Last Updated on 18 October 2025 by ZoliBP
The 2nd Largest, and the Most Beautiful in the World
History, Photos, Kosher Restaurants in the Area
The Great Synagogue of Budapest (also known as the Central Synagogue) in Dohány Street is a good starting point to learn about Jewish Budapest.
Find out about the history and architecture of this wonderful Jewish religious monument.
You can also take one of the Jewish Heritage tours to visit the Dohany Street synagogue and related sights, incluidng the Jewish Museum.
The Jewish Quarter (district VII.) hides many treasures, so devote enough time to explore it.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents – Budapest Great Synagogue
Location & Getting There
Address:
- Dohány utca 2-8. in district VII., at an angle to Károly körút, between Deák tér and Astoria (View on Google Maps)
Public Transport:
- M2 metro line Astoria station, from there the Dohány utca synagogue is just a short walk
- Bus: No. 7, 7A
- Trams: No. 47, 49
Opening Hours:
Budapest Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum & Archives:
Spring & Autumn (March 02 – April 03 and October 01 – October 31)
- Sunday – Thursday: 10.00 – 18.00
- Fridays: 10.00 – 16.00
- Closed on Saturdays
Summer (May 01 – September 30)
- Sunday – Thursday: 10.00 – 20.00
- Fridays: 10.00 – 16.00
- Closed on Saturdays
Winter (November 02 – December 31 2025)
- Sunday – Thursday: 10.00 – 16.00
- Friday: 10.00 – 14.00
- Closed on Saturdays, December 24. and 25.
The synagogue is closed on the following days:
- October 01, 02, 07, 08, 14, 15. Oct. 06 and 13. and shorter opening hours 10.00 – 14.00
- November 01.,
- December 24., 25.
- Every Saturday.
Note: The Ticket Office closes half an hour before the synagogue’s closing time.
Visiting the Budapest Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum
Admission to the Budapest Great Synagogue & the Jewish Museum & Archives:
- Full price:13 000 HUF (10% discount with Budapest card)
- Students: 10 500 HUF (10% discount with Budapest card)
- Children (ages 6-12): 5 000 HUF
- Family (2 adults + min. 2 children): 30 000 HUF
- fFee for children under 6 yrs of age
Includes:
- Guided tour of the Budapest Great Synagogue (in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew and Hungarian languages) – starts every 30 and 60 minutes
- Visiting the Heroes’ temple,
- Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Garden with the Emmanuel Tree of Life
- Graveyard in the courtyard of the Budapest Great Synagogue
- Lapidary
- Entry to the Jewish Museum & Archives
- Temporary exhibitions in the cellar
TIP: The best way to explore the Central Synagogue and the numerous other Jewish sights of the Hungarian capital is to join a guided tour.
You can choose from two tours:
- A shorter (2,5 hours) and a
- Longer, more detailed one (3,5-4 hours).
Both tours are lead by experts in Budapest’s Jewish history and culture.
Jewish Heritage Guided Tour with Synagogue visit
Tour starts: 10:00
Duration Essential Tour: 120 min.
Duration Grand Tour : 240 min.
Price: Essential Tour €55 / Grand Tour €85
Note: Men cannot enter the synagogue without a hat or cap. You have to wear a small skullcap called kipah or yarmulke. You’ll receive one at the entrance after ticket inspection. Please also wear appropriate clothes: no sleeveless tops, short skirt or shorts.
History and Architecture
Jews were banned from the city in the 18th century, so they established a Jewish quarter just outside the old city boundary.
Remains of the old Pest city walls run on the opposite side of the road.
The Jews built their main synagogue in a residential area. Theodore Herzl, founder of modern Zionism was born in one of the buildings.
This stunning temple was constructed between 1844-59 according to Ludwig Förster’s plans.
The second largest synagogue (the largest stands in New York) in the world can take in 3,000 people.
Its Byzantine-Moorish style will fascinate you and remind you of monuments in the Middle-East.
Two onion-shaped domes sit on the twin towers at 43 m height. The towers symbolize the two columns of Solomon’s Temple.
The spacious interior has equally rich decorations. A single-span cast iron supports the 12-m wide nave. The seats on the ground-floor are for men, while the upper gallery has seats for women.
Surprisingly, the synagogue has an organ, though this instrument is used in Christian churches. The temple’s acoustic make it a popular venue for concerts.
Tree of Life Holocaust Memorial
The Dohány Street synagogue witnessed the tragic events of WWII.
The Germans established a ghetto for the Jews in 1944 that served as a gathering place for deportation.
Many people found refugee in the Dohány utca synagogue but thousands died during the bleak winter of 1944/45. Their bodies are buried in the courtyard.
In the cobbled Raoul Wallenberg (Swedish diplomat who saved many Jews during WW II) park stands the Holocaust Memorial by Imre Varga.
It was erected in 1989 above the mass graves, in the honour and memory of Hungarian Jewish martyrs. On each leave of the metal weeping willow tree you can read a name of a martyr.
You can also see a piece of brick from the original ghetto wall in the garden.
Behind the main building stands the Heroes’ Temple that was built in 1929-31 to commmemorate the Jews who died in the First World War.
A restoration of Budapest’s Great Synagogue was finished a couple years ago, funded partly by a foundation set up by Tony Curtis who has Hungarian roots.
The adjacent Jewish Museum (on the left of the synagogue) has
- a Holocaust memorial room and
- Displays about the Jewish culture and religious life.
The museum has the same opening hours as the synagogue. Visit the official website for more information.
Read more about Jewish Budapest.
Where to Eat near the Central Synagogue?
You’ll find some very good eateries nearby including kosher, and non-kosher restaurants with fine Hungarian-Jewish cuisine. The area is literally packed with terraced restaurants and cafes.
TIP: Gozsdu Court, a series of arcades connecting Király utca and Dob utca is a real culinary centre with a couple of good-value pubs, cafes and restaurants: Spíler Pub, Jamies’ Italian, 2Spaghi (a real Italian Pasta Bar), BlueBird Cafe with its own coffee roaster,
Spinoza Café and Restaurant
Address:
- Dob utca 15., district VII. (View on Google Maps)
Open:
- Monday to Wednesday: 17:00 – 23:00
- Thursday to Sunday: 12:00 – 23:00
A cozy restaurant with elegant turn-of-the-20th century decor and good food: a mix of Hungarian, Jewish and international cuisine.
Reservations recommended, especially for evening or for performances.
The Spinoza also functions as a theatre, and art gallery.
On the menu you’ll find:
- Soups (2 150 HUF each): e.g. goose soup with matzo balls, classic Hungarian goulash.
- Starters & small plates: grilled vegetables, antipasti, hummus, etc.
- Mains (4 950 – 6 950 HUF): e.g. paprikás chicken, confit goose breast, stuffed cabbage, fried chicken, Jewish-style stews like cholent (sólet)
- Desserts ( 2 150 – 2 390 HUF): flódni (a layered Hungarian Jewish pastry with plum jam, walnuts, poppy seeds, apple) with plum sauce, Somlói trifle (2 150 HUF), apple strudel with vanila ice cream etc.
Klezmer show each Friday evening.
See also our page about Top Restaurants or our recommendation of Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest.
Kosher Restaurants in Budapest
| Name: | Type / Focus: | Address: | What Makes It Stand Out / Notes |
| Carmel Restaurant (Carmel Kóser Étterem) | Meat / full kosher (glatt / Mehadrin) | Kazinczy utca 31, 1075 | One of the more established glatt-kosher restaurants in the Jewish Quarter. Serves Jewish-Hungarian and international cuisine. Offers special Shabbat meals and has private rooms for groups. |
| Hanna / Hanna Garden Glatt Kóser | Meat / traditional kosher | Kazinczy utca 29 (or in that block in the Jewish Quarter) | A historic kosher spot, recently renovated. Known for classic Jewish dishes, Shabbat menus, and being centrally located near the synagogue. |
| Tel Aviv Café | Dairy / kosher café | Kazinczy utca 28, 1075 | Kosher dairy & vegetarian menus: salads, fish, pasta, shakshuka. Good for lunch, light meals, or breakfast. |
| Nitavalo | Fast / modern kosher | Dob utca 32 | A newer kosher chef-style / street-food restaurant in the Jewish Quarter area |
| Cafe Tamar | Dairy / kosher café | Nagy Diófa u. 3 | Mediterranean / Italian style kosher café. Good for breakfast, light meals. |
| ASHIS’ | Meat / kosher street / grill | Dob utca 5 | Kosher Israeli street-food style: burgers, chicken, salads, fast plates. |
Carmel Glatt Kosher Restaurant
With its cozy atmosphere and cultural character, the restaurant feels perfectly at home in the heart historic Jewish Quarter.
Address:
- Kazinczy Stret 31. (View on Google Maps)
Open:
- Regular hours (Sun – Thu): 12:00 – 22:30
A bit touristy (=pricey) but the food is good in Carmel. The menu is a blend of traditional Jewish / kosher dishes and Hungarian / international flavors.
Try the Jewish specialties Carmel is known for:
- Meat soup with Matzo balls (4 790 HUF),
- Hungarian beef goulash (4 890 HUF)
- Cholent with smoked meat (7 690 HUF), and
- Flódni for dessert (3 290 HUF).
They also have Sabbath menu (18 000 HUF).
Hanna Orthodox Kosher Restaurant
Address: Dob utca 37., district VII.
Open:
- Sunday – Thusday: 11.30 – 22.00 08.00 – 22.00
- Friday: 11.30 – 14.00 – break – 21.30 – 24.00
- Saturday: 12.00 – 15.00
The Hanna Ort Kosher Restaurant is located in the courtyard of the Kazinczy Synagogue, but entrance is from Dob utca, that intersects Kazinczy utca.
Hanna opened at the beginning of the 1960s and it offers traditional Hungarian and Jewish cuisine.
Tips & Clarifications Regarding Kosher Restaurants
Kosher vs “Jewish-style”:
Some restaurants in the Jewish Quarter serve Jewish / Eastern European–Jewish food but are not strictly kosher. Always check for supervision / certification if you require full kosher compliance.
Shabbat / special meals:
For Friday night / Saturday meals, many kosher restaurants require advance booking, especially for full Shabbat dinners.
Certifications vary:
Some are “Mehadrin” or “Glatt kosher” under rabbinical supervision; others may operate under milder standards.
Opening hours:
Many kosher cafés or restaurants have limited hours, especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and evenings.
Location convenience:
A lot of these are in the core of Budapest’s Jewish Quarter near Kazinczy, Dob, Nagy Diófa streets – very walkable from major central hotels or attractions
TIP1: Visit the Jewish Summer Festival at the beginning of every September to learn more about Jewish culture.
TIP2: Take a walk along Kazinczy Street, Budapest’s trendiest nightlife spot, but also home to the Orthodox Synagogue of the city.
