Gourmet Festival Budapest

A Celebration Of New & Innovative Cuisine

Date: 02 – 04. June 2023

Location: Millenáris Park, Budapest 1024, Kis Rókus Street 16–20., District II.

Are you a food lover looking for your next culinary adventure? Look no further than the Gourmet Festival in Budapest, taking place from June 02-04, 2023.

Don’t miss this popular gastronomy event that this year will be focusing on the new generation of restaurateurs, chefs, confectioneries, wineries, and beer makers.

We’ll give you all the reasons why you should add the Gourmet Festival to your travel itinerary, and provide important information on

  • Tickets,
  • Location,
  • Opening hours
  • Exhibitors, and
  • Programs

Good to Know About the Gourmet Festival

people sitting at wooden table on the Gourmet Festival in Millenaris park

Date: 02 – 04. June 2023.

Opening Hours:

  • 02- 03. June/Friday-Saturday: 11.00 – 23.00,
  • 04. June/Sunday: 11.00 – 19.00

Getting There:

Venue: MillenĂĄris Park, Buda

Trams 4, 6, M2 metro SzĂ©ll KĂĄlmĂĄn tĂ©r stop – cc. 5 minute walk from there.

Other trams: 17, 56, 56A, 59, 61, Buses: 5, 16, 16A, 21, 21A, 22, 39, 91, 102, 116, 128, 129, 139, 149, 155, 156,

Entry to the festival area: from FĂ©ny utca

Tickets To the Festival

  • Daily ticket: 15 EUR/day,
  • 3-day pass early bird price: 29 EUR:

You will get a plastic wristband in exchange for your ticket/online voucher at the entrance. You can use it to pay for food and drink.

Just top it up with money at the designated top-up points using cash, a bank card, or mobile app.

To pay simply touch the card reading terminal with your wristband.

Included are:

  • a Spiegelau wine glass,
  • Jameson Whiskey tasting (for the first 500 visitors of the day),
  • street food bite,
  • Young wine-maker of the Year wine tasting
  • EsterhĂĄzy Green Veltliner or EsterhĂĄzy kĂ©kfrankos tasting (for the first 500 guests of the day)
  • Beer tastings: Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegaarden or Belle-Vue Kriek beer tasting
  • Rauch Juice Bar 0,33L fruit juice (for the first 1 000 guests of the day)
  • Gastro shows and tastings on the stage
  • Children programs and activities

Children tickets: free for kids under the age of 14.

Where To Buy Tickets?

  • On the venue – but expect to stand in queue.
  • AkvĂĄrium Klub Ticket Office on ErzsĂ©bet Square, downtown – Open: Mon – Sun: 12.00 – 20.00,
  • BP Shop, WesselĂ©nyi utca 24., district VII., Open: Mon – Sat: 11.00 – 18.00, Sun: 12.00 – 18.00
  • BP Shop WestEnd City Center shopping mall: Open: Mon – Sat: 11.00 – 15.00, 19.00 – 21.00, Sun: 11.00 – 18.00
  • Online purchase through the official event website for a 300 HUF handling fee.

Payment at the Festival

You can pay for food, drinks, products with

  • the Festipay Electronic card,
  • with MasterCard, Maestro contactless bank cards, or
  • with the Simple virtual prepaid bank card by OTP (no need to have Hungarian bank account) – you can pay with your mobilephone

Cash is not accepted by any retailer.

You can get your card and add a certain balance (minimum is 2 000 HUF) at any of the Card Top-Up points located in the venue.

You can use cash or credit card (in case of the latter an additional 100 HUF fee is charged).

A 500 HUF deposit will also be charged which you’ll get back upon returning the card at the end of the festival.

You can top-up the card and check the balance on it any time during the festival. You can get the remaining balance  back in cash during the opening hours of the Gourmet Festival.

Why Go?

outdoor restaurants at the lake in Millenaris park on the Gourmet Fest

The Gourmet Festival in Buda has become unanimous with the best of Hungarian gastronomy.

International restaurants and chef stars you can meet include:

  • Heinz Reitbauer, Steirereck – The world’s 10th best restaurant with 2 Michelin stars and 19/20 Gault Millau points and its legendary chef
  • Kamilla Seidler – The best female chef of Latin America
  • Maksut Askar executive chef of Neolokal – Long-forgotten, local ingredients in a modern guise from Istambul, Turkey
  • Bib Gourmands from Warsaw: Butchery & Wine, Brasserie Warszawska, Kieliszkina Próżnej, Rozbrat 20

Besides famous Hungarian and international wine producers, artisan cheese makers, gourmet food shops, cafes and restaurants will also offer their delicacies in MillenĂĄris Park for four days in May.

The festival is an excellent opportunity to to taste the finest local food Budapest and other parts of Hungary can offer.

wooden stalls of exhibitors and visitors on the Gourmet Festival in Millenaris Park

You can meet and chat the best Hungarian chefs and try the food of the best restaurants at one place.

This year game and fish dishes will be in the limelight, prepared in both traditional and modern ways.

Good food is even better washed down with great wines and you’ll have no shortage of fruity roses, fresh whites or heavier reds on the Gourmet Festival.

But if you fancy a mug of chilled beer no problem, look far the pavilion of the Reketye SörfƑzde (owner of the JĂłnĂĄs Craft Beer House in the Whale Shopping & Entertainment Centre), or the Etyeki SörmanufaktĂșra, both are new craft breweries in Hungary with some awesome quality brews.

  • chunks of cheese and a half-glass of white wineAward-winning restaurants (Borkonyha, a Michelin star awardee, Costes, Costes Downtown-the newest Michelin-star restaurant of Budapest, Chateau Visz, Rosinante),
  • confectioneries, (Pataki, Zazzi, Auguszt, Desszert.Neked, Gerbeaud),
  • artisan ice cream makers,
  • wineries as well as
  • gourmet shops and
  • cheese specialists (StelĂĄzsi, Sarki FƱszeres, Szega Camembert, Etyek Sonkamester) offer exquisite culinary experience during the 4-day festival.

Who’ll be Present?

The list is not complete only includes the must-try places.

Restaurants, Gourmet Shops & Cafes – Dumplings, Caviar & Champagne

  • Babel – a fine dining place near MĂĄrcius 15. Sqr, in Piarista köz, their aim is a Michelin star and they are certainly not far from getting one.
  • Baricska CsĂĄrda from BalatonfĂŒred, Lake Balaton: Hungarian cuisine and wines
  • AnyukĂĄm mondta – mum’s cooking on a higher level, one of the best restaurants in Hungary located in a small village Encs in north Hungary, fresh, quality ingredients, homemade goodies, simple flavours.
  • FĂŒlemĂŒle Restaurant from Distr. VIII. – brings the best Jewish and Hungarian dishes.
  • Dobrumba, from Dob utca, district VII. – Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Caucasian flavours.
  • ÉS Bistro – another great hotel restaurant with laid-back atmosphere and Austro-Hungarian dishes, grilled specialties (Kempinski Hotel Corvinus).
  • DeĂĄk St. Kitchen – wine & grill restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton Budapest Hotel.
  • Buddha Bar Budapest – from the hotel of the same name in VĂĄci Street: superb Asian fusion cuisine with the biggest sushi offer in the city.
  • KollĂĄzs Brasserie & Bar – another excellent hotel restaurant, this one from the Four Seasons Budapest Hotel: a blend of traditional and modern, including Hungarian classics, prepared creatively.
  • Arany KaviĂĄr, Buda Castle – one of the best fine dining places in Budapest.
  • The four Michelin-star places will be present too: BorKonyha, Costes, Onyx – won its 2nd star this spring, Costes Downtown: received the coveted star in spring 2016.

Confectioneries, Chocolatiers You Should Try While On The Festival

Sug’art by Juhos Joci

Known for traditional Hungarian cakes and pastries, their ice cream is also delicious. It’s located in a small town south of the capital so the Gourmet Festival is a good opportunity to sample their offer.

Cake & more by Garannikova

  • Address: Podmaniczky u. 81, Bp. 1064, distr. VI.

Naspolya Nassolda

This trendy cake shop and cafe uses all-natural, organic raw ingredients to create healthy and nutritious cakes and savoury delights.

  • Address: KĂĄldy Gyula u. 7, Bp. 1061, distr. VI.

the cake counter in Cake Shop, BudapestChez Dodo

A charming macaron shop and cafe in the Basilica neighbourhood.

Address: Sas utca 7., Bp. 1051, distr. V., Downtown

SĂŒtizz!

A confectionery located in Buda founded in 2015. The two owners make French-style cakes based on their own recipes using mainly raw ingredients and modern techniques

  • Address: NeszmĂ©lyi Ășt 82, Bp., 1112, distr. XI.

Mon Petit Dessert Boutique

Address: PetƑfi tĂ©r 3-5., Bp. 1052, distr. V. Downtown

NOUR – Art of Desserts

A FlĂłdnis

FlĂłdni is a classic Jewish pastry with rich poppy seed, apple, walnut and plum reserve filling between 5 layers of thin pastry.

  • Address: The shop is located in MOM Park Shopping Centre in Buda: AlkotĂĄs u. 53-1. emelet, Bp., 1123, distr. XII.

ZAX Handmade Chocolate

One of the top Hungarian artisan chocolatiers that have won numeous awards in previous yeras.

They don’t have a brick store in Budapest but you can find them at major festivals, holiday markets like the Christmas Fair at Vörösmarty Square, or the Spring & Easter Fair in Downtown Budapest.

Programs You Might You May Want To Check Out On the Gourmet Festival 2023

Cooking shows, workshops, tastings will entertain visitors from Friday to Sunday (there’s no special program on Thursday).

Stage Programs – Friday, 02. June 2023

  • 17.00 – The World of Sweet Pizzas – by Szabi Szabadfi award-winner baker and Dani Sass. The duo will make Nutella pizza topped with pistachios and raspberry caviar.
  • 18.00 – Zazzi – Sweet Dream – owners of the recently closed cake shop will make their most popular dessert: Sweet Dream
  • 19.00 – Attila BicsĂĄr, Sauska 48 – Village Gourmet

Stage Programs – Saturday, 03. June 2023

  • 13.00 – The HER presents: Balla Mama – Balla Mama is from HajdĂșszoboszlĂł, a small town in Eastern Hungary, in the Great Plain/Alföld region. She will prepare traditional Alföld-style dumplings.
  • 14.00 – Warsaw’s Bib Gourmands – Polish spring time food
  • 15.00 – Heinz Reitbauer, Steirereck** – Mushrooms in the Focus
  • 17.00 – Maksut Askar, Neolokal – the Turkish cuisine in a new light
  • 18.00 – Villa Rosa – Flavours of CsallĂłköz, a region of southwestern Slovakia that is rich in fish and game. Villa Rosa is an award winner gourmet restaurant from Dunaszerdahely, Slovakia. Chefs Imre Bindics, PĂ©ter Czucz, and RĂłbert Tatai will cook and tell us stories about the old-new region.
  • 19.00 – Gold Caviar – How is caviar prepared? SzĂĄsa NyĂ­ri caviar expert and chef of the Arany Kaviar restaurant talks about the secrets of caviar making. Visitors can have a taste of the delicacy.

Stage Programs – Sunday, 04. June 2023

  • 13.00 – Strudel making with TĂ­mea Krusper (Poroszló’s Strudelhouse)
  • 14.00 – No Salty presents: Ready, set, cook! – MĂĄrk Lakatos and DĂĄvid KĂĄrai
  • 15.00 – Kamilla Seidler – Latin America’s best female chef
  • 16.00 – CafĂ© Gerbeaud is 160 years old. Cacao Barry Or Noir 1858, a unique chocolate that was chosen specially from the French Cacao Barry manufactory for the 160th birthday of Gerbeaud. You can also learn about the history of the iconic confectionery.
  • 17.00 – Onyx** – Two Adams, two dumplings, two stars, one team
  • 18.00 – ÁdĂĄm Pohner, KistĂŒcsök (Small Cricket) – Bocuse d’Or reloaded
  • 19.00 – Gourmet Awards and Closing Ceremony

Children Programs

Opening Hours of the children programs: 19. May/Thurs: 15.00 – 19.00, 20 -21. May/Sat-Sun: 12.00 – 19.00

A separate spot with playground will be dedicated to kids’ activities:

  • cooking school
  • baby kitchen for the littlest ones
  • craft workshops for toddlers, kindergarteners cooking school

Cooking School by Chefparade

Recommended for ages: 6 -14 Friday: 14.30 – 19.30, Saturday-Sunday: 11.30 – 19.30 The young chefs can choose from two menus to prepare[tie_list type=”checklist”]

  • GombĂłc ArtĂșr menu: parmesan coated fried gnocchi in tomato sauce, fruit caviar pearls
  • Gubanc menu: crab-cake with freshly made citrus-avocado mayonnaise, walnut/popy seed bread pudding (guba – a Hungarian Christmas dessert) with passion fruit sauce

Gourmet Workshops

The Workhops are a great way to learn or improve your cooking or baking skills. 

  • Vegan cooking with GrĂ©ta StƑhr (Great Bistro)
  • Coffee and Gastronomy – Discover the base flavours with Ákos SĂĄrközy Michelin-star chef (BorKonyha), 20. May
  • Baking bread with Szabolcs Szabadfi from the Panificio il Basilico bakery  – 21. May
  • Strawberry jam making with DĂłra Havas TV chef- 21. May
  • The world of leavened bread, Misi the baker from Jacques Liszt Bakery – 21. May

Similar Events:

May Day in BudapestEleven Spring Weekend BartĂłk BĂ©la Boulevard – Belgian Beer Festival – Beer Festival In Budapest City CentreStreet Food Show & FƑzdefeszt Craft Beer Festival – Budapest Wine FestivalBudapest Events, Activities in May

Gerbeaud Cafe & Confectionery– Not my favourite though many associate Gerbeaud with quality cakes, good coffee and top-notch service although today you can find much better cake shops in Budapest. They’ve become very touristy and overpriced over the years.

If not for their cakes you must visit it once or the classically elegant, historic setting. It’s right in the heart of Budapest at Vörösmarty Square.

More tips For Food Lovers: Taste BudapestBest Hungarian RestaurantsBest Ice Cream Shops Hungarian Restaurants