Budapest Blog

Unfortunately, Michelin is said to be very slow to react to changes at restaurants, especially in non-Western Europe. Several Budapest restaurants are striving for the appreciation of this established gourmet institute but they need to be patient, similarly to other Central-European counterparts where Michelin stars have not been given yet either (including Prague, Warsaw or Moscow!). See the Best Restaurants in Budapest.

Budapest Restaurants with Michelin stars

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Budapest Restaurants with Bib Gourmand smiley

• Nancsi neni vendegloje (Aunt Nanchie’s Restaurant)

Budapest restaurants recommended by Michelin guide

• Alabardos Restaurant
• Arcade Bistro (Árkád Bisztró)
• Belcanto Restaurant
• Cafe Pierrot Restaurant
• Cyrano Restaurant
• Fausto’s Restaurant
• Gundel Restaurant
• Kárpátia Restaurant
• Képíró Restaurant
• Kisbuda Gyöngye Restaurant
• Lou-Lou Restaurant
• Mokka Restaurant
• Museum Restaurant (Múzeum Étterem)
• Premier Restaurant
• Robinson Restaurant

If you are wondering where you could have a nice coffee and cake, have a look at the Best cafe guide in Budapest.

Although there is still no Michelin-star restaurant in Eastern-Europe, including Hungary, Budapest has a Bib Gourmand restaurant: Nancsi Neni Vendegloje (approx. the Inn of Aunt Nanchie). Needless to say, being the proud owner of the Bib Gourmand for more than five-six years, Nancsi Neni Vendegloje attracts a wide variety of local and foreign folks, couples, large groups or families. The restaurant is in the green area of Buda hills in Budapest, about 20-30 min. drive from Budapest city center. In fair weather, there is a huge open air area under century old oak and chestnut trees, and the restaurant pays special attention to families (diaper changer, climber, wooden train, etc.), guests with pets are very welcome, and bikers don’t need to worry about bike racks.

See the Best Restaurants in Budapest.

Address: Ordogarok street (Ördögárok utca) 80., Budapest H-1028
Phone: 00-36-1-398-7127
Opening hours: 12 pm- 11 pm
Getting here:

• by public transport: from Moszkva tér metro station (red line) it takes about 25-35 min. Take the streetcar/ tram number 56 (you can also take it from Hotel Gellert). Go to the terminal (approx. 20 min from Moszkva) then change to one of the following buses: bus number 57 or 63 or 157 and get off at the third stop called Széchenyi utca.
• by car/ bike: go to Moszkva tér on the Buda side, and take Szilágyi Erzsébet fasor road. For about 15 min just go straight ahead following the road (in a few min the name of the road changes from Szilágyi to Huvosvolgy/ Hűvösvölgyi út). Check the streets on the left for Ordogarok utca/ Ördögárok utca. Turn left and look for number 80.

See the location of Nancsi Neni Restaurant on the Budapest Tourist Map: knife and fork map icon in the middle. Notice that the restaurant is quite close to the Children’s Railway and its Museum as well as the Bela Bartok Museum & Memorial House or the Chairlift in Budapest (Libego/ Libegő)

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Daubner Confectionery or Daubner Cukrászda in Budapest is unanimously one of the best confectioneries in Hungary, underlining a strong Yummy Factor (is there a Yummy Award already? there should be one). The only drawback is that it’s about 20-30 min from the city center (districts 5 and 6) by public transportation, which is luckily quite frequent. Locals rave about it, while tourists rarely take this off-route track to discover one of the true gems in Budapest. Deeply and heavenly delicious cakes, strudels, pies, confectionery poetry, as well as salty snacks (pogácsa) await the reckless visitor here. Even if you are a dieter, you will find the cake of your choice with low calorie. As Fodor’s travel guide writes: “It’s with good reason that this popular confectioner has lines outside the door each morning. Every pastry here is delicate and light. Even a novice can taste the real butter cream in the famous Eszterhazy torta, which is a truly magnificent cake. Locals say the Sacher torte is every bit as good as it is in the famous Sacher Hotel in Vienna.”

Address: Budapest Szépvölgyi út 50., Budapest, 2nd district (II. ker.) 1025
Phone: 00-36-1-335-2253 or cell 00-36-20-225 05 05
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 09:00 - 19:00
Note: Daubner Confectionery is most of the time full of people, so please calculate with some waiting
Getting here: take bus number 60 at Batthyány tér metro station (red line) and get off at Kolosy tér, alternatively, take the suburban train (HÉV) and get off at Kolosy tér. From Kolosy tér you can walk up the hill (5 min) or take buses 65 or 165 and get off at ‘Ürömi út’ the first stop from Kolosy square. (You can also take bus 29 and get off at Uromi ut, but it’s a tiny bit farther from Daubner Cukrászda than the other two buses). It is really just one stop, so there’s no way you could miss it. Where you see a many people, families gathered that’s Daubner (on the left side)!

See the location of Daubner Cukrászda on the Budapest Tourist Map (check the knife and fork map icon in the middle, and click on the icons to learn more about the neighboring places of interest or click on the View Larger Map blue link under the map). Notice that Daubner Cukrászda is relatively close to the Roman amphitheater (Aquincum Museum), the Pálvölgyi Dripstone Cave and the spa luxury hotel, Ramada Plaza Budapest.

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California Coffee Company is an American style and owned café on the Grand Boulevard. If you like American style cafés and don’t mind sitting around with students stuck to their laptops, it might be your choice - also for an alternative breakfast place. Coffees, sandwiches, cakes. Free WiFi for 1.5 hours. Light, bright place, comfy armchairs in a trendy atmosphere. There’s also a shop where you can buy different coffees, syrups, gifts (e.g. traveler’s mugs), etc. Read about the Best Cafes in Budapest.

Address: Teréz körút 38., Budapest 1066
Phone: 00-36-30-465-2195 or 00-36-1-465-2195
Opening hours: 8 am - 24:00

Getting here:

• metro (blue line) Nyugati pu. station or underground (yellow line) Oktogon station
• streetcars/ trams: number 4 or 6, get off at either Nyugati or Oktogon stop (halfway between the two stops on Grand Boulevard)

See the location of California Coffee Company on the Budapest Tourist Map (check the coffee cup map icon in the middle, and click on the icons to learn more about the neighboring places of interest or click on the View Larger Map blue link under the map). Notice that California Coffee Company is very close to the House of Terror museum on Andrassy út and the Muvesz Movie Theater (an artsy film theater), as well as the the Opera House and the Operetta Theater, or the House of Photography.

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Traveling by bus from Budapest to Vienna is a no brainer. Here are some frequently asked questions with the answers:

How much does it cost to travel from Budapest to Vienna by bus?

The bus ticket is approx. 5900 HUF/ 23 euros / 35 USD (single) or 8900 HUF/ 34 euros / 51 USD (return). It’s the price of a full adult ticket (occasionally, you can get a return ticket at the same price as a single ticket - limited edition and period). See further deals below!

Is it cheaper if I buy it online?

Yes, it is: you can buy the bus ticket on the internet for only about 2,900 HUF/ 11 euros/ 17 USD (single ticket) and 3900 HUF/ 15 euros/ 22 USD. But be careful as the ticket is only valid on the stated specific day, it cannot be modified or exchanged, and it’s not easy to get as there is a limited offer per bus) and you can buy it here on the official site of the Hungarian bus company, Volán Warning: write WIEN in the destination box (Vienna is not recognized). You will be asked for the date of birth for the bus ticket purchase to see if you are entitled to any reduction (you can just modify it something similar for privacy concerns).

Are there any further deals or reductions?

If you are under 26, you can get bus tickets with a 50% reduction! In addition, if you stay a few days in Vienna, it is worth calculating with a Vienna public transport pass (2-day pass for 10 euros / 15 USD). It means that you may be better off with a train ticket combined with a Viennese public transport pass in the train ticket price. Check the current deals for trains.

Where do buses from Budapest to Vienna leave?

Buses leave from Népliget central bus station. You can easily get there by taking the metro (blue metro line) and getting off at Népliget station (approx. 15-20 min from the city center, Deák tér station). You can also take the bus at Árpád híd station, but to make sure you have a better seat (if it is not numbered) it’s better to get on the bus at the terminal (Népliget - say: nape-ligh-at).

Hey, where on earth is Népliget bus station?

OK, here’s the Budapest Tourist Map to help you (see the blue bus sign in the middle? You can also click on any of the icons to get more info, or follow the blue link ‘View Larger Map’ under the map to get a larger picture of Budapest.

View Larger Map

How long does the bus ride take?

Traveling time is about 3-4 hours.

Are there any delays and inconveniences when the bus crosses the border of Austria and Hungary?

Not any more! Hungary joined the Schengen area December 21, 2007. No more borders to keep buses up for passport check. (likewise, rail passengers enjoy the same smooth crossing between the two countries).

How many buses leave to Vienna a day? What about the bus schedule?

Bus rides are quite frequent. For instance, on a Saturday you could leave at 7am, 12pm, 15:30, 5pm and 8 pm. The Budapest-Vienna bus schedule on an average Wed is 7am, 12pm, 15:30, 5pm. But always check the fresh data, please.

Where can I buy Volánbusz bus tickets in Budapest?

Vendors are all over Budapest, so you don’t need to go to Népliget for no reason. Here’s a simple Budapest international bus map customized for the Budapest-Vienna travels:

Are buses comfortable?

Most of them are OK. Not super comfy, but they are OK. Personally, I have alway been favoring trains (to stretch out, to eat, etc.) so it certainly influences my judgment.

Any quick programs at Népliget bus station?

If you are stuck at Népliget and you have a couple of hours to spend, for example you want to eat something in the neighborhood: a, the city center is only 15-20 min by metro (blue metro line). b, you can have a delicious Chinese lunch or dinner at Taiwan Chinese Restaurant in Budapest (Taiwan Étterem). It’s not a budget Chinese restaurant - quite on the contrary.Take the metro - 1 stop to Nagyvárad tér station (see the knife and fork sign on the map).

Buses or Trains from Budapest to Vienna?

The vast majority of users on forums (me added) will say: TRAINS.

updated: March 04, 2008