (Szent István Park), a few steps from the bank of the Danube, Dunapark has always welcomed a good mix of visitors: politicians from the Parliament, lawyers and art dealers who work in the neighborhood and 13th District residents alike. This has not changed a bit. A well-established circle of regulars still come here for hearty breakfasts (the widest selection in town without doubt) and business lunches.

The in-house bakery, where the most tempting cakes are prepared, is the place where you want to take your beloved aunt for some fun in the afternoon. This time of the day is also perfect to sip a great cocktail - Dunapark serves classics as well as their own creations such as

the Grassalkovich Gamay rosé wine-cocktail.

 

 

The only thing better than getting a table inside this restaurant is getting one outside at their spacious terrace (that seats 120 people), where the vibe is laid-back and the air is breezy. The ambiance (with live jazz music in the background every day) creates a nice setting for a long, relaxed dinner. Service is invariably warm and sunny, even if the weather isn’t.

 

The kitchen lines up a globetrotting bill of fare. Creative, new compositions dominate the international and Hungarian menu, but you can also feast on classic ‘Wiener Schnitzel’ from veal with potato salad or another Hungarian favorite, ‘Lecsó’ (the Hungarian version of Ratatouille). These items, according to Chef Gábor Mészáros, are not to be removed from the menu. “Regulars insist on ordering them, any time of the day,” he explains.  “As for the rest of the menu, we look at it as a playground, where ingredients change with the season, and where textures and flavors fall into harmony for the best culinary experience.”