The Gundel is the very embodiment of Hungarian gastronomy. Its fame has spread across the globe, and lords, queens and Hollywood celebrities have all dined within its walls. It was closed for a long time, but is now reopening its doors with a mix of classic and new dishes. The owners promise that it will not just be a restaurant for the privileged and millionaires.
The Eventrend Group is opening Gundel
In May 2021, the Eventrend Group took over the running of the world-famous Gundel and Bagolyvár restaurants. The group is a key player in the country’s gastronomic scene. It has been operating in the domestic hospitality, event organisation and hotel management. Their portfolio includes more than thirty different projects, amongst them such renowned venues as the New York Café, the Városliget Café and the Spoon Boat. In addition to these, there is the Főőrség Café in Buda Castle, the Centrál Café, the Fakanál restaurant in the Great Market Hall, and Séf Asztala on Kossuth Square. For years, they have been working tirelessly and with great dedication to provide their guests with unforgettable moments and experiences. Gundel could not be in more expert hands! Innovation and tradition are the way forward.
Gundel is an institution, a matter of national importance, a dream come true
Its history, its very existence and its mission are all worthy of preservation, transmission and nurturing – a task undertaken with the utmost respect by the Eventrend Group, which has played a decisive role in its reopening. The restaurant’s reopening represents both a gastronomic legacy and its preservation, offering an unforgettable experience to guests from Hungary and abroad. The concept remains exactly the same as it was back then: that Gundel should be for everyone.
News of Gundel spread far and wide; world-famous and local public figures, queens and Hollywood celebrities all passed through its doors, yet even the local clientele loved to spend time at the restaurant. Not only the luxury feasts It used to be the sort of place where they served salted pretzels, draught beer and boiled eggs in stew sauce on the terrace. Now they’re bringing exactly that back for us! We’re no longer talking about a restaurant reserved solely for the upper classes and the privileged.
The revamped Gundel welcomes guests at any time of day, so anyone can pop in for two world-famous desserts and a soft drink – for as little as a few thousand forints for two people. What’s more, if you simply fancy a good cup of coffee, thanks to the restaurant’s versatile layout, everyone from a young couple to a businessperson and even a backpacker will feel right at home!
The revamped Gundel
They have created an interior that pays homage to Gundel’s golden age whilst also ensuring it remains open to the widest possible range of guests at all times of day and for every occasion. They have conceived the space in terms of three main areas. The garden, which is due to open in the spring – and whilst we cannot reveal any details yet, they are preparing a huge surprise for it. Two-thirds of the interior has been transformed into a classic café space with a truly charming and elegant atmosphere. The restaurant area is situated on the raised section of the interior, with its back wall adorned by a beautiful, custom-designed 60-square-metre wallpaper mural inspired by a zoo jungle.
Gundel belongs to everyone, and it really does
To demonstrate their aim – that, in keeping with Károly Gundel’s legacy, anyone should be able to pop in – they have taken care in setting their prices. In the café, breakfast dishes start from 2,000 Ft, main courses from 4,000 Ft, and classic desserts from 2,000 Ft. At dinner time, in the „restaurant” section of Gundel, whilst you are free to choose from the à la carte menu, only 3- or 4-course set menus can be ordered; the 3-course menu costs 12,300 Ft, whilst the four-course menu will cost 14,400 Ft, with Zsolnay porcelain, silver cutlery and damask table linen adding a touch of true elegance.
The Gundel Legacy – Unforgettable Recipes
Before the renovation, in 1894, Wampetics was still the owner. Károly Gundel took the building on lease in 1910, and under his management the restaurant began to flourish. Not only was he a master of excellent hospitality, but he also served the finest dishes of Hungarian and French cuisine, which we regard as the foundations of modern Hungarian cuisine. He is credited with creating Palóc soup, chicken paprikash, Bakony mushroom ragout, Kárpáti pikeperch and Tokaj goose liver; he also established the culture of Hungarian-style sauces and ragouts as we know them today.
It was on the restaurant’s terrace that dishes now considered traditional – such as Jókai bean soup, Bakony mushroom ragout and Gundel pancakes – were first served. Károly Gundel often named his dishes after his favourite guests: the Újházy chicken soup – after the actor Ede Újházy –, Jókai bean soup, Munkácsy-style eggs or Feszty steaks; but let us not forget that it was the Gundel dynasty that introduced the Wiener Schnitzel to Hungary.
Gundel’s Head Chef – Viktor Moldován
One could not have chosen a more serious expert than this well-travelled chef, who is deeply committed to the traditions of Hungarian cuisine head chefViktor Moldován. The young chef ran a Hungarian-style restaurant in Japan for 14 years, during which time he mastered the highly disciplined and precise Japanese work culture and organisation. At the time, there were numerous articles about his fantastic achievements, as he was the one who cooked beigli, Bácska-style rice and meat, and chicken paprikash 8,500 kilometres from Budapest. In his work, he is assisted by the renowned chef András Wolf, one of the Eventrend Group’s corporate chefs; in fact, the two of them lead the kitchen team together. These two names alone are a mark of quality. Their work is supported by chef János Kovács and pastry chef Györgyné Dudok.
We can be certain that the new Gundel will truly carry on Károly Gundel’s legacy. Unforgettable dishes and a fantastic atmosphere unlike any other await all those who love a wealth of flavours.
