Tagyon Birtok Baráti Társaság

Even the name – “Tagyon Estate Circle of Friends” – signals that this is no ordinary restaurant. While it's no novelty for a Balaton Uplands winery to double as a restaurant and guesthouse, this place pushes the envelope of conventional hospitality. Slightly spartan and offbeat, the setting offers jaw-dropping views and an enveloping sense of warmth. Off the beaten track, guests dine in the shade of an old press house, either in a covered pergola or under the open sky. Beneath the house lies a 20th-century wine cellar, and naturally, the wines are from Tagyon’s own vineyards. Decoration is sparse: the vista does all the work with huge walnut trees, rows of vines and Balaton shimmering beyond. The kitchen hums beneath a canvas, with the bar beside it and a wooden shack as the lavatory. Certain tables are picnic benches, no tablecloths and cutlery arrives in a mini aluminium bucket. The menu is bistro style, and the plating follows suit. Don’t be fooled by the rustic setup: the cooking is in another league. Dishes (sometimes with playful spellings) include chilled pickled cucumber soup, duck liver pâté, confit duck with cabbage noodles, and curd dumplings with sour cream. Service is warm and accommodating – our request to swap the side dish on the mangalitsa chop for carrot risotto was met with a smile. The risotto was spot on, al dente, while the meat was perfectly prepared, balanced by the tang of pickled red onion. A laid-back spot with heartfelt cooking and the fine wines of the Nivegy Valley.