The Gundel restaurant has broken with a number of traditions. Among other things, the compulsory dress code has been abolished and, to the delight of many, it has become a child- and dog-friendly venue.

Modern hospitality, classic hospitality

Gundel’s vast terrace and garden have always been a prime venue for social life in Budapest. Following the reopening of Gundel in December 2021, the Eventrend Group has also refurbished the garden to provide guests with an outdoor space that is worthy of its history whilst meeting all modern requirements. From now on, visitors can unwind here too, cooling off under the shade of the trees whilst enjoying a drink or a meal, making important decisions, or simply relaxing, chat and simply enjoy the silence, watch their children and grandchildren as they lose themselves in play, and, whilst doing so, discover the many hidden secrets of the revitalised garden.

The gates of Gundel Kert swing wide open
The garden – which can seat as many as 500–600 guests when fully occupied – is perhaps Budapest’s largest restaurant garden. In its revamped form – the „back to our roots” With this mission in mind, it pays homage to Gundel’s golden age whilst also ensuring that it remains open to the widest possible range of guests at all times of day and for every occasion. The relaxed, friendly garden – family-, child- and dog-friendly in every little detail – reveals fairy tales, charming characters and secrets, whilst inviting visitors on a journey through time to savour the atmosphere of those happy, peaceful days. This open-hearted welcome for children was also one of Károly Gundel’s innovations back in the day: all 13 of his children experienced the joys of early childhood in the garden, growing up amongst the guests.
To recreate the lush, Art Nouveau atmosphere of the turn of the century, the garden was divided into three main sections: the lower section follows the café-style concept, the area above the fountain caters for more elegant dining requirements, and the third section, known as the ‘monkey cage’ and situated close to the zoo, is an animal and amusement park designed for children.
The garden holds so many sights, so much beauty, harmony and excitement that Instagrammers will have plenty to share, and we’ll be delighted to see them get stuck in, as this will help spread the word about Budapest and Hungary far and wide, even in the digital realm.

Specialities at Gundel Kert
Following the refurbishment, Gundel Kert has become a bit like a zoo and a bit like an amusement park all in one – a true, classic weekend paradise for families. The defining atmosphere is created by the proximity to nature, the rich flora, the feeling of cosiness, the light-heartedness and the romantic glow of the strings of fairy lights stretching high above.
And as part of the garden has been designed specifically for the little ones, there are several attractions waiting for the children: a turn-of-the-century carousel, a water-horse target game, a huge, shaded garden sandpit and countless other exciting attractions. Under the pergola, the little ones can sit on six separate two-seater swings. It’s worth directing the little ones’ attention elsewhere too, as alongside the period-appropriate toys, they can discover the huge Art Nouveau elephants and their life-size counterparts from the zoo in a variety of ways, including, amongst others, tigers, monkeys, pelicans and other favourites.
The youngest children can colour in the Gundel Palace using the downloadable Gundel Kids app; in the Gundel App, they can scan a QR code to open it, allowing them to read or listen to one of Uncle Gundel’s stories. The main character is Fáncsi the Curious Elephant, who helps children find the surprises hidden in the Gundel Garden.
Elephants are such an integral part of the Gundel experience that there is a special dessert selection which is served on the back of a miniature table-top elephant.
We have installed a huge fountain in the centre of the Gundel garden, and the area covered by the parasols and pergola spans some 500 square metres, thus sheltering those relaxing outdoors from summer showers or the scorching sun.
Just as in the restaurant, every table in the garden has been dedicated to a famous Gundel guest or a Gundel heir; thus, tables have been named after Queen Elizabeth II, Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie, Larry Hagman, Zoltán Latinovits and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Nowadays, we regard our four-legged friends as members of the family, and we wouldn’t want them to miss out on shared experiences, or to have to wait for us at home, shut away on their own, whilst we’re out having a good time. Here, we don’t have to give in to those pleading doggy eyes begging for scraps at the table, nor do we have to toss them unsuitable treats under the table… Our beloved dogs have their very own doggy menu to look forward to. The meals have been specially prepared for them by our chefs.

The chefs at Gundel
Gundel’s chefs have always been outstanding professionals; they have never sought to outshine Gundel as an institution. The most important mission of a Gundel chef is to serve the Gundel cause with all their diligence and dedication.
Since Gundel opened last December, Viktor Moldován has been proving his talent day in, day out. As a great enthusiast of classic Hungarian cuisine, he is a knowledgeable young chef who spent 14 years running a Hungarian restaurant in Japan, during which time he mastered the highly consistent and precise Japanese work culture and organisation. He passes this on to our guests to their great satisfaction – from opening to closing. Viktor Moldován is assisted in his work by András Wolf, one of the Eventrend Group’s corporate chefs; in fact, the two of them lead the kitchen team. They are supported in their work by Chef János Kovács and Pastry Chef Györgyné Dudok.

What’s on offer at Gundel Kert
The restaurant’s menu moves out onto the terrace for the summer, so the menu at the Gundel Garden is the same as that of the café-restaurant. Naturally, it is adapted for the warmer season, with the menu offering lighter fare. The hot food menu is available all day, featuring salads, light bites, starters, soups, a very extensive selection of desserts and the unmissable ‘national’11 dishes. We will also be offering ‘Afternoon Tea’ during the day.
In the evening, the garden restaurant area opens, where we welcome diners to dinner with classic Gundel dishes and impeccable service, served on beautiful Zsolnay porcelain with silver cutlery.

As we have come to know so well, the dishes are based on the finest Gundel traditions, and the central element remains the ‘Nemzeti11’ – those eleven iconic Gundel dishes that we all regard as the most important part of the Gundel legacy. Through this, we show visitors from other countries and cultures what we Hungarians love, what we eat, and what we consider to be the foundation of Hungarian cuisine.

In the Nemzeti11 summer kit:
Grilled goose liver aged in Tokaji Aszú, served with spiced sour cherries and kalács
Goulash soup with homemade noodles
“Újházi” chicken soup with homemade noodles
“Palóc” soup with lamb
Carpathian pike-perch fillet with mushrooms and prawns, in a butter sauce
Paprika chicken, “nokedli” with cucumber salad and sour cream
Matured sirloin „300 g”, Budapest-style, with confit potatoes
Lecsó with Mangalica sausage and eggs
The original Gundel pancake
Somlói sponge cake
Rákóczi cottage cheesecake

Opening hours
The Gundel Garden welcomes guests from 9.00 am with breakfast, morning snacks and coffee: whether for business meetings, get-togethers with friends, romantic coffee dates, before a stroll in City Park or after a visit to the zoo, with the little ones, your dog or your laptop. Everyone can linger over their order and enjoy the garden’s atmosphere for as long as they like, because here – just as in Károly Gundel’s garden back in the day – looking after our guests is our top priority.

The much-revered Gundel legacy
Gundel wasn’t just a venue for lavish feasts; in the old days, the terrace was filled with the crunch of savoury pretzels, draught beer flowed freely, and you could even enjoy boiled eggs with goulash gravy. Under the leadership of Károly Gundel, the restaurant began to flourish; he was not only a master of exceptional hospitality, but he also served the finest dishes of Hungarian and French cuisine and created combinations of food and flavours that we now regard as the foundations of modern Hungarian cuisine. New recipes were constantly being experimented with: Palóc soup, chicken paprikash, Bakony mushroom ragout, Kárpáti pikeperch and Tokaj goose liver were all created at Gundel, but it was also at Gundel that the culture of Hungarian-style sauces and ragouts as we know them today became established. It was on the terrace of the Gundel restaurant that such now-famous dishes as Jókai bean soup, Bakony mushroom ragout and Gundel pancakes were first served. Károly Gundel often named dishes after his regular guests. This is how, for example, the Újházi chicken soup named after the actor Ede Újházi, Jókai bean soup, Munkácsy-style eggs and Feszty steak – but let’s not forget that the Gundel dynasty also introduced Wiener Schnitzel to Hungary.

The History of Gundel Kert
The most decisive factor in the construction of the Gundel was that, in the 1860s, the City Park was becoming increasingly popular; moreover, the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden opened in 1866. It was then that the decision was taken to enhance the increasingly popular City Park with a restaurant. A restaurant opened at the location we know today, initially run by Ferenc Wampetics. The restaurant’s garden area – extending deep into the Zoo – was established at that time.
The Gundel family took the restaurant on lease in 1910, and it was from this time that it came to be known as Gundel. In its heyday, between the two world wars, it operated more as a vast open-air dining area, with space for as many as 1,000 seats. This was complemented by a smaller restaurant, the same size as the present-day building. At that time, the building housed a number of facilities that no longer exist today, including its own pigsty, laundry and staff accommodation.
From the 1920s onwards, Gundel became a venue for elegant, large-scale events and a leading meeting place. However, visitors to the Zoo and the English Park were also keen to pop into the restaurant, as „it was the height of fashion to go to Gundel”. What’s more, its own 11-piece band ensured that the lavish feasts were accompanied by continuous live music, so the atmosphere was always at its best. At Gundel, there was something to suit every age group and every budget.
In 1937, Gundel catered for the state banquet in Székesfehérvár to mark the visit of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. Two years later, Gundel served as the official caterer for the Hungarian pavilion at the New York World’s Fair, and Hungarian cuisine took its rightful place on the world’s gastronomic map. In those days, Gundel was frequented by a host of celebrities; writers, artists, actors and actresses would visit, not only to feast but also drawn by the lively atmosphere. (source: Wikipedia)

Gundel and Eventrend
In May 2021, the Eventrend Group took over the operation of the world-famous Gundel and Bagolyvár restaurants. The contract to this effect was signed at the end of January 2021 with representatives of the owner, Danubius Hotels. At the time, the lessors stated that they had confidence in the professional expertise of Eventrend Group, which has significant experience in operating venues with a long history and rich heritage. It is important to DH that the Gundel restaurant, part of Hungary’s legendary culinary heritage, continues to be a key player in the country’s gastronomic scene, and it sought out the most suitable strategic partner to achieve this. Over the past six months or so, Gundel’s outstanding team of professionals have demonstrated their expertise day in, day out, much to the delight of their guests. Now, with the opening of Gundel Kert, they are expanding their guest base, as it has the potential to become one of the most popular destinations for families.