Menza

Menza sits on Liszt Ferenc tér, the leafy square of restaurants and cafés just off Andrássy út, and it is one of the square's best-known restaurants. The owners describe it as something between a café-restaurant and a traditional Pest presszó, and the name and interior play on nostalgia for the canteens and coffee bars of the city's recent past. A presszó was the small espresso bar that once stood on almost every Budapest corner. Inside, the mood is relaxed and busy, and in good weather the terrace on the square fills quickly.

The menu covers Hungarian comfort food with some international dishes. Expect hearty plates such as chicken ragout in the style of the Bakony hills with galuska dumplings, crisp roast goose leg with braised cabbage and onion mashed potatoes, and sólet with house-made goose sausage, along with more refined dishes such as venison with duck liver. Chicken Kiev and similar classics also appear. A weekday lunch menu, served from 11:30 while it lasts, is a good-value option if you are sightseeing nearby.

It suits couples, friends and families looking for a reliable Hungarian meal in a central location without the formality of a fine-dining restaurant. If you are unsure what to order, the weekly specials are a good guide to what is in season.

The restaurant is open daily from late morning until late evening, with the kitchen closing earlier than the bar, so check the official website for current times. Booking through the online form is recommended for dinner and weekend evenings, especially if you want a table on the terrace; it covers parties of up to four, and larger groups should email. Liszt Ferenc tér is livelier in the evening, when the square's bars fill up. Lunchtime and early evening are the easiest times to get a table without a reservation.

Menza is a short walk from Oktogon, where metro line M1 and trams 4 and 6 stop. The Liszt Academy concert hall is at the end of the square, so it is a convenient place to eat before a concert, and the Opera House and the House of Terror are both within ten minutes on foot along Andrássy út.