After all the glitter and glitz and chrome and mirrors offered by so many 'new-style' Budapest restaurants, it’s a treat to get back to basics. Alföldi Étterem on Kecskeméti utca has been around for donkey’s years, and still has what many Hungarians believe to be the best home cooking in town. It’s another small restaurant on a tree-lined street leading off Kálvin Tér, right next to a police station, so dining there is a culinary delight and a safe experience. more »

I guess the words “Va Piano” in Italian must stand for “Very Slow,” because that’s the general atmosphere at this downtown eatery. After having two unsatisfying meals previously at what seems to have become a fairly popular restaurant (probably because of its gimmicks regarding pasta and service), I thought I’d give it one last chance to prove itself worthy of a future return visit. Once again, I was disappointed. more »

"So, is there a good Szechuan restaurant in Budapest?" a friend recently asked me. I didn’t even have to think about it. "Try Nefrit," I told him. "Even though it’s over in Buda, it’s still the best all-around Szechuan-style Chinese restaurant I’ve found in town." more »