The peak of flavors: this is how much a fine dining dinner costs in Hungary today

Pajta offers lunch menus between 18 and 23 thousand forints during the day, while at dinner time only a tasting menu is available: a 6-course experience costs 38 thousand forints, while the 9-course option costs 45 thousand forints. Those who choose a wine list can expect to pay an additional 45 thousand forints. The restaurant’s signature dishes – such as the Osetra caviar waffle or the venison with black garlic jus – further enhance the experience, which is accompanied by a 13% service charge.

Stand continues to lead the way in Budapest’s fine dining scene: the two-Michelin-starred restaurant run by Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló has earned the Dining Guide “Best of the Best” title this year. The tasting menu, consisting of more than ten courses, costs 89,500 forints, which can be complemented with two types of wine pairings – for an additional 174,900 forints. Premium ingredients – such as Beluga caviar or Wagyu goulash – are priced separately, so the total cost of a dinner can reach 250,000 forints.

For those looking for a more intimate yet sophisticated gastronomic experience, Alelí, which is included in this year’s list as the Beloved Restaurant of the Year, could be a great choice. The trattoria with its Neapolitan roots offers an à la carte menu, not a tasting menu: an Italian dinner with two courses and a glass of wine can cost as little as 15–20 thousand forints, while a more complete experience – with wine, pizza or pasta, and dessert – is more in the 30–40 thousand forint range.

The Michelin-starred Essência is one of the most balanced value-for-money fine dining restaurants in Budapest. At the place run by a Portuguese-Hungarian chef duo, dinner menus cost 41,900 and 52,900 forints, and wine pairings can cost an additional 23–37 thousand forints, depending on whether you choose a domestic, international, or alcohol-free option. The restaurant’s specialty is that each course is a harmonious meeting of Portuguese and Hungarian flavors, based on seasonal ingredients.

Rumour also goes a different route: at chef Jenő Rácz’s restaurant, the experience is the show itself. The meal here is a ten-course performance organized around a show kitchen counter, where guests can watch the kitchen work up close. The full menu costs 68,800 HUF, while the shorter Pre-Theatre option costs 44,900 HUF. Wine pairing and service charge are paid separately.

The SALT restaurant is also a master of natural ingredients, fermented and fermented flavors. The price of the 14-course menu is 69,500 HUF, and the wine pairing can go up to 85,000 HUF. Those who want an alcohol-free experience can also choose homemade juices for 24,000 HUF. What’s special about SALT is that it also offers vegetarian and vegan menu versions, upon prior notification.