Address: Liszt Ferenc Tér 2, Budapest, 1061
Opening Hours: 10.00 – 00.00 every day
For more information, visit their website here.
With an interior and ethos inspired by the canteens of Hungary’s socialist era decades ago, Menza is a bustling restaurant and coffee shop in the heart of Budapest just off the Andrassy Avenue UNESCO World Heritage Site. Menza’s offerings of sophisticated yet unpretentious Hungarian classics and innovative twists on these classics have made it a hit with locals and tourists alike. The restaurant’s food menu is regularly updated while they also stock an excellent range of reasonably priced Hungarian wines, spirits and beers. The restaurant’s bar staff are skilled and it is also a great spot to try a Hungarian twist on a wine spritzer (wine, syrup and soda water – the Hungarians were the first to produce it on a large scale): the fröccs. For the price, Menza is simply unbeatable in the Hungarian capital in terms of quality and it is a must visit for foodies.
We visited a couple of times during our month in Budapest and both times we were very impressed. The first time, we were told that there would be a long wait for a table (it’s a very popular restaurant) but after 20 minutes of sipping raspberry fröccs at the bar we were seated and our orders were taken. We try the tender beef stew with traditional Hungarian noodles, which is incredibly rich and bursting with umami, a schnitzel, cheesy potatoes and a (I believe) paprika chicken dish. Each of these was superbly well seasoned and reasonably priced. Before our afters, we opt for the famous Hungarian bitters Unicum and some palinka – very strong Hungarian schnapps – and then decide on a traditional Esterházy torte (read more about Hungarian desserts here) and a peanut brownie, which received very high praise indeed.
On another visit, we also tried the superb langos (which wasn’t a silly size) with garlic soup – well worth a try, as is their superbly sweet 5 puttonyos Tokaji. In addition to a large wine list, they also serve their own beer. Menza proudly demonstrates the wide variety and exciting possibilities of Hungarian cuisine in an unpretentious manner and is well worth at least one visit.