Restaurant
Stand
Tamás Széll and Szabina Szulló's two-Michelin-star restaurant, reinterpreting Hungarian dishes such as goulash and Somlói sponge in tasting menus.
Gundel
A grand City Park restaurant with more than 130 years of history, known for classic Hungarian dishes and the rum-flamed Gundel pancake.
At a glance
- Type
- Classic Hungarian fine dining
- Area
- City Park (Városliget), Budapest, Hungary
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Opening
- Open daily · 11:30–22:00
- Official site
- gundel.hu
Good to know
- Seasonal garden
- Lunch menu
- Sunday lunch
- Dog-friendly garden
Why we recommend it
Gundel is Budapest's most famous traditional restaurant, set in a large villa beside the zoo at the edge of City Park. Its history goes back more than 130 years, and it takes its name from Károly Gundel, the restaurateur who made it the leading address for Hungarian cuisine in the early 20th century and whose name is still attached to some of the country's best-known dishes. Its dining rooms and garden remain a link with the grand restaurant culture of old Budapest.
The menu concentrates on Hungarian classics. Look for Tokaji goose liver pâté, paprika chicken with nokedli dumplings, and the restaurant's National 11 selection of traditional dishes. The best-known dessert is the Gundel pancake (Gundel palacsinta), a thin crêpe filled with walnuts and raisins and served with chocolate sauce, often flamed at the table. A lunch menu is served until 18:00, followed by a dinner menu in the evening, and a Sunday lunch package runs from 11:30 to 16:00.
The atmosphere is elegant and traditional, and in the warmer months the seasonal garden is a pleasant place to eat in this part of the city. There is no formal dress code, but smart casual is recommended and the restaurant asks guests to avoid shorts, beach slippers and sportswear. Dogs are not allowed inside but are welcome in the garden.
Gundel suits a celebration, a family meal with older relatives, or visitors who want to taste classic Hungarian cooking in a historic setting rather than a modern one. Prices are high by local standards, and the lunch menu is the more affordable way to experience it. The National 11 selection is a useful choice if you want to compare several classic dishes in one meal. Booking is recommended, especially for dinner and Sunday lunch.
The restaurant is open every day from 11:30 to 22:00, with the kitchen closing at 21:00. It is next to the zoo and a few minutes' walk from Heroes' Square, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, so it pairs well with a day in City Park. Hősök tere and Széchenyi fürdő stations on metro line M1 are both close by.
Gundel FAQs
What are Gundel's opening hours?
Every day from 11:30 to 22:00; the kitchen closes at 21:00.
What is a Gundel pancake?
A crêpe filled with walnuts and raisins, served with chocolate sauce and often flamed with rum.
Is there a dress code?
No formal code, but smart casual is recommended; avoid shorts, sportswear and beach slippers.
Do you need to book?
Booking is recommended, particularly for dinner and Sunday lunch.
Is there a cheaper option?
Yes, the lunch menu, served until 18:00, is the more affordable way to eat here.
Can you bring a dog?
Dogs are welcome in the garden but not inside.
Where is Gundel?
Beside the zoo in City Park, a short walk from Heroes' Square.
How do you contact Gundel?
By phone on +36 30 603 2480 or by email at [email protected].