This trendy, Jewish Quarter restaurant is one of the hottest dinner destinations in the city. Their winning formula is simple: serve uncomplicated traditional Hungarian dishes along with a range of local wines inside an atmospheric space near the city’s best bars. If in doubt, try the veal paprikash that arrives with baked cottage cheese rolled in bacon. Reservations are a must. (If you have to wait for a table, pop in for a drink to the world-famous ruin bar, Szimpla, a few doors down from Gettó Gulyás.)

This tiny studio restaurant offers an intimate dining experience on a quiet backstreet of the trendy Jewish Quarter. Young owner/chef Gábor Fehér trained in Denmark and at leading Budapest restaurants before venturing out on his own with a Scandinavian-Hungarian concept. Go for the 5-course tasting menu featuring incredibly delicious, inventive dishes like the flavourful mangalica pork loin paired with fresh green peas and wild garlic.

Local chefs Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll left the glitzy world of fine dining to start this no-frills, casual eatery inside the lively Hold Street Market Hall. Their mission is to prove that Hungarian peasant fare can be so much more than a high-carb, greasy affair. So, if you think goulash and layered potatoes aren’t your thing, watch out, they will likely prove you wrong. Stand25 works best at lunch, but be sure to make a reservation before you go.

With excellent curb appeal and a highly-instagrammable interior featuring mosaics, glazed ceramic tiles and Murano glass, this colourful downtown restaurant is equally good for a selfie and a boozy brunch. Those craving an avocado toast topped with a poached egg will also find themselves at home.

Don’t be fooled by the dilapidated façade of this Middle Eastern-themed bar and restaurant: the enormous courtyard hides an impossibly cool contemporary space featuring sleek wood furniture, live music and a lively atmosphere. Mazel Tov’s elaborately designed interior is a creative take on the normally run-down ruin bars which otherwise swarm the neighbourhood. The shawarma plate and the spicy merguez will not disappoint and the same goes for the negronis.

Few people know that Budapest has a 30 thousand member Chinese community, which means that excellent Chinese restaurants exist in certain parts of the city. The best ones are located in Monori Center, offering a gastronomic paradise to Chinese food fans. Try Spicy Fish, a higher-end option specialised in Sichuan cuisine: expect plenty of delicious food packed with chilli heat and mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. Beware, portions are huge.