Discovering an Authentic Taste of Budapest, Hungary

There was a time, not so long ago, when Hungarians were compelled to leave their capital city and venture out, around the world. With few opportunities at home, the creatives – especially those with incredible skills and knowledge on the culinary side – had to find work in far-flung places with more innovative bars and restaurants. But today, that trend is reversed. It’s happening. Hungarians are coming home.

And that’s readily apparent at the absolutely charming (and newly renovated) Kempinski Hotel Corvinus. Named for the 15th-century Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus, it’s a place that has long focused on beautiful things, such as gastronomy and art. The 350-room property has recently been redesigned and refreshed, from top to bottom. 

IN THE HEART OF BUDAPEST

The hotel sits in the heart of downtown Pest, a few steps from top attractions like Fashion Street and the famous Ferris Wheel. Its rooms, suites and hallways are filled with an all-Hungarian art collection. This was the first major hotel to open in the post-communist era.

“I always knew that one day, I would come back,” says Executive Chef Péter Bárdos. He remembers the days, many years ago, when he was a 17-year-old student chef in the same hotel. Back then, he says, kitchens in his country were strict and old-school and regimented. Not a lot of opportunities for training and innovation. 

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So, like so many others, Bárdos went abroad and for 14 years, he learned and worked as a chef in London and Dubai. In 2021, he was offered the opportunity to return to his hometown. Chef Bardos was shocked and pleased at the changes he encountered in Budapest. “It was 180 degrees different than when I was a student chef.”

He shares a few memories. “I’d walk around the city, and people would say, ‘try this restaurant,’ or ‘try that restaurant,” he recalls. “Finally we had something more sophisticated.” Now, Bárdos says he brings all that experience from cooking in destinations around the world to his dishes at Kempinski Hotel Corvinus. Hungarian, but elevated. 

KEEPING IT FRESH AND LOCAL

“Everything is moving forward,” he says, explaining that local ingredients can be a bigger challenge than in places like the United Kingdom. But Bárdos insists that it’s a priority to source as fresh as possible. The hotel grows four or five types of tomatoes, plus an array of herbs (basil, parsley, mint, sage) in their rooftop garden. He personally visits large farms just outside the city to find other products. And paprika, the national spice? “If you know where to buy it,” he says, “you’ll find the best in the world.”

When I venture out to walk down Fashion Street and along the banks of the Blue Danube, the wintry January weather inevitably drives me back to the hotel. I spend most of my days just enjoying the facilities. At the newly renovated Kempinski The Spa, which now offers a Hungary Holistic signature treatment, I enjoy the swimming pool, Finnish and bio saunas and steam bath. 

I tuck into cuisine cooked up by Bárdos at ÉS Bisztró, joining their popular Sunday Family Table. First, an array of cold appetisers including duck terrine and goat cheese balls. But the highlight: the tableside Tafelspitz.

This is a favourite meal dating back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A waiter comes to dish out the steaming beef and broth, accompanied by all sorts of other goodies. Rösti potatoes, horseradish with apples, creamy bone marrow spread on toasted rye bread. 

MAGICAL EVENINGS BY THE FERRIS WHEEL

On another day, I head to the stylish, comfortable The Living Room for afternoon tea. And the weekly Concertini. Every table is occupied by couples, families and big groups of friends. Two flautists from the national music school play Bach and Mozart and Hungarian composer Beéla Bartók, in front of a flickering fire. 

I finish my evening at the cool Blue Fox The Bar. Sliding up to the counter, Creative Beverage Director Balázs Molnár pours me a drink. Outside the big front windows, the bright Ferris Wheel lights up the dark night, and the logo and interior design of the Blue Fox have been redesigned to reflect this view.

“This wheel wasn’t there when they initially built the Blue Fox,” he tells me. He and his team designed the current cocktail menu to “connect the wheel with the circle of life” so ingredients are drawn from different stages of the life cycle – seeds, flowers, fruits. 

I order a Negroni, and Molnár approves. While the cocktail is Italian, he explains that one of its key ingredients – vermouth – is from here. “During the Habsburg Empire, we Hungarians were the big vermouth producers.”

A HUNGARIAN HOMECOMING

Molnár’s story is familiar. He left Hungary for years, honing his mixology skills in London, Sydney, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Returning to his home country, he opened a small bar, before taking the lead at the Blue Fox.

Of course, he makes his own vermouth, out on the shores of Lake Balaton, a beautiful spot and major holiday destination. Molnár uses premium local wines, as well as herbs and flowers from nearby, including lavender. “In the summer, on the drive from here to the lake, you look to the right, and the left, and it’s all lavender fields,” he says.

The drink is almost as good as the story. And I do feel like I’m experiencing something exceptional. An international five-star hotel, where you can experience true Hungarian culture. “I’m so happy to come home with all these experiences to do something in my own city,” he says. “You just need a handful of people to come back, to do something special.” It’s all happening, right here at Kempinski Hotel Corvinus. 

If you enjoyed this, why not venture out into the city with Gretchen Kessler’s Budapest tips?