Café Kör

One of the most reliable spot in Budapest’s ever-changing restaurant scene. Café Kör has been going strong since 1995 under the leadership of Gábor Molnár, and despite the tourism and hospitality boom in the neighborhood, you will still struggle to get a table at lunch or dinner without a reservation. They have a loyal local following, and of course, tourists are also drawn to the classic Hungarian dinery vibe. Their daily specials – handwritten in thick marker – are iconic, and the place stands as the antithesis of downtown designer restaurants. The steak tartare is the old-school paprika-heavy mix, the steamed rice comes shaped in a neat little dome, the tenderloin is pink in the middle, the pork knuckle is simply but beautifully roasted, and the chestnut purée tastes just like it did decades ago. The winds of the gastro-revolution never quite reached here – and yes, the interior is a little worn, a little stuffy but that is exactly what people love about it.