Page 193 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Budapest

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  191

Tipping
chicken or various smoked
meats. Another alternative is In some restaurants, a service
the delicious lángos charge is included in the final
(pronounced “langosh”), a flat, bill, in others it is customary to
salty, fried yeast dough. It is tip. If a service charge is added,
traditionally eaten with garlic this should be stated on either
oil or sour cream and cheese. the menu or the bill; this could
For more detailed be up to 15 per cent. However,
information on the types of if there is any doubt, it is always
food available in the city, courteous to leave a tip. In
including local dishes and general, an acceptable tip is
specialities, see The Flavours of between 10–15 per cent of the
Budapest on pages 192–3. cost of the meal.
Vegetarian Food Dining on the deck overlooking a lake at Children
Although vegetarian cuisine Hemingway (see p196) Children are welcomed in most
per se is not found in abundance Menus and Prices restaurants without exception,
in Budapest, there are a growing though the higher-end
number of vegetarian Most Hungarian restaurants establishments might be a little
restaurants scattered around display a menu by the entrance, sniffy at their presence. If
the city. Moreover, meat-free and it is usually translated into children’s portions do not appear
dishes can be found on most English or German. The name of on the menu, the chef will
Hungarian menus. Főzelék is a the dish is generally followed by prepare suitable dishes to order.
vegetable dish that you can a brief description. The day’s These are usually charged at
order on its own, or optionally “specials” – a set meal consisting about 70 per cent of the price.
with a slice of meat, a sausage of a soup, a main course and a The only exception is dessert,
or an egg. Lecsó, a type of dessert – are listed at the head but this can often be shared.
ragout, is another popular of the menu. Set menus are However, the desserts are so
vegetable side dish that makes often very good value and delicious that most children will
a substantial meal by itself. provide an ideal opportunity for happily eat a whole portion.
There are also many sweet and visitors to sample several
savoury palacsinta (pancakes). Hungarian specialities.
The prices should also be Recommended
Restaurants
displayed, but if they are not,
Reserving a Table
go elsewhere or at least ask to The restaurants in this guide are
It is really only necessary to see the prices, including any divided into seven geographical
book in advance at Budapest’s surcharges, before ordering areas: Castle District, North of
more exclusive restaurants. the meal. In most Hungarian the Castle District, Gellért and
Interestingly, it is also still the restaurants the waiters tend Tabán, Around Parliament,
custom in some cheaper to round up the bill, particularly Central Pest, Around Városliget,
establishments to be asked to when serving foreign customers. and Further Afield. Our listings
join other diners at a table, Expect prices to be displayed in include a selection of the best
especially during the busy forints, as well as in euros in restaurants from across the city,
lunchtime period. some places. and while traditional Hungarian
cuisine is still heartily embraced
amongst locals and visitors alike,
we’ve also listed dozens more
restaurants that reflect the
changing, and more innovative,
trends in Magyar cooking. The
number, and quality, of ethnic
eateries has also improved no
end, with Italian, French, and
Asian restaurants particularly to
the fore, and this too is reflected
in many of the establishments
listed here. The highlighted
restaurants, marked as DK
Choice, have been chosen
because they offer a unique
experience – typically a
combination of superb cuisine
Al fresco dining at Café Pierrot (see p196) and a truly special atmosphere.

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